Pollyanna Mixed Fun Size 4Pk

Pollyanna Mixed Fun Size 4Pk is a variety four-pack of candy bar-inspired milk stouts from Pollyanna Brewing Company, brewed at 6.1% ABV in Lemont, Illinois. Scoring a 91 on BeerAdvocate and earning a 4.0 on Untappd across nearly 9,000 ratings, the Fun Size line has become one of the most talked-about dessert stout series in the Chicago-area craft scene.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.1%  |  IBU: 25  |  Origin: Lemont, Illinois  |  Style: Milk Stout  |  Brewery: Pollyanna Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Pollyanna Brewing Company operates out of Lemont, Illinois, a suburb southwest of Chicago, and has built a devoted following for inventive, ingredient-driven beers. Fun Size is a milk stout brewed with lactose sugar, sticky oats, peanuts, vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, and sea salt — a combination explicitly designed to evoke a Snickers bar in liquid form. The careful balance of roasted malt bitterness and sea salt keeps the sweetness from tipping into cloying territory, a common pitfall among dessert-style stouts. The result sits at a very approachable 6.1% ABV with 25 IBUs and an SRM of 36, indicating a deep, opaque brown-black pour.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Chocolate and peanut butter dominate the nose immediately, followed by layers of coffee, brown sugar, and sweet cream. A caramel-nougat maltiness rounds out the scent profile, giving it a confectionery quality before the first sip.

Taste: The entry is chocolaty and marshmallow-soft, with a creamy texture underscored by lactose sweetness. Mid-palate, dark roast coffee, toffee, and vanilla cream develop alongside a pronounced peanut butter richness. Condensed milk sweetness emerges late but never overwhelms, held in check by a subtle salinity and gentle roast.

Finish: Medium in length, the finish delivers lingering peanut butter cup, mocha milkshake, and a Kahlúa-like spiced warmth. The mouthfeel stays creamy with moderate carbonation, leaving a clean, dessert-like impression rather than a heavy or syrupy one.

How to Drink Fun Size

Fun Size is best enjoyed at cellar temperature — around 50–55°F — to let the full spectrum of chocolate, peanut, and vanilla aromas open up. Pouring into a tulip or snifter glass concentrates those dessert-like aromatics. While this is primarily a sipping beer, it works surprisingly well in creative drink applications: blend it into a Beer Float with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent after-dinner treat; use it as the base in a Stout Flip shaken with a whole egg, simple syrup, and nutmeg for a rich, frothy cocktail; or mix it into a Black Velvet variation with sparkling cider to add a nutty, chocolate dimension to the classic template.

Best For

• Dessert stout fans exploring Chicago-area craft brewing
• After-dinner sipping alongside chocolate or nut-based desserts
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who gravitates toward pastry stouts
• Hosting a beer tasting night with a candy-and-stout pairing theme

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Fun Size taste like? Fun Size delivers rich chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla cream flavors built on a creamy milk stout base, with a subtle sea salt edge that prevents it from becoming overly sweet. Reviewers frequently compare the experience to drinking a liquid Snickers bar.

How does Fun Size compare to other pastry stouts? Fun Size distinguishes itself from many dessert-forward stouts by using sea salt and roasted malt bitterness to maintain balance, avoiding the cloying sweetness common in the pastry stout category. At 6.1% ABV, it is also considerably more sessionable than barrel-aged or imperial pastry stouts that often exceed 10% ABV.

Is Fun Size good for sipping on its own? Fun Size is highly drinkable neat, with a medium body and moderate carbonation that keep it from feeling heavy despite its dessert-like flavor profile. It works well as a standalone sipper or paired with an actual dessert course.

Where is Fun Size made? Fun Size is brewed by Pollyanna Brewing Company in Lemont, Illinois, a town located about 30 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Pollyanna has become a prominent name in the Illinois craft beer scene.

What foods pair well with Fun Size? Peanut butter brownies amplify the beer's nutty chocolate character. Salted caramel cheesecake mirrors its sweet-and-salty interplay. Smoked brisket provides a savory counterpoint to the malt sweetness. Churros with chocolate dipping sauce echo the cocoa and vanilla notes. Sharp aged cheddar offers a tangy contrast to the creamy lactose body.

What sizes does Fun Size come in? The Pollyanna Mixed Fun Size is available as a four-pack, making it an easy format for sampling or sharing multiple variants of the Fun Size line.

Is Fun Size worth the price? Fun Size positions as a premium craft milk stout with specialty adjunct ingredients — peanuts, vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, and sea salt — that justify its price point within the pastry stout category. A 91-point BeerAdvocate rating and nearly 9,000 Untappd reviews confirm strong value relative to comparable adjunct stouts.

Why Fun Size?

What separates Fun Size from the crowded field of dessert stouts is restraint. While many pastry-style beers lean into sweetness until the flavor collapses under its own weight, Pollyanna's use of sea salt and carefully calibrated roasted malts creates genuine balance across every sip. A 91-point BeerAdvocate score and consistent Untappd acclaim across thousands of ratings reflect a beer that delivers on its candy bar promise without sacrificing drinkability. For anyone who wants the experience of a Snickers bar in stout form — without the sugar crash — this mixed four-pack is the most compelling entry point into one of Illinois' standout craft beer series.