Death by King Cake Ale with Vanilla, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cacao Nibs, Orange Peel & Pecans

Review Date 3/4/2025 By John Staradumsky

 

Style: Spiced Ale

  Brewery: Oskar Blues   Country: USA   State: Colorado   $ Per OZ: $.23 (B)   ABV: 6.5%

Boy am I late with this review! Yes I am, and only by about five years. I bought a 4-pack of Oskar Blues Death by King Cake in 2020, in the midst of Covid. I drank a can and took the tasting notes below, but never fleshed those out into a  review. Although Oskar Blues is a Colorado and North Carolina bases brewery, King Cake is, in the United States, a Louisiana favorite associated with Mardi Gras.

In March of 2020 I had a trip to New Orleans all planned out, but sadly it was canceled due to the Covid outbreak. Hence, Oskar Blues Death by King Cake was the closest I got to a real Mardi Gras celebration that year. As I type, though, it is Tuesday, March 4^th and it is-Mardi Gras! Fat Tuesday! I have an aged can of Death by King Cake I plan to drink tonight, and just noticed I had never reviewed the beer. Fixed it!

Oskar Blues Death by King Cake has an alcohol content of 6.5% by volume and I paid $11 for a 4-pack from Total Wine. My cans are stamped CANNED 02/03/20 LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULEZ. Oskar Blues describes this as Ale with Vanilla, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cacao Nibs, Orange Peel & Pecans. They also say it is a white porter. I do not believe white porters exist, anymore than white stouts do.

Oskar Blues Death by King Cake pours to a hazy orange king cake color with a thick fizzy white and short-lived head and a spicy vanilla and orange peel nose. Taking a sip, the beer is rather bland, I do get the pecans and some white cake notes but the nutmeg is very light, the vanilla also sotto voce, the cacao is MIA, and the cinnamon is subtle up to the finish. Finishes dry and everything here is delicate, kind of like King Cake!

I have not seen Death by King Cake since I first tried it, but if I did I would buy it again. And who knows, maybe tonight I will get a plastic baby in my can!

Glad I tried it?  T