“Bruguru! Are you at Valley River Brewery again? You’re there all the time!” Somebody just asked me that. Well, OK, they didn’t. But they could have. Fact is that Valley River Brewing makes some great beers indeed and is oh so close to Harrah’s Valley River Casino, where we like to go. We usually get a comped hotel night, so I like to sneak over to Valley River, have a beer or two and take a growler back to the casino.
That’s what I did this time, too, at the end of November. T’was the week after Thanksgiving, the prelude of the Christmas season, and I was on vacation. Most of the time was spent putting up Christmas lights, but we took a few days to head to Murphy, and so there I was at Murphy.
I enjoyed a pint of Bulldog Brown Ale at the brewery, and decided to fill my growler with Valley River Hazelnut Coffee Milk Stout to bring back to the hotel.
Valley River Hazelnut Coffee Milk Stout has an alcohol content of 6% by volume and runs $4.50 for a pint and $2.25 for a half pint. I paid $14.95 for a 64-ounce growler fill. I drank half at the casino and the other half back at home while putting up Christmas lights. My Drink Tank growler kept the beer fresh and delicious.
Valley River Hazelnut Coffee Milk Stout pours to a jet-black color with thick creamy tan head and a slightly sweet milk chocolate nose that hints at coffee grinds and hazelnuts. Taking a sip, the beer has a smooth malty palate with hazelnut, coffee and milk chocolate. A decidedly sweet finish rounds the beer out. The latter is my only quibble, I know that milk stouts will run a tad sweeter than the norm but I still felt this could use some hop bitterness to balance. Otherwise delicious, Valley River Hazelnut Coffee Milk Stout is a true candy bar in a glass.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler