Maplewood Morbidly Obese Pug 4Pk

Maplewood Morbidly Obese Pug 4Pk is a 9% ABV imperial milk stout from Chicago's Maplewood Brewing Company, sold in a four-pack. Scoring a 91 on BeerAdvocate with an average user rating of 4.11, this decadent stout has built a dedicated following among dark-beer enthusiasts in the Midwest and beyond.

Quick Facts: ABV: 9%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Imperial / Double Milk Stout  |  Brewery: Maplewood Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Maplewood Brewing Company operates out of Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, producing a range of beers and spirits under the same roof. Morbidly Obese Pug — named after Head Brewer Adam's pug, Otto — is built on a foundation of roasty chocolate malts, lactose sugar, and cacao nibs, yielding an exceptionally full-bodied imperial stout. The addition of lactose provides residual sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel that distinguishes it from standard imperial stouts, while the cacao nibs deliver genuine chocolate depth rather than mere roast character.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Deep, dark chocolate dominates the nose immediately, followed by layers of medium-roast coffee and caramel. A subtle nuttiness and creamy lactose sweetness round out the bouquet, with faint vanilla lingering underneath.

Taste: The entry is thick and coating, hitting the palate with intense fudge and bittersweet chocolate. At mid-palate, roasted malt and espresso-like bitterness emerge to balance the lactose sweetness. The peak brings a rich, almost brownie-batter quality — indulgent without becoming cloying, thanks to enough roast backbone to keep it grounded.

Finish: Long and chewy, with sticky dark chocolate and a mild roast bitterness that slowly fades. A subtle warmth from the 9% ABV surfaces gently at the very end, reminding you this is no ordinary stout.

How to Drink Morbidly Obese Pug

Pour into a snifter or tulip glass at 45–50°F to let the chocolate and roast aromas open fully; this stout rewards patience as it warms slightly. It drinks exceptionally well on its own as a dessert beer. For a beer float, pair it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream — the lactose sweetness and chocolate depth create a natural affogato-like treat. It also works in a Stout Flip, shaken with a whole egg, simple syrup, and a dash of nutmeg, where its thick body holds up beautifully. A Black Velvet variation, layered with dry sparkling cider, offers an unexpected contrast of effervescence against the stout's weight.

Best For

• Dessert-course pairings at a dinner party
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who gravitates toward dark, rich styles
• Cold-weather evening sipping by a firepit
• Cellaring short-term (6–12 months) to see how the chocolate and roast character evolves

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Morbidly Obese Pug taste like? It delivers a rich, fudge-forward chocolate profile supported by roasted malt, espresso, and caramel, with a creamy lactose sweetness that gives it an almost dessert-like quality. The mouthfeel is notably thick, chewy, and full-bodied.

How does Morbidly Obese Pug compare to Southern Tier Choklat? Both are chocolate-focused imperial stouts, but Morbidly Obese Pug uses lactose to achieve a creamier, sweeter body at 9% ABV, while Southern Tier Choklat leans on Belgian dark chocolate and finishes drier at 10% ABV. The Maplewood version tends toward fudge richness, whereas Choklat emphasizes bittersweet cocoa intensity.

Is Morbidly Obese Pug good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its thick body, layered chocolate character, and moderate 9% ABV make it an ideal standalone sipper, particularly after dinner or as a dessert replacement.

Where is Morbidly Obese Pug made? It is brewed at Maplewood Brewing Company in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Maplewood operates as a combined brewery and distillery in the city's northwest side.

What foods pair well with Morbidly Obese Pug? Flourless chocolate cake mirrors and amplifies the stout's cacao character. Smoked brisket contrasts the sweetness with savory, fatty richness. A sharp aged cheddar provides a tangy counterpoint to the lactose creaminess. Salted caramel brownies echo the beer's fudge and caramel notes. Blue cheese, particularly Stilton, creates a classic sweet-and-funky pairing that highlights the roast backbone.

What sizes does Morbidly Obese Pug come in? The standard retail format is a four-pack of cans; draft availability may vary by season at the taproom and select accounts in the Chicago area.

Is Morbidly Obese Pug worth the price? It positions as a mid-premium craft imperial stout, and its 91 BeerAdvocate score and cacao-nib production method place it comfortably among respected examples of the style at its price tier.

Why Morbidly Obese Pug?

A 91-rated imperial milk stout brewed with real cacao nibs is not a common find in the four-pack format — many comparable beers are released as limited one-offs or single bottles. Maplewood's use of lactose alongside those cacao nibs creates a textural richness that sets this apart from imperial stouts relying solely on roasted grain for their chocolate character. The beer has maintained strong community ratings on both BeerAdvocate and Untappd over thousands of reviews, suggesting consistency rather than hype. For anyone seeking a genuinely chocolatey, full-bodied dark beer rooted in Chicago's craft scene, this is one of the more reliable choices available.