Beers are unique because brewers can add almost anything to them — from fruit and chocolate to spices and hot peppers — to create incredible flavors and experiences.
I personally prefer subtle and straightforward beers, so I tend to stay away from the flavored brews. But when it comes to an after-dinner treat, sometimes nothing shines brighter.
Dark grains used to brew full-bodied porters and stouts create rich flavors of chocolate, coffee, toffee and molasses along with hints of smoke and dark-toasted bread. These flavors make the ideal base for dessertlike additions, creating the perfect finishing touch to a meal.
During these cold evenings, break out a bottle of these dessert beers:
» Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout (22 ounces, $8.99) is a crazy-sounding beer from a crazy-sounding brewery, but it is a perfect dessert beer.
Yes, this beer is actually brewed with peanut butter, which makes it taste basically like a liquid version of a peanut-butter cup candy.
Milk stouts are brewed with the addition of lactose, a sugar found in milk that creates a subtle sweetness and a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. At only 5.3 percent alcohol by volume, or ABV, this dark stout looks thicker and stronger than it really is.
The combination of dark chocolate, sweet cream and peanut butter makes this the perfect pairing for ice cream. You could make a float, but I suggest serving this like an affogato, using this beer in place of espresso: Place one large scoop of your favorite ice cream in a deep bowl and gently pour a half-cup of beer directly over the top.
Vanilla works great, but chocolate, coffee, salted caramel and even peanut butter flavors reach a whole new level when enjoyed with this stout. Find it at Foodland stores.
» If you aren’t one with a sweet tooth but would welcome a great after-dinner sipper, try Humboldt Brewing Co.’s Black Xantus Imperial Java Stout (22 ounces, $14.99).
This jet-black, coffee-infused stout is full of alcohol (11 percent ABV) and flavor. It’s aged for six months in bourbon and wine barrels, which impart soft notes of bourbon and just a hint of fruitiness along with a wonderful oak earthiness. The coffee notes are delicate but definitely noticeable. Black Xantus is available at Whole Foods Kailua.
» A final beer that makes desserts even better is Heretic Brewing Co.’s Chocolate Hazelnut Porter (22 ounces, $9.99). The name says it all — this beer tastes like Nutella in a glass.
A robust porter with notes of toffee, semi-sweet chocolate, roasted peanut butter and hazelnut, it is lusciously creamy and smooth. This one pairs perfectly with rich chocolate truffles, but any chocolate-based dessert will work well. Find it at Tamura’s Fine Wines.
Tim Golden shares his obsession with all things craft beer monthly in the Star-Advertiser food section. See his blog, “Beer in Hawaii,” at beerinhawaii.com.
