Lips Of Faith - Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout - New Belgium Brewing

Nugganooch

California

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22 oz. Bottle – taster nonic glass
*Notes from 11/20/12

A: Pour is a muddy black color with a nice pillow of root beer style head. Retention is astounding and leaves behind some nice running legs of lace.

S: Smells of chocolate fudge with espresso beans and a bit of leafy green hops. I get sweet cookie dough in spades and faint underlying dark smoky grains. Smells like a real treat.

T: Taste is a mocha bomb! Has a super luscious chocolaty flavor with a nice coffee shop accent all throughout. Roasted cereals introduce more of a chocolate malt ball note to the beer. Hershey’s syrup comes to mind. There is a noticeable amount of earthy bitterness and some light warming alcohol. Progression leaves somewhat of a chalky cocoa powder finish. Deliciously flavored and big on the chocolate. A great dessert beer.

M: Body is somewhat thin for Imperial standards and bit wet all throughout. Carbonation is fair bringing in a slight drying crisp. Finish has that chalky after feel.

D: This definitely delivers as promised with intense chocolate and coffee flavors. Thinner body and well incorporated alcohol do make this very drinkable. Sweet and delectable but not in a sickly way. The mouthfeel and finish trip this one up a bit but a nice beer overall.

Will be picking up a few more of these for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 21:17:57 | More by Nugganooch

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pitch black pour, looks great in my snifter. Mocha colored head that slowly disappears and leaves some bubbles. A lot of lacing.

S- Tons of coffee with a lot of roasted malt. Smells really good, but not a whole lot of chocolate in the nose. Maybe some bittersweet chocolate.

T- Surprisingly not a malt bomb. Coffee is huge in the taste with roasted malts and a slight chocolate flavor. The surprise is the hops that come through from the middle to the end. A really good mix of flavors.

M- Full bodied, medium-high carbonation. Slight sting on the roof of my mouth, but very smooth.

O- Really good coffee stout. I thought the coffee over powered any chocolate, but this is a really good desert beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:13:21 | More by stephenjmoore

kevanb

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

The beer pours a nice deep black color, touches of dark brown when struck by light, a nice, thick, frothy, 2 finger caramel colored head which has good retention, leaving behind a nice soapy film and a great network of sticky lacing. The aroma is very milky, lots of sweet milk chocolate, with bitter roasted coffee and a touch of smooth grain. The milkiness is really overpowering and pretty unpleasant. Bitter coffee hits the tongue straight away, with a touch of grain behind it, before the outrageously sweet milk chocolate comes back and really dominates the tongue. The milky flavors are a bit watered down on the tongue which makes it much worse, literally like a glass of milk with water poured over it. The body is fairly rich and full, a touch thinner than I'd like for a stout, coats the mouth well and has a nice easy finish.

Verdict: A pretty poor offering from New Belgium. The milky flavors and overbearing sweetness makes this beer very unpalatable. The Lips of Faith series has been fairly successful in my mind, but this is definitely a forgettable experience, a drain pour.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:56:54 | More by kevanb

SHODriver

California

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured into a mug to a deep black with no light passing through with a light tan head that slowly fades
S: smells of coffee and chocolate with a tinge of roast malt
T: coffee flavors on the front end with some chocolate notes and some nice raosty flavors. swallow brings lots of chocolate flavors and some coffee and a bit of hop
M: a little thinner than expected but still on the full side of things, very smooth and silky though. a little dry on the finish
O: not bad at all. the label isn't a lie. good flavors but a little lacking in complexity. it's well carried out though it isn't world class.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 03:12:28 | More by SHODriver

riored4v

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured in to a tulip with a pitch black body. 1 finger, tan head. Good amounts of lacing.

Aroma was big on chocolate and coffee. Moderate amounts of roast. Slight earthy bitterness. Notes of biscuit. Malty and mild sweetness.

Taste was big chocolate upfront that turned to a mild sweetness. Some biscuity, roasty flavors are quickly followed with coffee. Notes of raisin and dark fruit. A bit earthy. FInishes with a mild bitterness more of a bitter chocolate.

Mouthfeel was creamy and smooth upfront that finished with a crisp mouthfeel. Medium body and no signs of ABV.

Good beer overall. A bit bitter in the finish, but solid chocolate and coffee flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 01:40:42 | More by riored4v

ThickNStout

Georgia

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

22oz bottle from Sprayberry Bottle Shop (Marietta, GA). 8.99. Bottled 11/05/12 (I think, but the code is smeared). Served in a Sweetwater snifter.

