Coffeehouse Stout - Williamsburg AleWerks

TechTriumph

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch code: 12/12/11; Poured in a pint glass.

A - 1/2" of creamy mocha colored head that diminishes pretty quickly; Very dark brown color; No lacing to be found

S - This smells almost exactly like a fresh cup of nice roasty, aromatic coffee with a dash of sweet cream in there

T - Freshly roasted coffee is definitely present, but is more balanced in the taste with hints of caramel, chocolate, and lactose sweetness; Grassy and earthy hops step forward a bit from mid-taste into the finish

M - Good amount of carbonation; Just a notch below medium bodied; Smooth, wet and just a little thin in the mouthfeel that finishes a shade on the dry side

O - I have enjoyed every brew that I've tasted from Williamsburg AleWerks and this one continues that trend. While the taste and feel of this beer are solid, the smell is definitely the highlight for me. I have never been one to drink coffee, but I don't think I could ever get sick of this aroma. This is a beer that I will certainly try again, and one that's getting me excited to try another AleWerks offering - Cafe Royale.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 18:25:45 | More by TechTriumph

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is a really deep opaquee brown/black. The smallish head is mocha colored and substaining to a degree. Aroma is rich black coffee beans, roasted malts and hints of cream from the lactose probably. Maybe some bittersweet chocolate. The sweetness of the lactose in this milk stoudt help to mellow out the acidic bitterness. I like that the coffee essence smells like fresh roasted coffee beans instead of black coffee. Richly roasted malts add to the flavor as well as a milky creaminess. It drinks smooth with a velvetty thickness. Pretty good beer more towards a sipper or desert say with a creame burlee.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 19:25:49 | More by micromaniac129

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours black with a red fringe. Has a very short mahogany head that is quickly reduced to nothing.

N: Rich dark roast coffee, sweet chocolate and roasted barley.

T: Sweet milky chocolate and rich dark roast coffee upfront. Mid-palate has more lactose and chocolate, roasted barley and caramel. Finishes with some slightly more bitter dark chocolate, coffee and caramel.

M: Medium bodied, silky, chewy and smooth with some subtle stickiness.

O: Sweet and easy drinking with plenty of coffee notes to go around. This is an excellent Sweet Stout!

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 16:16:06 | More by justintcoons

Zraly

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a dark, tan head. Head diminishes quickly. Predominate nose is the smell of dark coffee beans.

It is very clear that this is a sweet stout made with coffee. The nose and the note that really comes through is a cup of coffee. There is a hint of cream on the palate, lending some smoothness. The carbonation lifts a bit more than I'd like, but seems still within range. Light-medium bodied.

A decent session ale for those who like their stouts sweet and also like coffee. This could go well in a vanilla milkshake or with some muffins (blueberry would be interesting for some flavor contrast).

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 23:13:46 | More by Zraly

teromous

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer last year, and it has changed very much (for the better) so I am doing a re-review.

A: Dark brown...black in the glass. Very minimal tan head with spotted lacing.

S: Very strong coffee scent, a slightly "spoiled" smell like spoiled milk...but it's very faint. Mostly the coffee dominates the flavor and it smells good.

T: Again...coffee is in the forefront. It tastes like a coffee energy drink with lots of carbonation. I gave it a 4 because it tastes just like the label would suggest..."coffee".

M: The mouthfeel feels too bright. It has a lot more carbonation than I'd expect out of a stout. It's to the point where it makes me burp up bubbles.

O: Overall I think it's a pretty good beer...it tastes more like coffee than anything. Unfortunately it feels over-carbonated but that's about it. I would probably drink it again, but it's a toss-up. It tastes more like a coffee stout than it did last year, but it has a soda-like carbonation which makes it hard to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 21:41:54 | More by teromous

avalon07

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a jet black color and a thick consistency. There was a small amount of head that quickly dissipated. Not much lacing.

S: A huge amount of coffee in the aroma, with some malt as well.

T: Tasted of coffee, first and foremost, with malt, light hops, and a creamy quality in the finish. A much more robust flavor than I was expecting given the style. Pretty good.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a silky smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A solid, likeable, drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 13:09:18 | More by avalon07

Bung

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz. Pretty much black, brown around the edges. Just barely a ring of light tan head.

Aroma, strong roast, malt and coffee. Maybe some cocoa.

Taste, much more malty here. Roast malt, sweeter caramel and chocolate. Finish is a little thin, mostly chocolates and mocha latte.

