Off Color Brewing | Dinos’mores Imperial Stout 10.50% ABV

thisisgrowling
Apr 1, 2015
2 min read

I always have to try novelty beers but I typically don't have high expectations for them. Dinos'mores was listed on the rotating house "rare beer" list and put Chicago's Off Color Brewing on my radar. Plus all of their labels are creepy-twee in the best way possible.

The stout gives off a very strong marshmallow aroma and has some chocolate milk sweetness to it but the fine carbonation is a touch of crispness. Black pour, tiny tan head. The malt flavors are dark chocolatey with a touch of espresso and the alcohol taste is very low, considering.

I do think that the Imperial ABV was critical to contend with its sweetness and chocolate milk character. Ester flavors pretty much absent. Dinos’mores is actually brewed with graham crackers, cocoa nibs, and marshmallows, amounting to an Oreo-like sweet beer, but not gross/syrupy sweet. It's also incredibly smooth and clocks in at a gentle 40 IBU. I was curious about the malts that go into this and it turns out to be an absolute laundry list: Pale, Vienna, Wheat, Cara II, Extra Special, Flaked Oats, Dark Chocolate, Black, Roasted Barley. Should've expected some oats in the mix considering the smoothness.

And I've just noticed there's a coffee version of this. Oh god, save me from myself.

Presentation:

It’s freezing outside.
You're dressed like an extra from Lars and the Real Girl.
What you really want is to relocate somewhere where tire chains aren’t a thing and cold air doesn't feel like a thousand needles in your eyes when you go outside. Your EYES.
But you’ll settle for something rich and boozy.

Pairing: