Truth be told, shortly after having Ommegang’s Everything Naughty on our ersatz Christmas Day (also our grandson Nate’s birthday), we popped open a couple of cans of Left Hand’s Christmas ale. What else can you call a beer named Candy Cane, and that smells just like one? There was just no way I was going to write a second report on that day, and in terms of time and energy, yesterday was no better. (Too much food, too much fun.)
“Popped” is the right word, since Left Hand, out of Littleton, Colorado, has long been known for its Nitro beers, particularly its best-seller, Nitro Milk Stout which I reviewed ten years ago. The brewery has been around for 30 years, reached the Brewers Association Top 50 Craft Breweries list in 2021 (though slipped off last year), and is available pretty much nationwide.
The Candy Cane is a similar to the regular Milk Stout but is clearly a bigger beer (9.5% ABV rather than 6%). But pop one open and that nitro fizz goes just as wild in a glass, making the beer look like a chocolate milkshake at first, until the copious tan head begins to settle. It’s otherwise opaque.
We had a roving tasting panel for this one, everyone roving around the kitchen while the dinner preparations went on. Son-in-law Glenn thought it drank a little like a milkshake. There’s certainly no question about the nose—pure peppermint, with some chocolate aromas swirling around in the background and a fair amount of alcohol vapor. It all follows through in the palate. Both Glenn and I thought the beer, despite its strength and velvety mouthfeel, seemed a bit thin. And as with many milk stouts, it was a bit sweet for my taste.
Son Mike took one whiff and said, “Have you cleaned your paint brushes lately?” He finally conceded that it smelled mostly of peppermint, but then requested, “Don’t give me another one.” Granddaughter Abbey bluntly said, “I don’t like it. I might like it more without the peppermint.”
Fair enough, as peppermint is where this beer is at. Our friend Jerry was lukewarm on the beer for that very reason: “It’s a gimmick.”
I guess maybe it is. But if you like peppermint, and if you like milk stouts, this is unquestionably the beer for you. I’d recommend popping one.
Name: Nitro Candy Cane
Brewer: Left Hand Brewing Company, Littleton Colorado
Style: Imperial Peppermint Milk Stout
ABV: 9.5% ABV
Availability: Seasonally, 44 states and DC
For More Information: lefthandbrewing.com
[December 29, 2023]
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