Absence Of Light
4 Hands Brewing Co.

Absence Of LightAbsence Of Light
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English Sweet / Milk Stout
Ranked #128
Ranked #4,022
4.09 | pDev: 7.09%
4 Hands Brewing Co.
Missouri, United States
Absence Of LightAbsence Of Light
Notes: This is the new and improved Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout. This is a beer that deserved to stand on its own, so we re-branded it and gave it a bit more body. The beer is now 7.1%, but still holds the same flavor profile you all love from years past.
Reviews: 66 | Ratings: 333 | Log in to view all ratings and sort
Photo of RonaldTheriot
4.67/5  rDev +14.2%

Absence of Light has a medium, beige head, a dark brown appearance, and very minimal glass lacing. The aroma is of peanut butter and dark malts. The flavor is similar, with cocoa, cream, coffee, and no bitterness. Mouthfeel is into heavy, and Absence of Light finishes medium dry.


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Photo of MissouriMule
4.75/5  rDev +16.1%

Despite the name, the ale pours dark but not opaque. Bubbles quickly dissipate. The taste is sweet chocolate and malt, fading to malt and pleasing bitterness. Mouthfeel is less full than expected, with optimal body and carbonation. The peanut butter flavor is natural and applied lightly. Aftertaste is much better than competitors like Horny Goat Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter. Some may find the peanut butter too faint.

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Photo of Mark-Leggett
3.96/5  rDev -3.2%

Poured from a can. Dark with a large tan head and some lacing. Smells of chocolate and peanut butter. Flavor is the same, peanut butter is there but needs more. Smooth creamy mouth feel. Solid milk stout.

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Photo of LiquidAmber
4.2/5  rDev +2.7%

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a thin brown head that dissipates to almost nothing, with light lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, peanut butter, light cocoa and a little lactose. Flavor follows, with peanut butter, dark toasted malt with a hint of char, light cocoa; finishes with mildly smoky malt and genuine tasting peanut butter. Medium bodied with light creaminess. There seem to be a number of peanut butter stouts around now, and I'm really liking them. This one starts a little unassuming, but even though peanut butter forward, everything tastes well balanced and the flavor carries through into a lingering cocoa and realistic peanut butter finish.

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Photo of Vixie
4.17/5  rDev +2%

The name fits the look, black beer with maybe an inch of a tan head.

I can really smell the peanut butter in this, with nice hints of chocolate. Smells a lot like a peanut butter cup.

Peanut butter and chocolate blend nicely up front, also hints of chocolate and coffee. Pretty flavorful beer.

Like others have noticed, it has a nice smooth feel, just a touch lacking in body.

This is a really nice stout. Has a lot of flavor, and they all blend well. I was worried it might be too sweet, but actually was nicely balanced between sweet and bitter. Very much worth a try.

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Photo of wmscottsimpsonjr
3.7/5  rDev -9.5%

Near black with creamy light tan head. Smell is peanut butter and roast with chocolate and a bit of fruitiness. The is substantial but not overpowering peanut butter with roast and a bit of dark chocolate and licorice. Sweet and bitter with a piney hop character in the finish, which I feel is a little strong and doesn't work perfectly. Medium-high bodied.

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Photo of zonker17
4.28/5  rDev +4.6%

Surprised by the solid execution here. Not much retention, dark brown, no lacing. Nose a roast grain. Taste brings the peanut butter and chocolate. Feel a touch thin.

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Photo of stephens101
4.13/5  rDev +1%

Charcoal black with a big and handsome tan froth that sticks.

Toasted grain, black licorice, faint cacao and a touch of peanut butter in the aroma.

Tastes of peanut butter, black licorice, a hint of syrup and end with slight notes of pine for balance.

Good and creamy with a bolder than expected medium body that is welcomed. Apparently 4 Hands added some heft to the body on this one, and definitely wins with that choice.

Hard to get a regular stout to intrigue me these days, but this one really hits the spot.

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Photo of GrumpyGas
3.99/5  rDev -2.4%

22oz undated bottle is as advertised, lightless, and floats a good 1in cocoa colored head of foam before dissipating to just a thin cap of broad islands with erratic lacing.

