The 7th beer of Christmas, was truly a gift to me: Blue Hills Three Peak Holiday Stout

Three Peak Holiday Stout
Blue Hills Brewery, MA
Milk / Sweet Stout | 7.60% ABV

I am writing this review still staring at my beer in amazement and admiration. I feel as if my two favorite beverages have collided into one – wine and beer. Sounds crazy right?

Well, get me a straitjacket because I keep taking a sip and saying to myself – yep this reminds me of a delicious cabernet, how can this be!?

Let’s start from the top …

The pour: Like a cherry Coca-Cola with a small bubbly white head that fades quickly

Bouquet: Oak, right from the start, then alcohol, cherry, vanilla and plums. Honestly, it smells like I put my nose into a spicy cabernet or malbec.

Taste: It’s so unique!! This beer has a delicious oaky flavor to follow suit with the nose, and the sweetness of the lactose balances out the roasted malts to create a creamy and dry finish. The aftertaste is smoky and woodsy. (One more time for the people in the back - It reminds me of a dry red wine!!)

I agree with another taster on Beeradvocate who wrote: “Lots of oak and vanilla sent me searching the website to see if this is barrel aged?” --- I searched for the SAME thing. Couldn’t find the answer anywhere…

Despite the fact that it's a stout, the mouth feel is light and medium bodied at best. The milk stouts I have tried in the past have often left me with a chalky, chocolate milk aftertaste and I am happy to say that this is not the experience here. This is unlike anything I have ever had. I would love to bring this to a holiday party and rock people’s worlds.

Foodage: I happen to have made beef stew over the weekend, and it made a delicious sidekick.

I LOVE it and would definitely drink it again. Grade: A