Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout

My husband used to think Guinness was the best beer in the universe. I always thought it tasted like a grass and wool sweater milkshake, but this is not about me and my terrible taste. One day, my husband was introduced to the idea that there were, in fact, other stouts waiting out there for him, and that some were actually better than Guinness. Hard to believe, I know. And yet, there it is.

One such stout is the Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout, experienced for the first time here only moments ago. Crafted by the Lagunitas Brewing Company, makers of the previously reviewed Lagunitas IPA, it's a seasonal brew put out for the holidays, and yet is not the stereotypical strangely spiced holiday ale. To be precise, it is an Imperial Stout, which some also call an American Double Stout, and which is known for being extra dark and higher in alcohol than other stouts.

Eric found it a lot like Guinness Extra Stout, but more robust, with a pleasing coffee flavor with chocolate notes and a nice aroma. It's not very thick for a stout, and doesn't have a lot of head, but is about as dark as you'd expect for the style. Perhaps the biggest vote in its favor came from our friend Austin, the other resident non-beer-drinker (besides me), who not only tried it and liked it but asked for more when he was done drinking it.

If you like stouts and coffee, you will probably like this beer. If you like Guinness Extra Stout, you will probably like this beer better. We still have a Guinness clock in our kitchen, though.

Just the facts, ma'am: Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout, Lagunitas Brewing Company, California, Imperial stout, 9.2% alcohol by volume.

You've been fooling around with the espresso maker, haven't you?

Fade to Black

Because my husband is recording music in the other room, I have the urge to write this review as a song. Don't worry, I'll valiantly fight the feeling. With him is a friend of mine who politely asked whether he could have one of the many beers in my fridge. Something malty, he said. I had just the thing.

Fade to Black is a winter seasonal that Left Hand Brewing Company calls a Foreign Stout, but I'm told it's almost more like a porter. As advertised, it's a really dark beer; we're talking bottom of a well on a moonless night. The most prominent notes are a sweetness like molasses and a sort of espresso undertone according to my friend, but other sources report licorice and cardamom flavors.

If you're not a big fan of porters or the sweeter side of stouts, this may not be the beer for you; try Left Hand's Milk Stout instead. If you want something malty, like my friend did, this beer is enthusiastically recommended. By which I mean that it was immediately stolen by someone else because it was so good, so my friend will have to wait until I can buy more.

Just the facts, ma'am: Fade to Black, Left Hand Brewing Company, Colorado, foreign stout, 8.5% alcohol by volume.

Consume in a well-lit area or you might lose your beer and never find it again.