Sampling a baseball inspired brew in December seems to be an idea right out of left field.* Left Field Brewery that is and their short and sweet* mocha marshmallow stout offering.
I pulled out the old ball glove for this review’s “head” shot. Then I got thinking about that ball glove, which I have had for, I am guessing, half a century. 50 years and it still works fine. It used to see regular action every summer but these days it only gets called up from the bench a few times a year when the grandkids put down their IPads and take a break from Minecraft and Roblox long enough to get some vitamin D and toss the ball around. I tried to think of anything else that I have that would ever last that long, other than the Department of Perpetuity, that being my wife for life, of course. I think this digression is somehow, and not surprisingly, out in left field.* Time to bring it home.*
The Sweet Spot
When it comes to baseball sweet spot refers to that part of the bat that causes the most damage when you swing and contact the ball there, damage being a big hit. Will this brew hit the spot*, that being the sweet spot*, and be a big hit? We shall step up to the plate* and find out.
This Left Field brew pours as black as the 8 ball in the corner pocket. A slim trim head with a tan colour surprisingly similar to my ol’ Cooper glove. A traditional roasted malt coffee stout aroma with a bit sweet. Perhaps the sweet smell of success?**
It is marshmallow sweet as in a mellow sweet. There is a bit of a bitter nip on the backside, harsh at first but settles in. It works well because without it I expect the sweet would be cloying and hang on, instead it ends with the bitters. Full flavour cocoa coffee, sweets, then a short not sweet bitter at the end. An interesting sequence that works well. A sweet stout for sure but not too sweet. Just when you think it might be too sweet the bitters bring you back to reality. Sounds like life. And just like life, somehow it works.
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