I picked up another sample to try from The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery on my last trip to the World Market. The Milk Stout is one I have been interested in trying, so I tossed it in with a mixed sixer and brought it home...

For those of you who may not know this already, the name Milk Stout does not indicate that this beer has milk in it.  In fact, I really wonder why a brewery would use this name.  I can only assume that they are marketing to people who do know what it means...  Milk in beer would be just... umm... nasty.  The Milk in the name of this beer indicates that it contains lactose as a sweetener.  Lactose is one of the primary sugars found in milk, which is where this name comes from.  Lactose is not a fermentable sugar, so when it's added to beer, it doesn't create additional alcohol.  It creates additional sweetness, body, and mouth feel when drinking it. 

That being said, Duck-Rabbit's Milk Stout is just that.  It's a stout that has the normal flavor of roasted malts but it also displays an additional sweetness that isn't as common in the stouts.  That makes it rather unique.  I'm personally not a fan of this beer.  It's drinkable and I can't really say anything bad about it.  The flavor is good, unique, and worthwhile in general.  I guess my attitude about a stout makes me want a more hard-edged roast flavor with the bitterness that accompanies that.  Maybe I'm a little more lenient when they call the beer a Porter :) 

I ran across this video on YouTube this afternoon and just wanted to share it with those of you who might have missed it... This is a nice behind-the-scenes look at the brewery with Steven Lyerly...

While I was visiting the Outer Banks Brewing Station Tuesday evening, the bartender suggested another stop for me during my visit to the Outer Banks.  We were planning to head down to Ocracoke on Wednesday, so the bartender suggested a stop at Howard's Pub & Raw Bar.  After the ferry ride from Hatteras Island to Ocracoke Island, Howard's Pub is the first sign of life you come to on Highway 12 heading south.  Our timing was about perfect, because it was lunch time as we pulled in at Howard's Pub.  The food menu looked pretty good with a good selection of sandwiches, entrees, and a nice raw bar.  I had a grilled chicken sandwich with a side of fries and onion rings.  No complaints... the food was excellent.  The surprising part of this stop was the beer list...

Nearly 200 bottled beers and 24 on tap graced the beer list at Howard's Pub.  When you visit the Outer Banks, be sure to make this stop.  You won't be disappointed.  I know you can't read this list, so click on the link to Howard's Pub above and check out their beer list online...

During my trip to the Outer Banks, I stumbled upon the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills. I decided to drop in for dinner on Tuesday evening to see what their offerings included. As I browsed the dinner menu, I noticed Shrimp and Grits, and that's one of my low-country favorites, so I gave it a try.  It was simply the best Shrimp and Grits I had ever tasted.  The grits were REAL grits instead of the instant or quick-cook varieties.  It was topped with pan-seared shrimp, green onions, and red-eye gravy.  The meal was definitely 4 or 5-star in quality, which isn't something I expected.

I didn't get to sample all of their beers, so I decided to settle for a single glass of Weisenheimer Weizenbock after my meal.  This beer was very similar to the Olde Hickory Brewery's Weizen Bock that I tried a while back, but the alcohol content of this brew was a little higher at 8.3%.  I asked the bartender what else in the area was worth visiting before I left, and he pointed me towards a dive called "Howard's Pub" on Ocracoke Island.  I stopped by there on Wednesday, and I'll post about it later...