Tag: Peanut Butter Cup

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Dual Review – Infinite Wishes 2020 and Infinite Wishes / Peanut Butter 2021

Normally, I would review the standard Infinite Wishes as well as any and all 2021 variants. Since normal is still a few months away, I have cracked open a 2020 as well as the Peanut Butter Cup version.

Now let’s review these two from Smog City…

Oh the Wishes I should have made this time last year.  But let’s talk about this waxed Bourbon Barrel Imperial stout, which the label describes as “a bourbon chocolate pie”.  I initially get a red wine vinous note along with a touch of coconut.  As it warms up, the chocolate starts to cone through. A mix of milk and dark versions.  A tiny hint of oak adds a different taste along with a bit more carbonated sparkle than I expected. 

Now let’s turn to Reeses, Jeff, Skippy or wherever your personal peanut butter fix comes from…

Big peanut hit upon popping the bottlecap.  It is not a candy aroma or taste though.  More peanut butter cookie to me.  Maybe a cookie dough effect. Less carbonated than the previous Infinite Wishes which I think works better. The bourbon barrel flavors are effectively removed. I wish that some more of that remained to create a boozy cookie simulacrum. 

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Review – Peanut Butter Cup Porter from Karl Strauss

Brewed with cocoa nibs and peanut flavoring by Karl Strauss, I heard about this beer from L.A. beer writer, John Verive. With that recommendation, I bought the bomber the first time I saw it.

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Unfortunately, this beer did not coalesce for me. The initial aroma is sweet and almost floral. Only as it warms up did the true aroma hit me. Sickeningly sweet milk chocolate. On the plus side, the beer had sparkle to it. I thought the peanut would end a flattening viscous effect which did not happen. And yes, there is a strong peanut taste here which works to great effect.

This beer is a case study in not tasting like the name on the bottle. The one ingredient standing out as a discordant note makes me think not of a peanut butter cup but more peanut butter and a sweetened chocolate milk.

I gave a sample to my resident aroma expert and she said it reminded her of a cherry cordial. And if I had been given this beer and asked to 50-50 between peanut butter cup or cordial. I would be on the fence. And that is not a good sign.

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