Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 5:57 pm

This is now available and my first taste left me pretty impressed. The Cocoa and roastyness is big but the tart cranberries show in the dry finish. Should be interesting to cellar a couple of these and see where the cranberries shift to in the flavor profile. A very tasty and warming winter drink. Bravo LOM brewers!

The_Jester · Post by **The_Jester** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:53 am

What he said. I was happily surprised by this one. The chocolate is as well done as any chocolate-added beer out there, and the cranberries are . . . well . . . interesting. You're aware that they're there, in a good way, but they are so well integrated that they don't ever jump out at you. They just belong. It's like eating chocolate covered cranberries. It's a pretty big beer, and as such, is a great late evening sipper. The only thing holding this beer back, perhaps, is a lack of complexity. There's little else going on here - even the alcohol is completely hidden. I also agree that this will be an interesting one to cellar.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:19 am

I'm happy to see Ontario brewers leaping to the fore with big, more spendy bottles of unusual stuff. In keeping with what has proven recently to sell well here (Southern Tier Black Water Series and the Harviestoun Ola Dubh.)

Bring it.

** EDIT ** Sampling it, this big black-brown beer really flies out the starting gate with big sweet chocolate aromas and flavors. Offset by a light seam of acidity and dryness that seems to be the (dry?) berry, the light roastiness, and the dryness of the cocoa. It does hit a wall with the big sweetness though - same old cliché, maybe aging would improve. At nearly ten bucks it's anyone's gamble but I felt briefly encouraged to try aging it.

HINGST · Post by **HINGST** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:19 am

I was pretty surprised to see this on the shelves... Had to pick up a bottle. tried it last night... Great chocolate taste...smooth, dry finish. Like a lot of people have said, the cranberries are hidden but the beer wouldn't be the same without them.... I like that the microbreweries are putting out product that is way beyond the norm.

Muskokan · Post by **Muskokan** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:06 pm

Thanks for the posts folks. We're pretty pumped about this beer...locally harvested cranberries, real Belgian chocolate and a higher alcohol content to get us through our (already here) long winter. We've all been drinking quite a bit of it around here.

Did anyone try the QR code on the back of the bottle for the exclusive video? It works best on an iPhone, but will work on the blackberry as well.

Raising a glass of DCCS...cheers.

Mike

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:36 pm

I saw that and was totally jazzed. I plan on scanning it with my android when I crack the bottle open.
I wish more companies would implement QR codes. I love them.

MrMoustache · Post by **MrMoustache** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:16 am

Sounds great. I've gotta try it.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:20 pm

I really enjoyed the bottle I bought of this, but after having disassembled the swingtop by accident I would not recommend aging any of these.

saints_gambit · Post by **saints_gambit** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:25 pm

I think this was my Mom's favourite at the Royal Winter Fair. She apparently bought about three bottles from the Barrack street LCBO in Kingston.

Well done.

The_Jester · Post by **The_Jester** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:10 pm

icemachine wrote:I really enjoyed the bottle I bought of this, but after having disassembled the swingtop by accident I would not recommend aging any of these.

Actually, I had to call two buddies to help get mine open!

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:57 am

Had this last night thanks to Cratez. Really good. Loads of coffee in the nose with some roast and oat. Coffee bitterness has some sweet fruitiness, with a nice acidity. Quite creamy.Very good offering.

NRman · Post by **NRman** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:14 pm

Great beer!
Clever vid.

For those who can't/didn't scan the QR code on the bottle, @muskokabrewery posted this link to it on their twitter feed

http://fb.me/PZtdamOZ

Timmy · Post by **Timmy** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:21 pm

Tried this the other day. Found the price a little prohibitive but it was good enough that I would get it again.

elproducto · Post by **elproducto** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 2:15 pm

$10 is starting to get a little silly for 750ml of beer. Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy local brewers are doing some neat stuff.

Now that I'm homebrewing, and know I can beer that actually tastes better than the commercial breweries for a pittance of the price, it gets harder and harder for me to want to drop this kind of cash.

On a lighter note.. it is quite tasty!

ErkLR · Post by **ErkLR** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:33 pm

I would assume adding cocoa and cranberries would add significantly to the price of making a beer. Not to mention it's apparently a double, so I don't think the price is out of line for 750 mL, but it is about twice the price a 750 mL of a Unibroue beer.

The Bar Towel

Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout

Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout

Tasty stuff