Coffee Talk - The Lost Abbey

kojevergas

California

3.7/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served on-draught into a taster at Lost Abbey's taproom. Cost was $3.00 12.50% ABV. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours an exquisite rich tan colour floater that quickly dissipates - no doubt a consequence of the high ABV. Body colour is a solid jet black. Beautiful.

Sm: Coffee/java, chocolate, roasted malt, dark malts, and roasted barley. Very appealing. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Heavy coffee and mocha with a creamy character to balance it. No coffee bitterness at all. Dark roasted malts comprise the foundation. Cocoa/hints of chocolate. Good balance. Well layered. Very rich and delicious. I like the interplay between the roast and coffee. No yeast comes through. Subtle wood undertones.

Mf: Smooth, wet, undercarbonated, and thick. Suits the flavours well.

Dr: Very drinkable for the high ABV. I quite fancy it. Hides its ABV very well. I'd definitely have this again. A lovely beer on-draught. I'd love to pick up a bottle for aging. Another solid beer from Port Brewing/Lost Abbey.

B

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2012 01:36:36 | More by kojevergas

skunk242

California

4.63/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is fantastic. It got me a little verklempt. It poured almost black with very little dark brown head. The biggest smell that popped out was chocolate right after the initial scent of bourbon. The taste was phenomenal. Initially some small amounts of coffee along with the usual flavors you'd expect in a big barrel aged stout like dark fruits, vanilla, toffee, and roasted malt. It then follows up with a big chocolate flavor and bourbon at the end that lingers after. Very smooth. As noted in other reviews, the coffee wasn't really around much in the taste, just subtly mixed together with the rest up front, which I liked. Some might be disappointed in the lack of coffee in the flavor considering the name but I think much more would have ruined it.

Overall, complete worth seeking out. I will not be missing opportunities to drink this again if I hear it's on tap at the brewery in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2012 15:13:08 | More by skunk242

HopHead84

California

4.43/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

9/21/2012

Described as a blend of Bourbon Serpent's and Older Viscosity with a twist of coffee and cocoa nibs.

A: Black with a finger of dark brown foam.

S: Great combination of fudge and caramel. Lots of vanilla with brown sugar, oak, and bourbon. Just a touch of coffee with notes of cocoa and a light roasted quality. Smells fantastic. 

T: Bourbon dark chocolate fudge. Well integrated roast with a mellow earthy coffee presence. Brown sugar, cocoa, and oak. Alcohol warming but not much heat in the flavor. Surprisingly mellow and tame.

M: Full in body with low carbonation. Sticky, thick, viscous, and chewy. Warming on the palate.

Overall: Really a damn good beer. It's well balanced, which is nice, but I found myself longing for a stronger coffee presence after reading that coffee was an ingredient. Still, this is very good and I recommend you try it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2012 16:57:55 | More by HopHead84