White stouts are one of those styles that pops up every now and then – often when there's a reason for them to knock out a novelty beer – and the same can be said for cocktail-inspired beers too. Not many of either achieve longevity, but Hargreaves Hill's combination of both is staking a claim as it returns for what I believe is a third year. Given it features one of the best labels (from the graphic designer we share with the brewery, admittedly, so maybe we're biased), that has to be a good thing.
Not much has changed from when we first wrote about it in 2019. It remains as pale a "stout" as you're likely to find, while the multiple additions of coffee lend it a creamy, sweet coffee character, with the result leaving the gently cherry-flecked beer sitting more in more sweet, fruity dark / brown ale than dry stout territory, albeit with a touch of drying toast at the finish.
As we said at the top, such beers don't tend to stick around, but like The Dude, this White Russian sure abides.
James Smith
Published May 21, 2021 2021-05-21 00:00:00
