Puff Puff Pastry Stout by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. is an amazingly complex rendition of the current pastry stout fad. There is a lot of goodness going on in this brew, with much complexity and a surprising level of balance that really makes this one quite the treat. This brew is being evaluated as a Category 34B – Mixed-Style Specialty Beer as per the 2015 BJCP guidelines due to the use of spices and alternative grains, with imperial stout as the base beer.

The nose exhibits a solid roasted barley and black malt character, followed by spicy caramel chocolate aromas. It is quite rich and decadent. The beer is an opaque black with a thin, tan head with small bubbles that dissipate rather quickly. The imperial stout base beer is a solid one with great flavor and body. These flavors are immediately followed by milk chocolate, caramel, cinnamon and other brown spice characters. There is a lot going on here, but, surprisingly, it all works well together. The harmony between all of these big flavors is quite exceptional. The middle, finish and aftertaste are led by the caramel and spice flavors that linger through the drink. The body is medium-full with a moderate level of sweetness that is enhanced by the high levels of alcohol in this brew, but is also balanced a bit by the high level of hop bitterness. 

This is a quite delicious true dessert stout that really stands out in the crowd and would be a fantastic choice for finishing off a fine hearty meal, or for just lounging around by the fire. Highly recommended!