Snow In July?

Snow In a Pint Glass

By Eric Cioffi

Snow White Stout comes from the eclectic Night Shift Brewery in Everett Massachusetts. Night Shift Brewing was founded in 2011 by three friends who shared a deep interest in craft beer. The beers produced by this nanobrewery are wholly unique with complex and interesting flavors.  Everything is brewed, fermented, and bottled in-house at the Everett, MA facility. This summer seasonal defies standard expectations of what a stout should be and what one expects from a summer beer.



“When the warm weather hits, we bring out the Snow. Confusing? Indeed, and so is this beer. White Stout starts with fresh Ethiopia Harrar coffee beans from J.P. Licks added right before bottling. With zero chocolate malts in the mash, Snow looks like a pilsner. With heaps of wheat and oatmeal, it sips like a creamy stout. With fresh coffee beans added, it smells like a cup of espresso. And with a fairly low ABV, it  drinks like a session beer. You’ll be totally perplexed by this beer, and you’ll like it.”

That is quite a description and it piqued my interest. I did not know what to expect. It is indeed an interesting beer; very light in color and body, slightly cloudy, with a thin creamy head. However, the aroma was not so nice. It does not smell like espresso, it reminded me of wilted lettuce and nearly put me off. While there is no bitterness to speak of, an interesting peppery note certainly lingers.  I did not like the first sip but it improved as I finished the pint.  I can’t say I really enjoyed this beer and I would not seek it out again.

American Stout | 4.5% ABV
Rating: 25