Light side of medium bodied. Adequate carbonation and drinks quite easy because of the lightness for the style.
Really overall it's pretty good, but could use a little "more". I would buy a sixer, probably would be a nice warm weather dark brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 04:06:38 | More by Bung

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.03/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Williamsburg Coffeehouse Stout has the look down, with a dark brown body, brown head and decent retention and lacing.

The aroma is mostly black coffee with some dark malt backing it up.

This is a coffee stout that is almost all coffee, with notes of black patent malt and hints of chocolate behind it. My problem with this one is a problem I run into with many coffee beers; the coffee flavors are bitter and acrid, making the beer harsh and the coffee flavor hard to appreciate. Like most beers that I find this flavor in, the coffee flavor dominates the beer, so when that flavor is off, the beer itself becomes much less desirable. With that said, the more I drink this, I taste a little bit of a creamy flavor, which imitates a creamer added to coffee. That does mellow things out a little bit (after seeing that this is a milk stout, that makes sense).

Nice amount of carbonation and the body is right where it should be.

I don't know a ton about coffee, but I do know my palate, and these harsh coffee stouts do not agree with me. Maybe a different batch would be better, especially because I have liked all of the other Williamsburg stuff that I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 15:41:08 | More by Hojaminbag

littlelorib

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is dark, all but black, with a finger of creamy foam head. Head dissipates to a persistent lacing on glass.

The smell screams coffee. I can find some malty notes around the edges, but they are eclipsed by the coffee. I love the smell and taste of coffee, so this bodes well.

Taste is mainly of coffee with a little chocolate thrown in. I am in coffee heaven.

This beer says coffee, smells of coffee, and tastes of coffee. My love of coffee may have me biased to think highly of this beer, but wow, i really like it. I truly wish i had bought more than one bottle. I will definitely drink more of this.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 01:12:21 | More by littlelorib

thekanna

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: incredibly black with a dark tan head that froths and bubbles like a mud pot

S: very dark roasted malts, looks to me like it'd be almost chewable

T/M: burnt malts and strong coffee. Honestly, I find it kind of watery in the mouthfeel though and too thin to hold its own.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 06:19:59 | More by thekanna

rudolphjacksonm

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark brown-black and completely opaque. Awesome coffee-colored head that rises to about 1 and a half fingers, then quickly dissipates. No lacing or carbonation to speak of. 4.0

S - Smells like freshly brewed coffee, pipe tobacco, and firewood. Great smell that gives you just a hint of what's to come. 4.0

T - Oh the coffee flavor...how I love thee. Seriously, this brew does a fantastic job of not tasting too sweet, too bitter, or overpowering. It's a very good blend of coffee flavors with beer. Initial sweetness is immediately countered by a subtle bitter/sourness from the hops. Malty, coffee flavors remain afterwards and there is a strong aftertaste of coffee. I think this beer, if anything, tastes friggin amazing. 4.5

M - Smooth and somewhat creamy. No carbonation whatsoever. 4.5

O - Man, this is a damn tasty beer! I'm seriously impressed, and this is the first brew I've ever tried by Williamsburg Alewerks. I'll be sure to try some of their other beers in the next few weeks. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 02:06:40 | More by rudolphjacksonm

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled 12/12/11

Presently, this is ranked #8 in its style class here on BA. Cafe Royale, their other milk stout is #5.

A: Poured opaque, with no light passing through it, and a massive 1.5 finger cappuccino-colored head that stayed a marshmallowy formation for many minutes after the hard pour.

S: It smells just like one of Starbucks, iced foo-foo coffee creations. I friggin love those things! The coffee was very understated and didn't have that pure coffee ground-esque intensity that I hate so much.

T: I truly love the smooth, pillowy finish on this one. Sure, the coffee bitterness is in there, but there was just enough sweetness to cut it without being too. Milk and coffee: Who would have figured? lol

M: Nice and creamy, and with a bitter enough lingering, but not so bitter that I had coffee breate afterwards. The lacing on the glass was substantial.

O: This is a very high quality, fairly low octane, coffee brew that is definitely amongst the best I've tried in its style class. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 22:29:03 | More by Chaney

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Opaque black body and a thinnish offwhite head despite a swift pour that dissipated in a hurry. Hopefully the glass is properly clean.

Nose is deep, tarry coffee, with some woody sweetness, if that makes any sense.

