Albino Rhino - Winter Pudding (@ Earls)

The other day I got together with my buddy Danny, and we tried to get into the FireFighter's Club near Metrotown for a beer, but they wanted to charge us $8 cover, so we bailed and decided to go to Earl's. What a great decision that was! Not only did I get to keep my $8 for half a pitcher of delicious brew, but my taste buds were quite happy too.

After a brew or two, our barkeep Aracy decided to give us both a taster of the Albino Rhino Winter Pudding (ABV unknown). Danny and I looked at each other, and immediately decided to get a pitcher of the stuff.

Albino Rhino Winter Pudding @ Earl's on Kingsway, Burnaby B.C.

Its smells were similar to a Rickard's Dark Ale or a Waterloo Dark, but instead infused with hints of vanilla, caramel, and desserts. It's much better than I anticipated, seeing as most "house" brews serve as a mediocre version of a brew that already exists. As pictured, our pitcher poured well with a solid half-to-3/4 inch of head.

The taste that hits the tongue is like taking a bite of chocolate pudding just before taking a sip of a dark ale. It works with some people, and for others it's too sweet. Personally, I really enjoyed the taste, but it felt as if there was something missing. It just seemed like it wasn't all there. It felt like a generic winter ale, but the after-taste was amazing. I love sweet, dark ale after-tastes, and this one sticks the landing.

I later found out that this is brewed by the Kamloops Brewing Company, along with all of the other Albino Rhino brews. If you're in a winter-y mood, or you're at Earl's, or both, make sure to get a taste of this Winter brew! If you're having a dessert at Earl's that's chocolate-heavy, I suggest getting a taster of this brew and having a sip of it right after a bite of your dessert!

If you could buy this by the bottle, it might be a great choice for steak marinade, just saying ;-)

The Albino Rhino Winter Pudding gets a great-with-or-without-food 8.0 / 10