There are many frivolous “holidays” out there, but National Rocky Road Day is not one of them. Celebrated on June 2 (that’s today!), Rocky Road day commemorates one of America’s favorite ice cream flavors. William Dreyer came up with Rocky Road ice cream in 1929. He added walnuts to chocolate ice cream, along with marshmallows he cut into eenie weenie bite-size pieces using his wife’s sewing shears. He quickly changed the walnuts to almonds, and Rocky Road was born. He named his ice cream “Rocky Road” as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Great Depression and the difficulties that lay ahead. But reading about the concoction and drinking it are two very different things. To get you in the mood for National Rocky Road day, Peaks and Pints presents a beer flight based on the ice cream’s flavors. Stop by our bottle shop, taproom and restaurant for Craft Beer Crosscut 6.2.17: A Flight of Rocky Road.
Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout
5% ABV, 28 IBU
OK, it’s chocolate time. Samuel Smith’s has always brewed the old-fashioned way and the British operation still pulls water from its original well dug in 1758. Its Organic Chocolate Stout pours dark brown with a thin, khaki head. Breathe in the sweet milk chocolate, roasted malts, chocolate malt balls and a touch of vanilla. It’s velvety and delicious, with creamy chocolate milk, chocolate syrup and cocoa powder dancing on the tongue. Caramel, whipped cream, marshmallows and vanilla try to cut in.
Avery Vanilla Bean Stout
10.8% ABV, 29 IBU
Now a year-round release, Avery Brewing‘s bourbon barrel-aged blend of an imperial stout and a regular American stout flexes its decadent vanilla addition from the get-go, offering a big nose of warm, sticky vanilla, toasted coconut and a flit of whiskey. Vanilla dominates the front of the sip but gives way to smooth milk chocolate, coconut, caramelized marshmallow and hints of roast coffee, followed by coffee, dark cherry and dark chocolate lingering at the end. The barrel takes a supporting role, allowing the oak to just dry out the full swallow, leaving pleasant warmth in the throat.
Backwoods Ridge Run Stout
6.5% ABV, 20 IBU
Backwoods Brewing’s Ridge Run Stout pours a deep, dark mahogany — almost black —with a creamy, cocoa brown head. Brewed with roasted barley, Chocolate Malt and flaked oats, this oatmeal stout hits the nose with cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, molasses, toffee, marshmallow and subtle, creamy vanilla. Ridge Run tastes even better than its aroma with everything the nose foretold — a gentle note of coffee, finished with notes of chocolate and roasted barley. Bravo and Fuggle hops bring appreciable mild hop bitterness in the mix, too.
Caldera Mogli
8.5% ABV, 55 IBU
Caldera Brewing Company’s colossal brewery sits just off Interstate 5 near Ashland, Oregon. The brewery honors the passing of a beloved pooch named Mogli with its Mogli bourbon-oaked chocolate imperial porter. Both the style and the beer are a mouthful. The more we smell this craft beer, the more we ar reminded of s’mores. We pick up slightly burnt marshmallow, powdery graham cracker and a lot of cocoa. Tucked beneath those notes were some toffee, charred oak and a bit of mocha. The taste opens with a lot of sweet cocoa notes, mixed with roasted malt, espresso and burnt chocolate. Marshmallow and a touch of coffee-like acidity and burnt brownies round out the flavors.
Omnipollo Symzonia
13% ABV
It must have been a very cold day in Stockholm when Henok Fentie and Karl Grandin of Omnipollo brewed Symzonia Imperial Stout. Brewed with roasted Ethiopian coffee beans, Brazilian cocoa nibs, a carefully measured amount of cinnamon sticks, and Madagascan vanilla beans, this massive stout epitomizes the strength of expertly crafted stout. Right out of the gate, Symzonia is full of flavor. We taste pronounced marshmallow, some roasted bitterness, a little coffee, a little vanilla and chocolate.
