Milk Stout
Milk stout, also called sweet stout or cream stout, is a dark stout brewed with lactose, the sugar in milk. Yeast cannot ferment lactose, so it stays in the beer and gives it a sweetness and creamy body that balances the roast. It is the gentlest of the stouts.
Food pairings
- Chocolate cake
- Barbecue
- Blue cheese
Glassware and serving temperature
Nonic pint or tulip50 to 55°F (10–13°C)
What it tastes like
Milk chocolate, coffee with cream, caramel and a light roast, with a full, smooth body and a sweet finish. Bitterness is low. It is sweeter and softer than a dry Irish stout and lighter than an imperial stout.
Where it comes from
Mackeson brewed the first milk stout in London in 1907 and sold it as nourishing, with a milk churn on the label. Britain banned the word milk from labels in 1946 but the style survived. American craft brewers revived it in the 2000s, and Left Hand Milk Stout made it a staple.
How to serve it
10–13°C in a nonic pint or tulip, slightly warmer than a lager. It is a dessert beer as much as a drinking beer.
What to eat with it
Chocolate cake, brownies, vanilla ice cream, barbecue, roast lamb and blue cheese.
