Café Royale - Williamsburg AleWerks

ncaudle

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured from bomber into Dogfish signature snifter.

dark black with a finger of tan head that quickly dissipated.

bourbon and coffee dominates the nose without the bourbon being too prominent. chocolate appears in the taste but not the expected lactose sweetness of the milk stout base; maybe it's just well hidden by the bourbon... it's not the typical sweet bourbon taste, almost must but that isn't it either.

thin yet smooth. perhaps a touch more carbonation would help.

overall a good local seasonal that I'll pick up again.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 21:25:24 | More by ncaudle

tgeorgf

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-24-2013 01:15:08 | More by tgeorgf

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-23-2013 21:40:07 | More by rolltide8425

zekeman17

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-23-2013 02:43:33 | More by zekeman17

Bockerdoppel91

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-21-2013 01:05:38 | More by Bockerdoppel91

iL0VEbeer

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-20-2013 13:32:47 | More by iL0VEbeer

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-19-2013 03:38:27 | More by browniewithnuts

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-18-2013 22:17:43 | More by Photekut

teromous

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pitch black body with a short dark tan head. Head carbonation looks fairly creamy. Lacing doesn't stay.

S: Strong coffee scent, with a little bit of dark chocolate smell coming out of there. Faint earthy scent but it doesn't linger in the nose for long.

T: Smooth coffee flavor with just a hint of oak. Very low on bitterness. Some notes of rich dark chocolate come through as well. It tastes better than most actual coffees.

M: Very smooth and creamy. Extremely drinkable. No presence of harshness in this at all. The bitterness is very mellow, the coffee sits right where it should.

O; This is an extremely enjoyable drinking experience. It's not an overly complex beer, and I didn't think the bourbon barrel flavor stood out that much, but the beer works as a whole. To me, that is more important than any gimmick or process used to make the beer. This one just tastes wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 21:32:55 | More by teromous

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

4.59/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Very dark brown, with just a hint of red at the edges -- it's too dense for light to penetrate anywhere else. The head is walnut brown, but thin in spite of an aggressive pour and lacing is non-existent.

S: Coffee is the first aroma, which even for a coffee-based brew is a little surprising. Next came vanilla, then dark fruit notes, then heavily-toasted grain, and finally some floral hops.

T: Malt is potent, more sweet than toasted grain. Coffee notes develop, but more like an iced vanilla latte than straight coffee. As with most stouts, I get the acrid taste of burnt malt, but it's very subtle and not at all unpleasant. I definitely taste the bourbon here as well, blending seamlessly with the mildly bitter hops at the end. I think I even detected a little diacetyl in the mix as well.

M: Smooth, creamy, and chewy. Alcohol was well hidden for an 8% ABV. About as good as it gets for this style.

O: This is the best beer I've yet had from Williamsburg AleWerks. It is really good -- almost a dessert beer for all its sweetness, smoothness, and flavors.
I'm definitely going to get another of these -- Correction: I'm going to buy several more of these for future consumption!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 20:07:26 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

campfirebrew

New York

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-18-2013 12:12:03 | More by campfirebrew

Morey

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-18-2013 01:54:20 | More by Morey

JandJMD

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-17-2013 01:49:48 | More by JandJMD

mtbdonn

United Kingdom (England)

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-15-2013 20:44:33 | More by mtbdonn

l1fted

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-12-2013 22:48:16 | More by l1fted

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-12-2013 18:35:34 | More by Bonko_the_sane

Tacoboomerang

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-10-2013 03:07:06 | More by Tacoboomerang

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-09-2013 15:16:49 | More by Jason1337

nrs207

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-08-2013 23:44:27 | More by nrs207

SalukiAlum

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-08-2013 19:57:55 | More by SalukiAlum

BMart

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-08-2013 18:44:47 | More by BMart

GeoffreyM

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-08-2013 14:24:19 | More by GeoffreyM

jwat

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-08-2013 01:04:45 | More by jwat

rrryanc

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-08-2013 00:48:05 | More by rrryanc

Shumania

Virginia

4.66/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

22 ounce bomber poured into a tulip

a: dark as night with minimal head

s: coffee and sweet booze. vanilla and oak in there too.

t: a lot sweeter than I thought it would be. Same flavors as the smell with coffee, dark chocolate milk, vanilla, and oak. There is a small boozy finish from the bourbon.

m: very creamy. this is a sipper.

This beer is awesome. I had heard good things about it, but this is a great combination of coffee and bourbon!

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 00:34:25 | More by Shumania