Pours near black with a finger and a half muted tan head that fades quickly but leaves large sheets of lace.

Smells of cold coffee, cocoa and roasty malts.

Tastes of bold roasty coffee, chocolate, burnt wood and a healthy kick of booze. The alcohol isn't over bearing but it sure isn't hidden.

Creamy medium feel with moderate carbonation. Long aftertaste of bitter cocoa-laden coffee.

A solid, well brewed imperial coffee chocolate stout. It doesn't really put other familiar/ similar seasonal releases to shame but it is a tasty stout. Being a fan of imperial coffee stouts I'll enjoy a couple more of these while they are around.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 06:14:55 | More by ThickNStout

hdofu

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Let me give it to you straight, it isn't a bad beer, but it does have a bad smell. Appearance is a dark brown with a muddy spongey head.
Taste is smokey, cocoa (unsweetened) with a bit albeit not great deal of coffee flavor. Smell is what baffles me as it has an odor of sewage in front of the chocolate. Mouthfeel is smooth and sudsy. It would be an ideal beer if it wasn't for the smell.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 22:00:18 | More by hdofu

cvm4

Mississippi

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours coffee back with a two finger than head. Body didn't seem to look thick or viscous.

S - Huge notes of expresso & dark chocolate.

T - Black coffee with cocoa nibs. It's a little sweet with dark fruits through the midway and a light bitterness ending.

M - Disappointed here... Body is thin with high carbonation.

O - Great smell & flavors but the thin body makes a great beer somewhat mehhh.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 19:20:12 | More by cvm4

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.06/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Deep brown-to-black color with a 2-finger, frothy, bubbly, tan head. Really nice retention and some great patchy lacing.

S – The aroma consists of tons of coffee and a nice amount of cocoa. There are touches of molasses or caramel present, as well.

T – The taste starts off sweet for a second with chocolate and caramel notes and rapidly shifts to a bold and bitter roasted coffee flavor. As roasted bitterness fades, the sweetness becomes apparent again with chocolate and cream taking the forefront. It tastes like a mocha and certainly lives up to its name.

F – Medium-to-full-bodied with good carbonation, a creamy and smooth mouthfeel, and a bittersweet and slightly dry finish. Coffee and chocolate flavors linger for a while. There may be a touch of warmth from the alcohol, but the ABV is hidden very well.

O – This is a nice imperial stout. It’s not overly complex but it is exactly what it says it is – a coffee and chocolate imperial stout. The appearance and mouthfeel are lighter than I’d like to see in an imperial stout (they are at about the halfway point between a porter and a stout), but the aroma and taste are right where they need to be. Another solid contribution to the Lips Of Faith series.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 02:38:25 | More by BlackBelt5112203

wethorseblanket

California

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours black with a one inch mocha/tan head with fades to a thin cap and rim leaving rings and spotty lace.

N: Dark chocolate and roasted coffee along with fresh cake batter.

T: Chocolate cake with icing stuffed with roasted coffee. Chocolate dominates the coffee.

M: Semi-full body and moderate carbonation. Roasty and lingering chocolate finish.

O: Just a little bit too thin and watery for me. Smells better than it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 01:13:39 | More by wethorseblanket

Dave1999

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pure black with a tiny tan head.

The smell is coffee, quite sweet.

The taste is coffee and milk chocolate.

The mouthfeel is smooth with low carbonation, very smooth.

This beer is simple, it's all about the coffee but it does it well. The smell is nice and strong and the taste follows.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 00:23:58 | More by Dave1999

DocJitsu

California

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a a dark, muddy brown with a scorched caramel color head. The head foam is reminiscent of when water is poured into a glass that just contained milk. A lot of asymetrical bubbles. Quite a bit of lacing around the glass. The aroma is comprised of brewed coffee, ground coffee, and powder cocoa for chocolate milk or hot chocolate. Not a whole lot more going on there. The mouthfeel is disappointing. Too watery and thin. A bit of sharpness due to the hop carbonation interaction toward the end. Heavy on the coffee with distinct notes of powdered cocoa mix. There's a little smokiness in the middle with something akin to a salty, grilled olive, if you will. I think they missed the mark with this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 21:01:01 | More by DocJitsu

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a 12 oz. New Belgium branded globe glass

