Arbor Brewing Espresso Love - Arbor Brewing Company

jampics2

Ohio

3/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

No head after a voracious pour into my pint glass. Looks thin as hell - I can see a ring of either alcohol or water around the edges.

Smell is actually nice, some lactose sweetness, caramel malt, and some roast that could be coffee. Subdued compared to other coffee stouts.

I'm torn on the taste, it's a decent enough idea, but their neighbor upstate (Founders) has written the book on coffee stouts and this just falls short of following the example. Starts off with a spike of bitterness and coffee, then a weird chocolate caramel lactose taste. The coffee adds a different flavor "peak" to the mix than I've ever had, but, unfortunately, the rest of this beer's taste doesn't make it shine. I read some reviews before trying this that mention a tart flavor, there is none in this bottle - this is more of a light caramel, chocolate, milk stout.

Mouthfeel is a certain flaw here. Carb is just weird, not prickly, but too sharp for ta stout. This is one of the lightest m/f's I've ever had on a stout. Bummer.

Drinkability is average, this isn't a horrible beer or a drainpour. I bet there's some major batch differential here. This is just too mediocre - took a risk on you Arbor and not impressed. I'll try to give away the rest of the six pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 00:33:53 | More by jampics2

fredmugs

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +34.1%

05-19-2013 22:18:27 | More by fredmugs

EROCK75

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +10.4%

05-13-2013 15:22:22 | More by EROCK75

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +34.1%

05-02-2013 00:58:03 | More by leprechaunandfatman

DruC4

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +10.4%

03-31-2013 04:13:19 | More by DruC4

funkyMonk

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +10.4%

03-17-2013 01:10:48 | More by funkyMonk

jsnoek

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +10.4%

02-26-2013 05:55:13 | More by jsnoek

JohnnieNepal

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +18.3%

02-23-2013 00:17:38 | More by JohnnieNepal

Danielr26

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +10.4%

02-18-2013 14:01:58 | More by Danielr26

rpbuckeye

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +18.3%

02-14-2013 16:02:31 | More by rpbuckeye

TheConnMan

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev +2.5%

02-10-2013 03:07:32 | More by TheConnMan

thebouch01

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev +2.5%

02-02-2013 01:54:59 | More by thebouch01

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev +2.5%

01-27-2013 01:11:51 | More by Rifugium

spycow

Illinois

3/5  rDev -5.4%

01-17-2013 05:53:23 | More by spycow

buschbeer

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev +2.5%

12-30-2012 00:01:46 | More by buschbeer

arto

Michigan

2.5/5  rDev -21.1%

12-27-2012 16:05:15 | More by arto

Rostie

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +34.1%

12-23-2012 12:11:35 | More by Rostie

TastingRoomCharNtony

4/5  rDev +26.2%

12-23-2012 02:11:47 | More by TastingRoomCharNtony

Hoptologist

Michigan

2.5/5  rDev -21.1%

11-16-2012 03:31:14 | More by Hoptologist

thornn

4.25/5  rDev +34.1%

10-30-2012 15:49:19 | More by thornn

Kerrie

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev +2.5%

10-25-2012 01:03:57 | More by Kerrie

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.55/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours jet black with a two finger bubbly mocha head. Leaves no lacing.

S - Slight java, roasted malt, slight coffee grains, some slight smoke, and that's about it. Not a very big nose for a breakfast stout.

T - Bitter medium coffee up front, roasted malt in the middle, slight smoke in the finish and the coffee taste seems to darken as the beer sits.

M - Light bodied with extremely low carbonation. Perfection in my opinion.

O - Overall, this is a very solid beer, although a bit lacking in the flavor and smell department.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 18:40:37 | More by SometimesIfart

rolandboy

Michigan

2.75/5  rDev -13.2%

10-20-2012 02:55:48 | More by rolandboy

ncaudle

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +10.4%

10-17-2012 23:41:35 | More by ncaudle

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I wish the coffee would be a bit more pronounced and intense. I guess that is just what I have come to expect. There is a nice oily tone to it, but I am more interested in the coffee flavor as a whole, and not so much what may come out of the bean. As it warms, it starts to get more bitter and not so pleasant. It was decent at first, but got not so nice as it warmed. Eh. A miss.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 22:59:11 | More by RblWthACoz