Finch Secret Stash 4Pk

Finch Secret Stache Stout 4-Pack is a 5.3% ABV American milk stout brewed with vanilla bean and lactose, packaged in four 16-ounce cans. Produced by Chicago's Finch Beer Co., this expression earned an 87-point score on BeerAdvocate and garnered strong community reception with over 24,000 ratings on Untappd. Note: Secret Stache Stout has been discontinued by the brewery and is no longer in active production.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.3%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Vanilla Milk Stout  |  Brewery: Finch Beer Co.

Production & Heritage

Finch Beer Co. was established in 2011 in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood before relocating to the West Fulton Market district in 2017, placing the brewery in the heart of the Chicago Brewing District. Secret Stache Stout was built on a grain bill featuring chocolate malt for color and roasted flavor, along with torrified wheat to bolster body and head retention. The beer was hopped three times with English Fuggles hops, and whole vanilla beans were added directly into the fermenter — a distinctive technique that integrated the vanilla character at the cellular level rather than as a post-fermentation addition. Lactose sugar provided the signature creamy sweetness that defines the milk stout style.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Pours jet black with a moderate, creamy tan head. The nose opens with seductive chocolate and caramel, followed by aromatic vanilla bean and a whisper of roasted coffee.

Taste: The entry is smooth and sweetly rounded, with vanilla bean flavor meeting milk chocolate on the front palate. Mid-palate, lactose-driven creaminess takes hold alongside roast coffee and dark caramel. Torrified wheat contributes a full, silky mouthfeel that carries the flavors without heaviness.

Finish: Drier than expected for a milk stout, with balancing dark chocolate bitterness and lingering roasty black malt character. A dry coffee aroma persists in the aftertaste alongside fading vanilla sweetness.

How to Drink Secret Stache Stout

Pour into a tulip glass or English pint at around 45–50°F to let the vanilla and chocolate aromas bloom without muting the roast character. At 5.3% ABV, it drinks easily on its own but also works in beer cocktails. A Black Velvet (stout and sparkling wine) plays the chocolate and vanilla notes against dry effervescence. A Beer Float with vanilla ice cream doubles down on the lactose creaminess for a dessert serve. A Stout Shandy with cold-brew coffee concentrate amplifies the roasted coffee backbone already present in the beer.

Best For

• Dessert-course pairing at a craft beer dinner
• Introducing dark beer styles to lager drinkers — the low ABV and smooth sweetness lower the barrier
• After-dinner sipping on cool evenings as a standalone dessert beer
• Collecting for a discontinued craft beer tasting lineup

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Secret Stache Stout taste like? Secret Stache Stout delivers vanilla bean sweetness layered over milk chocolate and roast coffee, with a creamy lactose body that finishes drier than expected with dark chocolate bitterness.

How does Secret Stache Stout compare to Tallgrass Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat? Both are low-ABV, vanilla-forward dark beers, and BeerAdvocate reviewers frequently compare the two. Secret Stache leans more heavily on its lactose creaminess and fermenter-added vanilla, while Buffalo Sweat tends toward a thinner, more traditionally dry stout character.

Is Secret Stache Stout good for beginners? Yes — its 5.3% ABV, smooth vanilla sweetness, and creamy lactose body make it one of the more approachable American stouts, especially for drinkers unfamiliar with roasty dark beers.

Where is Secret Stache Stout made? Secret Stache Stout was brewed by Finch Beer Co. in Chicago's West Fulton Market neighborhood, located within the city's recognized Brewing District on the Near West Side.

What foods pair well with Secret Stache Stout? Chocolate brownies or flourless chocolate cake complement the shared cocoa notes. Smoked brisket or barbecue ribs match the roast malt backbone. Vanilla crème brûlée echoes the vanilla bean addition. Sharp aged cheddar provides savory contrast to the lactose sweetness. Coffee-rubbed pork chops bridge the beer's coffee and roast flavors.

What sizes does Secret Stache Stout come in? Secret Stache Stout was commonly sold in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans, though availability is extremely limited as the beer has been discontinued.

Is Secret Stache Stout worth the price? Secret Stache positioned as a mid-tier craft stout during its production run, and its BeerAdvocate score of 87 reflected solid quality within the vanilla milk stout category. Remaining stock may carry a premium due to its discontinued status.

Why Secret Stache Stout?

What separated Secret Stache from the crowded vanilla stout field was Finch Beer Co.'s decision to add whole vanilla beans directly into the fermenter, integrating the flavor at a stage where most breweries opt for post-fermentation additions or extracts. Combined with a triple addition of English Fuggles hops and a grain bill featuring both chocolate malt and torrified wheat, the result was a texturally rich stout that punched well above its modest 5.3% ABV. The beer earned strong critical and community marks — 87 on BeerAdvocate and 3.8 on Untappd across nearly 25,000 ratings — confirming broad appeal rather than niche novelty. As a discontinued Chicago craft release, any remaining stock represents a piece of the city's brewing history from the early 2010s craft boom.