Pours pitch black capped with two and half finger fluffy beige head. Good retention and abundant lacing coats the inside of the glass as the brew is consumed. Quite a bit of dark chocolate, roasted malt, and light notes of espresso on the nose. Opens with dark chocolate joined midpalate with big roasted semi-sweet malt flavor and espresso. The espresso joins with fairly evident bittering hops and cocoa powder on the finish. Light bodied for a double/imperial stout; checking in on the heavier side of medium bodied, abundant carbonation. Slick and creamy on the palate. Overall, like most New Belgium Lips of Faith series brews I've had, Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout isn't a disappointment but doesn't exceed expectations, either. The chocolate flavor, not the coffee, is the star in this brew. As a result, split this one with someone as the chocolate may be too much for one person.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 05:01:36 | More by chanokokoro

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.18/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I was hoping for a little more from this one. The coffee and chocolate flavors are there - I could definitely get a good taste of dark chocolate in each sip - but overall it was pretty average. Young's Double Chocolate Stout packs more flavor and it's not nearly as strong. With this one the higher ABV doesn't seem warranted.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2012 23:54:34 | More by TheRealBigC

teromous

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark brown and black body, with a small creamy tan head. Some spots of lacing.

S: I pick up notes of light coffee.

T: Very mellow flavors here. There's coffee and some oak-like woody flavor. The label reads "Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout." I didn't really pick up any chocolate flavors. There is a roasted quality to the beer that could be chocolate, but when I drink this I don't immediately taste chocolate. It's coffee and more coffee.

M: This beer is light on bitterness. It is fairly smooth. Easy to drink. The body is robust and full.

O: Overall the beer was a nice Imperial Stout. I felt the coffee flavors worked well with it. I would have liked a lot more chocolate flavor. I would recommend it to those who enjoy coffee stouts exclusively. I felt it did have a nice robust flavor and mouthfeel which was enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 00:49:35 | More by teromous

scratch69

Missouri

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

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Black in color with a fingers worth of tan head. Light amount of lacing.

Smell- Coffee and roasted malt aroma with notes of chocolate.

Taste- Dark roasted malt and black coffee flavors dominates with notes of sweet chocolate toward the finish.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with an average amount of carbonation. Smooth and creamy.

Overall- Pretty good beer and very drinkable. The flavors aren't very complex which suits my palate just fine.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 20:55:52 | More by scratch69

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle from Belmont Station.

A: Black with no forecast for sunshine. 1/2" of thick, fluffy cappucino head.

N: Chocolate milk, fudge, Hershey's syrup, and espresso beans. There is a slightly offputting metallic flavor. Some roasted malt. All in all, it's well balanced with the sweetness, but it does lose some points for the aforementioned metallic flavor.

T: Coffee forward. Chocolate flavors grow as the beer warms. Milky taste with prominent roastiness. Has some wood and oak elements even if there's no actual oak aging. Nice stuff.

M: Really thin for the style. If this was labeled a 'single' stout, I'd be more forgiving.

O: A pleasant afternoon drinker and a beer worth recommending. A little more body and some additional complexity - though, given the ingredients you may not be looking for more - and this would be a real stunner.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 21:12:43 | More by writerLJBerg

nimrod979

Maryland

3.76/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

22 oz bomber poured into a Goose Island tulip glass.

Appearance: Near opaque black. One and a half finger tan head with pretty nice retention and excellent lacing.

Aroma: Roasted dark malt, dry powdered chocolate, and coffee. Aromas are a tad underwhelming.

Taste: Sweet up front with a dry cocoa powder chocolate flavor, before being balanced out by a more roasty and slightly bitter coffee presence. Alcohol is non-existent. Reminds me of chocolate cake/brownies.

Mouthfeel: Medium full but admittedly thinner than I expected for a 9% Imp. Stout. Soft carbonation. Reminds me of chocolate milk with it's consistency. Finish is quick and slightly bitter.

Decent beer but only a slightly above average.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 23:49:08 | More by nimrod979

spoony

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

From a 650 ml bomber into a snifter.

A-The brew is nearly black with a one-finger brown head. The foam drops quickly, however. There is some lacing left on the glass. Pretty standard look here.

S-The brew smells, as advertised, of coffee and chocolate. There is no amazing complexity or subtle hints of unicorn tears or whatever, but it is a decent smelling concoction. Lesser flavors include some charcoal and berry fruit.

T-The taste, like the smell, is a simple, but pleasing mixture of mildly bitter coffee, milky and dark chocolate, and palatable charcoal and smoke. There is a touch of dark berry sweetness hidden in there, too. Alcohol is concealed nicely.

M-The feel is a touch on the lighter side. Carbonation is mild, but more aggressive than some in this category.

