Stoutmaker.beer

The Holiday, or Winter beer today is Brewdog’s Winter Staycation. Billed as a Toffee Pecan Stout.

A fairly non descript can, with the only beer info being that it is 7.5% and uses natural flavorings. I’m not sure I like the sounds of that.

Pouring into my trusty stout goblet, we get a medium tan head and a big whoosh of that toasted pecan. Almost too big to be real. That head with the tight sticky bubbles is atop a deep brown clear body. Nice reddish highlights on the edges. A bit dark to see any carbonation.

The aroma is big. All  kinds of going on. First is that pecan. Over powering almost. Then caramel, or toffee. Followed by chocolate. Really powerful nose that’s for sure. But I don’t seem to get roast, hops or yeast.

The taste is going to have to big as well to compete with the aroma.
And does it ever. Big pecan, big caramel, big,, well decent chocolate. There is a bit of hop there, but not really the centennial that is mentioned. More of a earthy hopping with a noticable, but lower bittering.

But even with all of that going on, the beer is not sweet and the middle of the road body and nice carbonation keeps it from being heavy. And even though we have all of those “natural flavorings” the beer still does lace just fine.

This beer is pretty damn good.. BUT,, it is right here when I realized one important thing.
They are calling this a stout.

There is barely, if any roast here. Not in the aroma, nor in taste.
The main notes of this Staycation, albeit very exaggerated, are nutty, carmel/toffee and chocolate, somewhat sweet with low hops all around.

This beer just screams Brown ale. A big tasty 7.5% Brown ale.

That will make for a weird score from me as the beer is fantastic. Maybe my favorite Christmas beer. But it is not a Stout. Not at all.

As an Xmas Brown ale 4.5/5. The beer is great!
As a stout, Xmas or other, I can only go 2/5.

But go find Brewdog Winter Staycation Toffee Pecan Stout, it is a great Holiday drinker.