Liquid extravagance. To Øl’s #YOLOmælk is a celebration beer. It’s the first time we’ve ever tried caviar – and it seems appropriate that it’s in a beer.
We just got back from BrewDog’s Beer Geek Awards in London, having picked up the award for Beer Geek Reviewer (and a finalist spot in the Social Media category too), so this seemed the perfect way to celebrate and unwind after a whirlwind few days in the big smoke.
‘mælk’ is Danish for Milk – and this pours almost jet black, like a thick, creamy, milky coffee. There’s a hint of the sweetness to come from the aroma – but it’s not until the first sip that you realise what a huge beer this is.
I mean, it was £8.50 (ish) for a can, and it’s brewed with caviar and champagne yeast, so the clues were there… but wow, that first sip.
It’s super sweet and mega salty. The caviar gives it that big old hit of sea-salt, it’s full-bodied with medium carbonation – probably more so than you’d expect from an imperial stout – largely thanks to the champagne yeast. Bubbles, innit.
It’s a lavishly rich beer, decadent and at 14% ABV, it’s a sipper; not because the alcohol is in your face, it’s very well hidden but the intense, sweet, salty, roast chocolate and coffee flavours force you to savour and enjoy it. It’s just as well, too, considering the strength and cost.
Oyster stouts are a little more common than Caviar imperial stouts – so if you’ve ever had an Oyster stout (for example, the Porterhouse in Dublin have an amazing Oyster stout), this is somewhat along the same lines – it’s just a bigger, bolder, super-charged beast of a big brother.
If you can get your hands on this, pick one up – a special beer for special occasions.