Aroma of peanut butter is prominent and is joined by milk chocolate flavor and a slight hint of booze. Remainder of peanut flavor on the back of the mouth.

Having a smooth mouthfeel that leans a lighter medium, but lingers a little.

Overall, quite good.

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Photo of colts9016
4.18/5  rDev +2.2%

I admire this label on this beer. A chocolate monster on a spoon for the design is a fabulous idea. The beer is 50 degrees and served in a tulip glass. The pour on the beer produced a two finger light tan head with poor retention. The head is creamy and foamy, leaving no lacing on the glass. The color is SRM 36 dark brown nearly black. The beer is opaque. The appearance does not give much away with the beer. I was hoping to see a persistent head with lacing, alas it did not happen.

Initial aromas in the beer are milk chocolate and dark roasted malts. Next, I smell molasses, dark roasted malts, roasted peanuts (like chunky Jif peanut butter), cereal grains, milk, toasted sugar, and bread.

The flavors in the beer are Jif peanut butter, caramels, toffee, bread, toasted sugar, grains, milk, molasses, dark roasted malts, milk chocolate, mild roasted coffee, oats, a touch of smokiness, and an earthiness (like dirt but not).

The mouthfeel of the beer is creamy, silky, and smooth.

The body of the beer is full, medium carbonation, and a full finish.

This beer is stupid good. I love the mouthfeel of this beer. The one thing I would have like to taste is a thicker body to give the beer more girth. The harmony in the beer is good; however, I wanted more of a seamless flavor profile. I am able to taste the chocolate, peanut butter and so forth but wanted it more intertwined. A tasty beer none the less and a must try for any stout lover.

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Photo of stevoj
4.07/5  rDev -0.5%

Bomber from Tavour. Black pour with a slight foamy head, fades to flat. Aroma is peanut butter, hint of chocolate. Taste builds out the peanut butter cup vibe, sweet, nutty and dark chocolate. Smooth and slick, and really delicious.

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Photo of Benish
3.99/5  rDev -2.4%

Poured a black color with a white frothy head that quickly disappeared. Not much for presentation but then the smell came as something delectable. Strong aromas is peanut butter and chocolate. Absolutely nothing artificial about it. Very nutty, almost like candy. The PB flavors were maybe a bit more muted but still enough to appreciate. It has a little peanut butter brittle taste that mingles with light cocoa and coffee. Very sweet, just as sweet as the PB cups. Mouthfeel is very silky smooth with a
medium body. Overall: an abundant aroma of PB that does not fall short!

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Photo of bbtkd
4.21/5  rDev +2.9%

4 Hands Absence Of Light Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout, 7.1% ABV. Pours black with a slight ring of tan head. Nose is peanuts and chocolate, taste follows, slightly sweet, low bitterness. Decent mouthfeel, overall outstanding. Very drinkable.

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Photo of M_C_Hampton
4.13/5  rDev +1%

A: poured from a 22 oz bottle into a pint glass, dark red brown with a short tan head that lingers leaving some lacing, has some particulate

S: chocolate and peanut butter as advertised, malty and quite sweet

T: slight bitter lemon hop up front, quickly moves to sweet chocolate, hazelnut from the malt more than peanut butter, finish is sweet

M: thick and sticky

O: dessert beer

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Photo of KingTen144
4.18/5  rDev +2.2%

Delicious smell, with lots of peanut butter. Taste is great, with a similar dominance by peanut butter that almost tastes like the beer is a candy melting in your mouth. That said, the feel is a touch lighter than would be ideal, with the slightly thin texture diminishing the experience somewhat. Overall a great beer, especially for the price!

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Photo of ZebulonXZogg
4.08/5  rDev -0.2%

No date on the 22oz bottle.
L: Pours a dark brown with a one finger head that fades away quickly, no noticeable lacing.
S: The label says chocolate peanut butter stout, and that's exactly what it smells like, it's noticeable as soon as you open the bottle.
T: Again, just as the label says, plus a hint of bitter coffee.
F: Medium bodied, lightly carbonated.
O: Surprisingly good, I expected something ridiculously sweet, but that's not the case at. Easy drinking, moderate ABV, thoroughly enjoyable.