O-This beer is not the most complex or dazzling coffee brew, but after tasting it three times now on different occasions, I am ready to declare it a winner. What I like about it is how the straightforward flavors blend well with one-another (coffee goes with chocolate...who knew?) without unnecessary hoppiness, booze heat, extreme char, or other tricks. This is just a good drinking coffee stout for a snowy April evening.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 01:36:09 | More by spoony

Rizalini

Nevada

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber bottle into my Stone goblet...

A - Pours virtually black, with 1 1/2 fingers of cocoa brown head. A nice ring of lacing clings to the glass as i sips.

S - Smells of semi-sweet chocolate and coffee. What I expected from a coffee chocolate stout.

T/M - The taste is coffee dominant. A slight warming from the alcohol. The chocolate is more like a cocoa powder, and is hard to notice over the coffee. Medium mouthfeel, but a little thinner than I prefer my impy stouts.

O - A really decent coffee stout. My only complaints are the mouth is a little thin for a stout. It drinks more like a porter. Also the chocolate component is masked by the overwhelming coffee flavor. A very drinkable brew that I will be purchasing again. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 05:17:28 | More by Rizalini

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Thick dark brown almost black. Lacing is kind of weak...

S: Coffee bitterness. That's really about it. It's a nice smell but not very complex. Maybe some vanilla in there as well.

T: Big coffee and chocolate notes. Very nice at first but then they fade to a residual bitterness which is not the most pleasing. The flavors here are little more controlled than in other coffee and chocolate beers I've had but still they hit a little dull.

M: Sits with a pretty good body. Carbonation cuts through quite a bit. Also a dull bitterness is hard to handle...

Overall a slightly above average beer. A little more control that other beers like it but still not the best.

Serving type: growler

11-04-2012 16:07:47 | More by Jamesthebrit

pschul4

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a light black with a 1 inch black head

S - Espresso notes along with a hint of bakers chocolate and some roasty malts

T - The roasty malts take the lead but there is a nice coffee taste along with a nice touch of booze in the back

M - A little thinner than would care for

O - Some thinkness would essentially turn this into FBS. Really good but somewhat light. That said I'd drink this often if given the chance

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 01:47:15 | More by pschul4

sukwonee

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Black body with 2 finger frothy mocha head. Good amount of lacing. Good looking beer, although it looks rather thin for an imperial stout.

S: Roasted malt, coffee, milk chocolate. Simple.

T: Coffee, chocolate, roasted malt. No complexity here, but it's quite delicious. It tastes like milk chocolate with dark coffee added. Some hop taste at the end, but very faint. Although delicious, it's a bit of a disappointment as well. There isn't much flavour (or aroma) in this beer. I expected much bolder flavour. I would categorize this as a regular American stout.

M: Smooth, but rather thin for the style. No alcohol burn.

O: Very good tasting, easy drinking stout, but it's not an imperial stout. If you like coffee and roastiness, you will enjoy this quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 02:22:47 | More by sukwonee

jsulko

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a snifter glass

Pours a very dark black with decent chocolate brown head.

Smell is heavy with coffee and malty sweetness.

Taste is very coffee centric with a little sweetness. Little to no coffee bitterness on the finish.

A solid coffee stout but nothing very special for the Lips of Faith series.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 04:24:40 | More by jsulko

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

4.23/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a nonic pint.

A - Pours like a very lightweight motor oil, black body with a light brown three-finger rocky looking head with awesome retention. Clumpy/patchy lacing.

S - Smells like...you guessed it, coffee! Espresso roast to be precise. Not getting a lot else.

T - Ever had chocolate covered espresso beans from Starbucks? That's what this beer tastes like, to a "T". Chocolate is of the dark/bittersweet variety. Just the slightest hint of ash/char in the finish, but otherwise coffee and chocolate is what your getting. Not much else going on, but the flavor is sublime. 9% ABV nowhere to be found.

M - Medium bodied, medium carbonation, with a nice silky feel. Finishes quite dry. Much thinner that other Imperials, but works well with the big coffee taste in my opinion.

O - Maybe I'm just a coffee nut, but I really like this brew. Not very complex, but there's something to be had for getting to drink a liquid version of a Starbucks treat. Not sure why the low scores from other reviewers, as this beer delivers exactly what's advertised. (Ok, maybe not the "Imperial" part as we have come to know it, but it IS 9%) Buying again. Maybe this weekend.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 03:18:17 | More by TempeBeerMan