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You are here: Home / All reviews / Stouts, porters & dark ales / Big Drop “Galactic” review – low-alcohol (0.5%) milk stout

Big Drop “Galactic” review – low-alcohol (0.5%) milk stout

By Tom Hallett on February 27, 2018

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“Galactic” by Big Drop Brewing Co is a malty milk stout with cocoa and vanilla flavours and aromas. Find out how it tastes, plus get stockists and nutritional info including calories and ingredients.

When I think of stout, my mind instantly wanders to those deliciously high-ABV milk and imperial stouts from the likes of Vibrant Forest and Siren Beer Co.

That said, I’ve recently stumbled on some great sessionable stouts in my quest to be more adventurous in my beer drinking. I particularly enjoyed a draught pint of Hopback Brewery’s “Entire Stout” on Christmas Day, which comes in at 4.5%.

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One thing that sticks out on the sessionable stouts is the mouthfeel, with many verging on being a little too watery. I was keen then to try Big Drop Brewing Co’s “Galactic” milk stout. How would it stack up, not only on mouthfeel but on taste too?

Big Drop specialises in low alcohol beers and this one is just 0.5% and is gluten free (less than 20PPM of gluten) in most regions (check the label as this may differ depending on where it’s produced).

Ingredients

As with all milk stouts, one of this beer’s ingredients is lactose (a sugar derived from milk). Lactose adds sweetness, because the yeast doesn’t turn this sugar into alcohol.

This beer also contains cocoa nibs – the insides of a cocoa bean – along with the usual water, yeast, malt and hops (Bramling Cross). Plus rye and oats.

Calories, carbs and sugar

Galactic has 27.5 calories per 100ml, which is higher than most NA pale ales but much lower than your average full-strength stout.

There’s 5.4 of carbs per 100ml but only trace amounts of sugar (0.1g per 100ml).

Flavours, appearance and mouthfeel

The first thing that struck me, despite pouring the beer carefully, was the fluffy tanned head it created in the glass.

Some might not like this. But for me, there’s something about a big head on a dark beer that makes it more appealing. The beer also looked to rival the consistency of a traditional stout in the glass.

Can of Big Drop Galactic milk stout with glass

The aroma is also impressive – there’s a strong smell of malt you get with most good stouts, with a little cocoa and coffee.

Flavour-wise, the dark malts bring out the taste of coffee and cocoa, as promised by the aroma. There was also hints of vanilla and nut. The bitterness grew as I drunk more it, but it was well-balanced with the sweetness provided by the added lactose. There’s quite a dry finish, so it might not quench your first like a low-alcohol pale ale.

And while the consistency of this stout is never going to rival a high-ABV imperial stout, it had a lot of body in the mouth and wasn’t as watery as I expected.

Can of Big Drop Galactic milk stout with glass in background

It was well-carbonated too, which helped bring out the flavours. It lost a lot of its fizz quickly, but never went flat and was always tingly on the tongue.

Verdict

Galactic is a fantastic low-alcohol beer. Not only does it look gorgeous in the glass, but the aroma and flavour deliver too.

It’s lovely as a post-dinner dessert beer or as an (almost) guilt-free Sunday afternoon treat.

Key info – Big Drop Galactic

  • Name: Galactic
  • Brewery: Big Drop Brewing
  • Style: milk stout
  • Alcohol content: 0.5%
  • Calories: 91 (per 330ml can)
  • Carbohydrates: 17.8g (per 330ml can)
  • Sugar: 0.3g (per 330ml can)
  • Ingredients: water, barley, rye, oats, yeast, lactose, cocoa nibs
  • Country: UK
  • Dispense: can (330ml) and bottle (330ml)
  • Selected stockists (UK): Amazon*, Wise Bartender*
  • Selected stockists (US): Big Drop
  • Selected stockists (Canada): Big Drop
  • Selected stockists (Australia): Craft Zero

Related posts:

Drop Bear Beer Co "Bonfire Stout" review - low-alcohol (0.5%) stout
Harviestoun "Wheesht" review - alcohol-free (0%) ruby ale
Nirvana Brewery "Kosmic" review - alcohol-free (0%) stout

"Stout" (0.5%) by Big Drop Brewing

"Stout" (0.5%) by Big Drop Brewing
8.5

Aroma

8.0/10

Mouthfeel

9.5/10

Flavour

8.0/10

Pros

  • Amazing body
  • Great aroma and flavour
  • Gluten free

Cons

  • High calories for a low-alcohol beer
  • Not suitable for vegans
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Disclosures

*If you buy something after you visit links marked with *, I might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

†Reviews marked with † feature beers I didn't pay for (usually because the producers gave them to me for free). My aim is to review these beers the same as beers I've paid for but you may want to bear this in mind when reading the review.

Find out more on my disclosures page.

About Tom Hallett

New(ish) dad, slow runner and Border Terrier owner (or is it the other way round?) on a mission to find the world's best low-alcohol and alcohol-free beers.

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