My Wild Ride with Vas'ka & Volchok's Peanut Stout

I'm always on the lookout for beers that are a little out of the ordinary. You can often find weird and wacky flavors in bars, and I've had some pretty wild ones - like a beer that tastes like herring in a fur coat or borscht. But most stores stick to fruit flavors, so when I stumbled upon Vas'ka & Volchok Peanut Stout at Lenta, I just had to try it.

Price: 170 rub. Volume: 0.45 l

Alcohol content: 7%

◽ Main info

I was drawn in by the bottle's deep purple color and decided to take a closer look. I've tried a few beers from Volchovskaya Brewery before, but this was my first taste of Vasileostrovskaya's wares.

It's a collaboration between the two breweries, and they've created a peanut-flavored craft beer.

The label is definitely a fun touch - instead of rowing a boat, Vas'ka and the Wolf are paddling a peanut.

One thing that caught me off guard was the ABV - 7% is pretty high for a fruit beer. Most of the ones I've tried have been around 5.5%.

The back of the bottle has all the usual info: ingredients, shelf life, and storage instructions.

Ingredients:

Water, pale malt, dark malt, roasted barley, roasted rye, beer concentrate, lactose, peanut flour, hop products

It's got a few types of dark malt, natural additives, and no artificial flavorings.

If you're interested in getting in touch with the breweries, I've included their contact info below.

The production date and shelf life are on the bottom of the bottle.

I removed the label from the cap before taking the photo, but it's definitely a nice touch.

The cap is actually a lot nicer-looking because of the black color. It's super easy to open, and the key doesn't come loose too soon.

◽ Taste, appearance, and impressions

It's got a rich, almost black color, like a classic stout. When you pour it, a thick head of foam rises up, with a coffee-colored hue.

It looks super appetizing, like whipped cream or ice cream.

Check out the density of the foam in the photo below - it lasts a long time.

The aroma is super tempting, with a sweet, dessert-like quality and a strong peanut flavor. I was even wondering if it was artificially flavored, so I re-read the label to see if it had peanut flavoring.

I got a strong association with peanut paste, spread thick on a thin slice of bread, and that combined with black coffee.

My week was pretty crazy, and I was planning to read a book and try out this new-to-me drink.

Since I'd never tried it before, I had no idea what snacks it would pair well with. I chose salted pretzels in the shape of curls. Peanut and salt is a great combo.

With the first sips, I was able to taste just the foam, and it was surprisingly pleasant and incredibly aromatic, with a peanut flavor and a hint of coffee-caramel. The foam is so thick that you can eat it with a spoon, like a cappuccino.

When I finally got to the beer, I realized it's definitely not for everyone. The first sips are interesting, with a balance of sweetness and a light bitterness, and a super rich peanut flavor, like peanut butter in your mouth. But as you get used to it, the flavor becomes overwhelming, and the bitterness becomes more pronounced. The caramel sweetness becomes too much.The pretzel doesn't pair well with it at all. Online, I found out that stout pairs well with sweet desserts, but that's not my story - I didn't feel like trying that combination.

I had a quarter of the bottle in one go, and that was it for me. After that, there was no enjoyment, whether I sipped it, savored it, or gulped it down. The flavor was just too intense and weird. The bitterness completely ruined it for me.

Even trying to read a book while drinking this stuff was a fail. I only managed to finish one glass. The second one just didn't sit well with me, and I thought I was about to feel queasy.

The additives completely overpowered the beer flavor, and I couldn't even taste the malt.

The alcohol was definitely noticeable, even with a small amount. If I had finished the whole thing, I'd probably be pretty tipsy, especially without any food.

My husband only needed a couple of sips to realize this wasn't his thing. The beer is definitely not for everyone, especially with the peanut flavor.

Pros: Design Appearance Aroma No artificial flavorings Dense Original flavor Cons:

Too intense and overpowering flavor Gets old fast Unpleasant bitterness in the aftertaste High ABV Not sure what to pair it with Not for the faint of heart Vas'ka & Volchok Peanut Stout is definitely better shared with a friend. If you want to try something unusual, go for it. I won't be buying it again, though - it was mostly curiosity and the cool design that drew me in.