Beer Advent Calendar Day 19- Bristol Beer Factory Vanilla Milk Stout

Good evening all. You know you've already reviewed a few of these stouts when the auto-complete option in the title barely needs to be altered! That's right, it's another Bristol Beer Factory stout, Vanilla Milk Stout. Described as a "dessert in a glass", I've opted to have it before dinner, so hopefully it won't ruin my appetite. Onwards....

Vanilla Milk Stout (4.5% ABV) pours a deep black with an initially lively head that soon dissolves to the familiar halo around the inside of the glass. The aroma is light and malty, with the typical stout aromas barely coming through. As I seem to be leaving the bigger, fuller-bodied stouts for the end, this will still be a continuing theme for the next couple of days. Not that I'm complaining of course, I'll probably be longing for subtlety after consecutive tastings of the Glenlivet and Laphroaig-aged imperials! The taste is wonderfully smooth and creamy. The vanilla comes out in the finish with a taste that is reminiscent of custard, whilst the malt supports this taste without ever really adding to it. The first sip left me quite disappointed, but subsequent mouthfuls kept revealing more. Mouthfeel is rich and quite thick, with relatively low carbonation. Overall, another winner in the series. This stout would probably be a perfect accompaniment to dessert, but not after a heavy meal as the flavours would most likely be lost. Highly recommended!

Tomorrow, another stout that will no doubt be fantastic. Until next time....