457. Rochester Mills Beer Co. (Rochester, MI) - Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake Stout

“You got your Chocolate in my Peanut Butter…From the 2020 edition of the 12 Days of Milkshake Stout.”

Quaff ON! has set the bar almost impossibly high for this style (regardless of whether it’s a porter or a stout) with the peanut butter version of Busted Knuckle, so it would certainly not be out of line to question my objectivity here. Having said that, this one isn’t bad. The lactose is a little heavy, and the ABV is only 5.5%, so the balance is a little off; but the peanut butter flavor is nice, and that low ABV does mean that you could drink a couple of them (provided you were not concerned about slipping into a diabetic coma from all the sugar). I don’t like it enough to drink more than one at a time, but I do have a rare unencumbered Wednesday off today, so I’m going to try an experiment. I have one can of Black Acre’s Saucy Intruder (rye IPA) in the fridge, and I’m going to try that out of the mug right after the milkshake stout—just out of curiosity. I don’t know that a spicy rye IPA and the dregs of a peanut butter cup milkshake stout are going to play well together, but I’m curious; and, once again—unencumbered day off. After that, a second milkshake stout into the same mug, to see if the dregs of the rye IPA shore up any of that cloying sweetness.

439. Rochester Mills Beer Co. (Rochester, MI) - Chocolate Cheesecake Milkshake Stout

“Ale with milk sugars & cocoa nibs.”

Description is from the label on the can, rather than the purple prose on the Untappd page. There is a strong chocolate aroma and flavor up front that reveals a light, soft hint of cheesecake before a slightly cocoa-chalky finish. The cheesecake flavor doesn’t linger, though; and I sort of wish it would. Doesn’t change much as it warms up, and the flavors fade sharply from the first beer to the second. Starts out promising, but winds up disappointing.

250. Rochester Mills Beer Co. (Rochester, MI) - Orange Whip

“Another smoothie hop sensation. This IPA combines citrusy hop flavors of Citra & Mosaic hops with fresh oranges, orange zest, subtly sweet lactose and a hint of vanilla.”

Not much initial balance between the orange/vanilla flavors and the hop flavors, but it opens up a little bit as it gets warmer. The orange and vanilla flavors are so distinct that it’s almost like the flavor equivalent of a Black & Tan. Not sure if I like it or not, but it’s hella better than Sun King’s Orange Vanilla Sunlight.