Taste is classical coffee stout, but rather sweet-- as the description suggests, like a milk stout. The net result is something more like coffee with cream and sugar. In the best way, of course.

Mouthfeel is fine, a bit grainy.

It's nice. Not off-the-wall or outstanding, but definitely nice. Decent for the price point, too.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 03:53:42 | More by zaphodchak

TheIronHammer

Alabama

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a rich black color. Head is medium tan.

S: In the beginning is coffee aromas. Then there is an aroma of dried fruits, like raisins or dried cherries behind the coffee aroma.

T: Coffee. There is a creaminess to this stout. The coffee and it play off each other well. Finish is pretty long.

Mf: This stout has a med-heavy body. The carbonation is fairly substantial, and goes well with the style.

O: This is a pretty good stout. The nose, taste, and carbonation are well balanced. The mouthfeel could be a bit heavier, but it doesn't detract. It has a pleasant appearance. Over, it's a good beer. I will buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 22:07:58 | More by TheIronHammer

djeucalyptus

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a dark near black with coffee hued highlights around the edges. a hefty pour yields a decent one-finger dark mocha colored head that has good retention and fair lacing left behind.

aroma of coffee, cream, and some earthy malt. lots of fresh brewed coffee and a touch of espresso. cocoa and milk.

taste is sweet. caramel, cocoa, milk chocolate, and a hint of coffee. no question this is a sweet stout by style... coffee second. looking for a touch more coffee, but this one is deliciousness.

mouth is moderate. ample carbonation. a touch slick and sticky, but for the flavors, it works alright. carbonation a smidgen high, but not offensively so.

delicious. I wish it had a touch more coffee to it, and a touch less sweet. but I like my coffee black, not loaded with cream and sugar. so maybe that's why I'm not completely sold. That being said, I'd definitely seek this one out if I could.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 00:55:21 | More by djeucalyptus

hdelavega

Florida

3.85/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to BeerThursdays for this bonus!
Poured with vigor from a 12oz bottle to a delirium snifter glass this black as it gets stout renders a very thin mocha colored head which diminishes to a light film and them just a dot in the center of the glass due to the laser etching.
The nose yields chocolate right off the bat with some sweet roasted malt, caramel, and coffee bean aromas.
There is more coffee in the taste than the aroma, the body is pretty sweet, chocolate and dark fruit with a dark chocolate bitterness on the finish.
The mouth feel is pretty smooth there is very little carbonation. It is surprisingly drinkable do to the lower alcohol and very well balanced flavors.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 19:21:12 | More by hdelavega

PhageLab

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip.

A - Jet black brew that created a solid one finger head. Retention was solid and some nice lacing was left behind.

S - Delicious and pungent aroma of dark chocolate malts and mountain roasted coffee. Smells fresh and clean.

T - Slight tartness with a mildly bitter bite. Flavor profile is a nice blend of coffee beans, raisins, and chocolate.

M - Full bodied with a low carbonation level. Clean feel and tangy aftertaste.

D - Very tasty and an easy drinker. Probably the best I've had from the AleWerks and definitely one that I think could compete at a national level.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 19:55:11 | More by PhageLab

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled 3/6/11. Batch Code 12 9 10. 12oz bottle to pint glass.

A: Small but long lasting creamy head, dark red cedar brown in color. Pitch black body. Lacing is spare.

S & T: Pure malt decadence featuring lightly roasted aromas and flavors of coffee, chocolate, cookie and nuts. Hops add resin and wood. There is an out of place sourness to the nose, although very light and not offensive. It wasn't not bad per se, just out of place. Either way, I couldn't identify what it was. (I didn't realize this beer was a milk stout when I reviewed it, if that makes my notes any clearer. Perhaps what I picked up was lactose qualities.) There's no ABV listed on the label, but I thought this one was a full percentage point higher than the listed 5.4%.

M: Medium to medium full in body, thick in texture. Carbonation is appropriately average. The finish is equal parts chalky, astringent and bitter - all in very light quantities.

D: I was pleasantly impressed with this beer and would definitely seek it out again. Of the two bottles I bought, there was a noticeable amount of variation. The first was spectacular while the second was only above average. Maybe it was something I ate on the day of the latter.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 11:49:47 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a near black color with quick rush of bubbly brown head, gone quickly leaving little spots. Smell combined notes of spent coffee grounds and melted semi-sweet and milk chocolate - not the best notes individually but pleasant. Taste brings an initial dry and roasty coffee character but it is quickly covered up by notes of mocha and chocolate fudge. Fuller side of medium bodied, solid creamy feeling combines with a light powdery quality. A nice sweet stout with some quality flavor notes.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 15:00:59 | More by rfgetz

Spider889

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to bobertkuekn for this. I love a good coffee stout, so I was excited to find this in his box for me.

