Robin Shepard
What variations are left to be played on the smooth milk stout style? Ryan Koga of Karben4 has come up with one with a s’mores-flavored stout called Threat Level: Midnight.
What is it? Threat Level: Midnight from Karben4 Brewing of Madison.
Style: At the heart of Threat Level: Midnight is a milk stout, sometimes called a sweet stout. The style is known for sweetness and hints of chocolate and caramel. Usually medium- to full-bodied with a soft mouthfeel, these beers can sometimes even feel creamy. Some are made with additions of lactose to give more even body and fullness, and to accentuate the softness. They may have roasted flavors from the malts, but that should be low, because of the emphasis on sweeter maltiness. They range in strength from 3% to 6 % ABV.
Background: Threat Level: Midnight was indeed inspired by the campfire classic s’mores. Karben4 brewmaster Ryan Koga says the concept stemmed from an evening this past summer on a South Haven, Mich., beach, with his family, roasting marshmallows over a bonfire and making s’mores.
To make the beer, Koga first thought hard about what s’mores taste like. “I used some reverse engineering, thinking about the flavors first and then moving backward through the ingredients,” he says.
It takes a lot of malt. “I used more malt than I’ve ever used to make a beer,” says Koga. Dark roasted malts give the beer its black color; a little milk lactose is added for body. Then Koga uses rye wheat, toasted buckwheat, molasses and honey to create a hint of graham cracker. Imported cocoa nibs provide chocolate flavor, while marshmallows are at the center.
Koga added 17 pounds of marshmallow cream directly into the brew kettle, in addition to marshmallows that were actually roasted over a bonfire in the brewery’s back parking lot. “We took 14 pounds — eight bags — of the big ol’ two-inch campfire roasting marshmallows, set up a little grill in the back and everybody joined in,” says Koga. “We had beer, about a bottle of Scotch, ordered pizzas, roasted a lot of marshmallows,” he said. “Everyone stayed around the fire for three to four hours just enjoying themselves, which was the best part.”
The name “Threat Level: Midnight” comes from an episode of the television show The Office.
The beer just went on tap the weekend before Christmas. A few select taverns may get some of it; however, this is really a beer that was made just for the brewery’s taproom. It is currently served both cold carbonated and on a nitrogen tap line. The beer finishes stronger than most milk stouts at 8.1% ABV. It sells in the brewery’s taproom for $6/glass and $18/growler (refill). This beer is not bottled.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: A light background of malt, with a hint of burnt marshmallows.
Appearance: Very dark, black color, with a bubbly light brown head.
Texture: Medium-bodied and soft.
Taste: Toasted hints of chocolate malt and graham cracker.
Finish/Aftertaste: The hints of chocolate-roasted malt continue, with a touch of dryness from the rye wheat.
Glassware: Karben4 serves this beer in an English-style pint glass, a nice style for a milk stout. However, I prefer a snifter, to focus the toasted and roasted hints of campfire and marshmallow.
Pairs well with: It’s best to enjoy this one, or at least the first glass, on its own, the better to appreciate the layers of malt and detect the flavor of s’mores. However, it can make for a nice dessert paired with the brewery’s Night Call Chocolate Torte.
The Verdict: S’mores in a beer glass could be a way to ruin a good winter stout. However, the folks at Karben4 have a great sense of humor, which has inspired some creative and tasty beers. When I heard about the marshmallow roasting on the brewery’s back lot, I figured that Koga and his team would be making something memorable. This stout is really about suggestion, recalling the sensations associated with making s’mores around a campfire rather than re-creating them literally. The flavors are there, but are subtle. It’s the sweet stout character, with its toasted malt and rye, that carries the load.
If you like sweet milk stouts, go to the brewery for the nitro-version. The nitrogen tap really brings out the smooth sweetness of the malt, the bready rye and the toasted hints of marshmallow.
