Old Ox Brewery - "Deathspresso" imperial porter

So as the weather is a bit cooler today, I'm getting a start on some dark chocolaty coffee beers! I had a teeny sample of this at Old Ox's Middleburg location back in May, and wanted to investigate further, so here it is. This 9.10% ABV imperial porter is made with lactose, espresso beans from Winchester, VA's Lone Oak Coffee, and vanilla beans...the "Deathspresso." 

As you may know, lactose is now somewhat common in beers, making appearances in everything from sours to IPAs. Personally, I think lactose is most suited to darker beers as the flavors you usually find - roasted, malty, nutty, chocolaty. Plus, "dessert" flavors like vanilla, chocolate, marshmallow, and others benefit well from the creaminess. That's how a lot of beers that imitate stuff (like milkshakes or ice creams) achieve the desired effect. 

Cracks open and generates a thick, condensed, khaki head.

Yum! I'm liking that this beer is mild, mellow, and also a tad sweet. It's billed as an "affogato-inspired" porter, and I kinda get that. The lactose dilutes the roasted elements of the coffee and makes it creamier, almost as if you added a scoop of gelato. So mission accomplished there. It's medium-bodied and the vanilla makes an appearance (as does the coffee) but doesn't overpower, which is always a concern for me. There's a bit of lip-smacking sweetness on the back end, though, and be prepared for a mouth-coating aftertaste. 

This was a nice way to kick off dark beer season, and nicely priced at $17.99 for a 4pk of 16oz tallboys.