From Steamworks Brewing in Burnaby BC comes their latest seasonal release the “Winter White Stout”.  This may not be a true style of beer but it is gaining popularity right now.  A white, golden or blonde stout is a beer that has a light colour but the flavour of a stout.  The beer pours a golden colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of espresso and some very mild chocolate but its pretty one dimensional.  The flavour is of espresso, chocolate, caramel, earth, sweetness with a mild bitterness in the finish.  The alcohol content comes in at 5.1% with an IBU of 33.  While this beer does lack the body of a stout it sure does pack the flavour of one.  I had previously heard of one White Stout but this is my first ever experience with the new style.  While some purists may not like it I dug what this beer had to offer.  Pick up a bottle and check it out for yourself!

Commercial Description:  Steamworks Winter White Stout takes the rich typical stout flavours and body imparted from oats and barley, but without the dark coloured, roasted malts traditionally used in a stout.  Instead, these roasted notes come from first aging the beer with whole espresso beans from East Vancouver’s Pallet Coffee, and then with whole cacao beans from East Van Roasters.  The result is a deliciously unexpected brew that pours light gold with a thick white head, perfect for the West Coast Winter.