Dessert in a Can: Great Notion’s Mr. French Brings the Coconut & Cacao Heat
When it comes to bold, boundary-pushing flavor, few breweries do it like Great Notion. Based in Portland, Oregon, they’ve made a name for themselves with outrageous hazies, tart fruit beers, and decadent stouts—and Great Notion’s Mr. French Coconut & Cacao Milk Stout might be one of their most indulgent dessert beers yet.
This 16oz can of Coconut & Cacao Milk Stout is rich, sweet, and unapologetically indulgent. If you’re looking for a light sipper or a dry Irish stout, keep walking. But if you love pastry stouts that drink like liquefied Mounds bars with a touch of Parisian flair, Mr. French is your guy.
First Impressions: A Liquid Confection
Out of the can, Mr. French pours a dense, inky black with a thick, mocha-colored head that clings lazily to the glass. It looks every bit as decadent as you’d expect. The aroma hits immediately: toasted coconut, dark chocolate ganache, a hint of vanilla, and just the faintest roasted edge. It smells like dessert at a fancy patisserie where the pastry chef moonlights as a homebrewer.
Flavor: Sweet, Rich, and Loaded with Character
The flavor profile is where Mr. French truly shines. The base milk stout is velvety and full-bodied, providing a smooth backdrop for the star ingredients. Coconut dominates the front end—sweet, toasty, and slightly creamy—followed by waves of dark chocolate, cacao nib bitterness, and silky lactose sweetness. The mouthfeel is thick but not syrupy, with a soft carbonation that keeps it from feeling cloying.
As it warms, layers of complexity unfold: chocolate-covered espresso beans, a hint of almond, and a touch of vanilla-laced oak. There’s no barrel aging here, but you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise—the depth of flavor is that refined.
Mouthfeel: Velvet Rope Access
Creamy and plush with just enough carbonation to keep it lively, Mr. French is a luxurious sipper. The lactose lends body and sweetness without tipping it into sticky territory. There’s no harshness or sharp roast—just a gentle glide from sweet to bittersweet to roasted.
Overall Impression
Mr. French is a prime example of what a modern pastry stout can be: indulgent, flavorful, and layered without being one-dimensional. Great Notion has long been known for pushing style boundaries, and here they’ve delivered a beer that feels like a guilty pleasure without ever feeling cheap.
It’s not subtle—and it’s not trying to be. But for fans of dessert-forward stouts who want something with both fun and finesse, Mr. French is a can’t-miss treat.