All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all stouts are meant to be Imperial.
This was (at least in my mind) the thought behind the brewers at Belching Beaver. They’ve been around for quite awhile, but I’ve only recently seen a push for them at Bevmo’s and Safeways in the Bay Area. And no, it’s not an Oregon brewery.
This is the first stout I’ve had in a long while that wasn’t a 10% “one and done” beer. At 5% this is a drinkable stout for anyone new to the game. Even wifey finished hers tonight! Your first thought is man there is some chocolate packed in there, you actually have to taste and look for the peanut butter notes. It actually feels as if the peanut butter is coming out of the malt, because its toasted a bit – frickin dope. Decent carbonation and not heavy at all, but packed with flavor nonetheless. If I had one complaint, there isn’t a lot of head, even for it being bottled (seems like a common issue on forums).
Summary; it’s an excellent stout to start with if your new game (seriously, put down your Hazy IPA). There’s a ton to look at and play around with in the mouthfeel. It’s AJ recommended and approved. Which usually means I had 3 or more. I’m drunk and going to bed.