Surreal Brewing, out of California, is no stranger to The Sober Curator. We’ve reviewed a number of their IPAs and even a Kolsch! (Click here for the complete list) I firmly believe that these are some of the most underrated brews in the the non-alcoholic world, and it bears repeating that you should not sleep on them. Their IPA selection is stellar, but we’re venturing into another arena with Surreal Brewing this week. A darker arena. A cakier arena.
This week we are drinking Pastry Porter from Surreal Brewing. A step away from their typical lineup, this unique brew plays on a trend introduced to crafter beer about five years back. The idea behind pastry porter is similar to that of a Milk Stout: Add some lactose, milk sugar, or maybe even some vanilla to add a dairy sweetness to a dark beer. Surreal Brewing even claims to have added some monk fruit, so we’ll see how that plays out.
How Does It Pour?
When you crack the can, an aromatic release of cacao nibs immediately fills the air. Surreal Brewing pushes that scent forward. The beer pours a dark brown but still thin, almost like cola. The aroma permeates your nasal chops, and you can smell the milk sugar on the tail end. The head is minimal but tan in color.
How Does It Taste?
The flavor profile is slightly over the place when you finally bring the glass to your lips. As I mentioned, Surreal Brewing promises milk sugar, cacao nibs, and monk fruit. This is evident immediately when you bring the Pastry Porter to your kissing muscle. The full flavor profile is a little confusing. There is a strong cacao flavor and a light mouth feel, followed by a nice sweetness from the milk sugar, but then the finish is a strange fruity flavor that I can only imagine is the monk fruit, and to me, it just feels a little off.
Untappd gives Pastry Porter by Surreal Brewing a 3.2 out of 5, and I think that may be too high. I feel like Surreal Brewing excels at making a variety of IPAs, but in this darker beer category, they fall a little short. Grab yourself a variety pack and try it out for yourself.
HAPPY EVERY HOUR NA BEERS & 90s: Sober Curator Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (and sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his amazing collection of memorabilia from the ’90s.
RECOVERY PODCASTLAND: Want more Justin in your life? We don’t blame you! Check out his podcast Friend Request Justin has in-depth interviews with people he follows on social media, as well as his own social media followers. Friend Request dives deeper than the likes and comments. With each episode, Justin tries to create a more meaningful conversation about each individual he’s connected with. Justin ties each interview together with the commonalities and struggles that not only are extremely relatable but also fall across the entire spectrum of the human experience.
Check Out This Episode from Friend Request:
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