Samuel Adams Cream Stout alternatives

A couple of years ago I ventured away from lighter brews and tried a few of the darker type. As a result, I got hooked on Sam Adams Cream Stout, and buy a case or two when I can find it, but it's almost always hard to find. Can't stand to go back to the thin, flavored-water taste of lighter beers now, so what, if any, similar commercial brews are available when I can't find Cream Stout on the shelf at local liquor stores? I've tried a few that I'd hoped might be similar, but nothing I've run across so far has come even close SA Cream Stout's delicious dark, malty, sweetness. Surely this great beer must have some competitors. Any ideas?

Watney's Cream Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout, and Bell's Special Double Cream Stout are three that I like.

Do you make your own sweet stout? Stouts generally are a forgiving style of beer to make - its hard to mess them up.

Left Hand Milk Stout is great! Especially when you find it served from a nitrogen tap.

Pappers_ said:

Watney's Cream Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout, and Bell's Special Double Cream Stout are three that I like.

Do you make your own sweet stout? Stouts generally are a forgiving style of beer to make - its hard to mess them up.

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Thanks for the info. I haven't seen any of those that I can recall, but I'll make a list to keep in my pocket. Liquor stores around my area don't seem to be very imaginative about what they carry in beers--or maybe the beer drinkers in my area aren't very adventurous. I do have decent brewing equipment, but in the past I've confined my homebrew efforts to malted syrup type kits--I love good beer but I guess I'm naturally lazy, lol. I made quite a few reds and ambers in the past, and some were pretty good. But since I got on this sweet stout kick I've quit brewing, because even the darker amber kits seemed too thin for me. I'm willing to try brewing again, though, now that it's getting near fall and beer-making weather (it's been well over 100 degrees almost every day for the last two months around here). I'll have to look around and see what kits might have become available in the last year or two.

You should be able to find kits to make milk stouts/cream stouts. I didn't really like Sam Adams' take on it but I really like Left Hand's.

Yes, I see Austin Homebrew Supply has a pretty good selection of commercial clones and stout kits, including a Left Hand Milk stout clone. I'll probably try a couple of them when the weather cools down a bit. They even had a stout that has a 9%(!) ABV. A few 16 oz bottles of that would certainly get one's attention.

I wonder if the AHS Sam Adams cream stout clone is any good? It didn't have any reviews. I tried their version of the blackberry witbier, and the blackberry flavor is way too strong IMO. Hoping they hit the mark better on the cream stout.

I did the AHS Left Hand kit, mini mash, and it turned out good, but not great for me. I am pretty sure though that I let my steeping temps creep a little high.

WhineinAlbany said:

I wonder if the AHS Sam Adams cream stout clone is any good? It didn't have any reviews. I tried their version of the blackberry witbier, and the blackberry flavor is way too strong IMO. Hoping they hit the mark better on the cream stout.

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I did the AHS belgian white (not the blackberry) and it really improved with an extra couple months of mellowing in the bottle. The flavors came to a much better balance.