Batch code: 7/28/11. Seems pretty fresh to me.

Poured into a snifter. The short head didn't stick around long, leaving a slightly viscous black liquid in the glass.

Smells of nice rich coffee. The roast isn't overly strong or bitter smelling. In fact, there are lots of chocolate notes going on with maybe a hint of herbal hop profile to the aroma.

Coffee isn't as potent in the flavor as in the nose, sadly. Instead the milk stout qualities take hold. Warm toasty malts are bold, while a chalky cocoa power property rounds it all out.

Smooth and very easy drinking at first. As the beer warms it becomes increasingly dry with a powdery texture on the palate.

Overall a solid coffee beer. Definitely worth trying, though if you can afford it Bells Java and FBS are going to be much better options for the coffee beer lover.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 06:07:18 | More by Spider889

UCLABrewN84

California

3.83/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Plenum for sending me this one!

Pours an opaque black with a 1/2 inch dark tan head that fades to an oily film on the top of the beer. Random spots and streaks of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of rich chocolate syrup, chocolate bars, and slight coffee aromas. Taste is of chocolate covered espresso beans covered in chocolate syrup. A nice roasted coffee bean bitterness lingers on the palate after each sip. The mouthfeel is a bit thin with a low level of carbonation. Overall, this is a pretty good stout but the mouthfeel is a bit lacking. Still glad I got to try this one though.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 05:05:23 | More by UCLABrewN84

ksurkin

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from grape & gourmet. pours slightly thick and utterly black as night with a thin, light beige head and sheet lacing. aroma blew me away. huge dark roasted coffee, praline, cocoa, and a hint of dark fruit. flavor was amazing as well and truly matched the aroma. tastes of rich black coffee, dark chocolate, sweet caramel, and hints of vanilla,with a lingering bitter coffee finish. mouthfeel is thin and a bit watery which is the only true knock on this beer. overall, a delicious brew. like a poor-mans breakfast stout. Geoff is certainly doing solid work at AleWerks and if this one is any indication, i can’t wait for the new brewmasters series. *UPDATE* new batch from January 2010: wow, has this one gotten even better. much more expresso-like on the nose and the flavor boasts new subtleties of toffee, cinnamon, graham cracker, and ash. the palate, which may have been a bit thin in the first batch, is much silkier and rich on the tongue. great work, geoff!

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 18:44:55 | More by ksurkin

scottyshades

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bobertkuekn for this fine extra in our trade! It so happens that I really love milk stout and this a new brewery for me

A: Pours a pitch black color with a small creamy khaki color head. Retention is short-lived

S: Tons and tons of coffe in the aroma, along with chocolate, chcolate covered strawberries, and a decent amount of roast.

T: the flavor is not quite as good as the nose. Lots of coffee, subtle vanilla, lots of milk and dark chocolate, and lactose that I didnt notice before

MF: Sweet and chewy, creamy velvety feel to it, real easy to drink

O: Pretty impressed with this one, I love the massive dose of coffee

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 02:43:58 | More by scottyshades

Gushue3

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to DoctorB2B for this extra, enjoying during UFC

A- comes out of the bottle black with transparent spots here and there. 1 finger head that had moderate retention and not too much lacing.

S- nice sweetness from dark malt and milk chocolate with a nice coffee roast and sweet coffee beans. This beer is cold and is still pretty pungent.

T- sweet milk chocolate that isnt too overboard followed by coffee. Nice balance that doesnt overpower either main flavor

M- this has a heavier mouthfeel, yes it is somewhat cold. The carbonstion is minimal which makes for a nice velvety smooth drink

O- nice enjoyable beer. Wishing the taste was a little more bold but tasty none the less

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 03:13:31 | More by Gushue3

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours out as a deep rich looking black color. There's a decent brown head that comes and goes within a few minutes. There is a light amount of lacing on the glass. The smell is mostly coffee, there isn't too much else happening on the nose here. The taste is semi sweet upfront but fades into a burnt toast bitterness with a lot of coffee throughout. The mouthfeel of this beer is medium bodied. Overall check it out, you may like it.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 04:28:03 | More by Knapp85