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Photo of Roguer
3.96/5  rDev -3.2%

Tons of peanut butter on the nose. Smooth and light on the palate. Peanut butter grows through the sip.

Cream, chocolate, roast, dark fruit.

Thin bodied.

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Photo of AlexR
4.46/5  rDev +9%

Out of the peanut butter-chocolate stouts I've had, this one has the strongest peanut butter flavor. That's not a bad thing, because it also has some hops that make it through, as well. It smells sweet and peanut buttery, and the name Absence of Light could be used to describe the pitch-black appearance in a glass. The flavor definitely changes with temperature - the chocolate and hops grow more evident as it gets warmer. Overall, this is an enjoyable beer to sip on through the whole bomber.

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Photo of NoahEllison
4.12/5  rDev +0.7%

4 Hands makes good drinking beer. Its not a top of the line brewery by any means, but what they do they do well. And this beer is no different. Think Reeses Peanut butter cup in liquid form. One of these by a fire on a cold night is awesome!

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Photo of Treyliff
3.92/5  rDev -4.2%

22oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours deep black in color with a one-finger foamy tan head that has decent retention

S- plenty of roast notes on the nose with roasted peanut leading, sweet lactose, milk chocolate and roasted malt

T- smoky roasted malt up front mixes with a flavor of roasted peanuts, followed by some milky sweet lactose and milk chocolate, hints of coffee come out on the finish

M- medium-light body with moderate carbonation lead to a foamy mouthfeel and a dry finish

O- good peanut butter stout that mixes well with the sweetness of the milk stout

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Photo of Stevedore
4.06/5  rDev -0.7%

650ml bottle, served in a snifter glass. Pours a dark brown body, cola coloured and slightly on the verge of being black; one finger offwhite head, good retention and bits of lacing. Smells of rich nuttiness, milk chocolate, lactose, touch of cocoa. Flavour is more of a peanut powder, not quite peanut butter, but fairly nutty. Nice milk chocolate and lactose, mild earthy bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth and creamy, good carbonation, slightly nutty chocolate finish, sort of like a Twix. Overall, tasty damn beer, plenty of the peanut adjuncts in there to satisfy most cravings.

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Photo of beerguy04
4.55/5  rDev +11.2%

Pours a black color with a tan head. Smells rich and nutty. Taste is a combination of peanut butter and coffee. Mouthfeel is medium. Overall, delicious.

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Photo of Maestro0708
3.97/5  rDev -2.9%

This brew pours black with a small tan head that dissipates fairly quickly.

Peanut butter is front and center on the nose, complemented by notes of caramel, coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts.

The beer features a number of tasty flavors, from coffee and caramel to chocolate and peanut butter. The peanut butter is still there, but doesn't dominate. The flavors are very well balanced with a sweet finish.

The mouth feel is somewhat thick, creamy, and with medium carbonation.

Overall, this is a tasty milk stout featuring a variety of flavors that are well balanced and complementary.

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Photo of FrauTotenkinder
4.98/5  rDev +21.8%

Thought brewing beer with peanut butter sounded crazy, but had one in draft on a friend's dime. Bought some to take home.
Pours dark. Smells slightly like peanut butter, but mostly chocolate. Sour and coffee like at first. Chocolate and peanut butter follows. Not overpowering thickness of peanut butter, but the sweet taste.

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Photo of KevSal
3.99/5  rDev -2.4%

22 into a perfect stout glass

looks good in the glass, nice 3 inch khaki head. some lights coming though tho, False advertisement!' haha

the nose is great, peanut butter and some chocolate. nose really does a great job

taste not quite matches the nose, strong bitterness comes through. peanut butter is there with bitter chocolate in the background

mouthfeel is light on the heavy side. it does have a lot of flavor for a 7% beer

overall i was actually looking forward to this, i think it would have helped to up the beefiness and make it over 10%. but it's definitly a tasty brew

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Absence Of Light from 4 Hands Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 333 ratings