Redband Stout - Great River Brewery

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to doughofthefuture for sending a can of this out my way. Served in a SAVOR wine glass.

Pours near-black with a huge mocha head with quite the retention time and some nice ringy lacing as it finally subsides to a thin cap. The nose brings loads of coffee and a touch of cream, with some dark chocolate in the background. Flavor has a nice combo of heavy coffee upfront, followed up with some nice roast and chocolate character. Body is medium to full with a nice creaminess and a touch of dryness in the finish. Really a nice brew. Thanks again.

Serving type: can

04-10-2012 00:19:31 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.6/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to AndrewK for sharing this one at jmgrub’s tasting.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of coffee beans, coffee grounds, and brewed coffee. Taste is the same with a slightly sour acidic quality to it. There is a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good coffee forward stout but the slightly sour flavor slightly detracts from the taste on this one.

Serving type: can

04-17-2012 00:43:48 | More by UCLABrewN84

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Half Acre shaker pint glass.

Thanks to VDubb86 for sharing this random growler!

Brewed with a local coffee. Right on. it pours a straight onyx topped by a finger of light tan foam. The nose comprises a beastly amount of coffee and a side dish of roasted malts. That is it. Straight up. The taste doesn't really bring anything new to the table, though it seems like the roasted malts have developed a sort of rudimentary collective backbone (though are still held in perpetual check by the coffee), and some light dark chocolate seems to have wormed its way in the door. The body is a hefty medium, with a light carbonation and a rather smooth feel. Overall, a nice coffee stout, though the coffee comes across to me as slightly o'erpowering. This isn't that bad a situation, but I'm not as big a coffee fan as others.

Serving type: growler

02-20-2011 23:55:01 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Here we go, another beer that proves that Iowa doesn't suck. It's just a coincidence that the Mississippi river flows southernly in it's direction. RedBand Coffee Stout from Great River Brewing of Davenport, Iowa, and the notes go here:

Great River RedBand Stout Brewed with Coffee.

Full-on blackness in this stout. Full head drifts down and departs, finishing as a tight cocoa-tinged ring.

Fresh coffee notes in the aroma, some hints of cocoa, dry and richly roasty.

Taste: Impeccable. Full-bodied, flush with coffee flavor. Long finish. Not a thing lacking in this. What more to say, what to say, what to say…there's a stout, it's full of coffee, the coffee is a little sweet, and a little bitter, and wonderfully balanced.

Never too this, not a bit too that. Floats down the throat with ease, only thing to watch out for is the caffeine. Little bit of blackberry and other fruit in the flavor, small sweetness turns dry and roasty with a quickness.

Nothing shy, nothing held back, all good in the neighborhood.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2012 05:35:58 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Thorpe, beer served in a snifter. beer is black with a thin tan head, low carbonation, some lacing, low retention.

Aroma is coffee and a little sweet.

Beer is medium in body, creamy on the palate, a nice coffee flavor and a nice finish overall. Interesting beer. Another coffee stout, how inventive.

Serving type: can

04-20-2012 17:31:01 | More by drabmuh

metter98

New York

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is jet black in color and poured with a quarter finger high tan head that gradually faded away, leaving only a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass and some wispy lacing on the surface.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of roasted coffee beans in the nose.
T: Flavors of coffee and espresso really stand out in the taste of this beer—it’s kind of like drinking an iced coffee made with dark roasted beans. A light amount of bitterness is present.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is quite easy to drink for having an intense flavor of coffee—it’s neither very bitter nor full-bodied.

Serving type: can

08-19-2012 03:59:39 | More by metter98

emerge077

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Multiple growler pours over the course of the day. Review from written notes. Served in a Hamms goblet.

Black body with brown mahogany edges, spotty lace and a momentary head of coffee stained foam. Several pours later the head is minimal, just the spotty lace.

Rich coffee aroma, highly concentrated and pungent. If you're not a coffee drinker, forget about it. This smells better than the Italian dark roast I had earlier this morning. Smoky char, unsweetened dark chocolate, earthy tobacco.

Flavors follow suit, the coffee swallows up most of the recognizable beer characteristics. Dark roast malts, deep and earthy char, rich and bitter coffee flavor. Finishes dry, medium bodied with a slightly low level of carbonation. Easy drinking, though its a prerequisite to love coffee here. The cold pressed coffee dominates to say the least, and it's delicious.

Serving type: growler

11-06-2011 03:38:52 | More by emerge077

mdfb79

New York

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Davesway10 for sending me this in the Birthday BIF. Poured from a 16 oz. can into my Belga Café tulip.

a - Pours a pitch black color with two fingers of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident. Head lasts for several minutes and leaves an inch of head throughout drinking it. No real lacing. An awesome looking stout.

s - Smells of coffee grinds, roasted malts, vanilla, dark bitter chocolate, toasted malts, and espresso. Really nice nose, the coffee smell is very fresh and strong.

t - Tastes of coffee grinds, espresso, vanilla and cream, roasted malts, light milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, light smoke, and light earthy notes. Coffee isn't quite as strong as the nose, but more cream/vanilla. Still very nice.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Super smooth and creamy and not too thick. Insanely easy to drink.

o - Overall I have to say, I really liked this one; I thought it was a fantastic coffee stout. Looks great and has a near perfect body. The nose is great and full of fresh coffee. While the coffee in the taste isn't as powerful as some other coffee stouts I've had, I still really liked this one. Very easy to drink and would certainly like to get more of this one. Thanks Dave!

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 01:38:17 | More by mdfb79

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I am grateful to whomever sent this to me (I think that it was GraniteSkunk, but I am unsure) in furtherance of The CANQuest (TM)! I mentioned in an earlier review today that coffee and grapefruit juice really give me a re-energizing jolt on hangover mornings and I started with a grapefruit juice-like IPA and now it is time for some java.

From the CAN: "Redband Stout"; Keepin' It Local"; "Keeping the 'C' in Craft Beer"; "Legendary Craft Brews Made in the Quad Cities"; "We love our local roaster's New Orleans Iced Coffee so much we decided to use their beans in our brew. Redband Stout is made with Indonesian and Ethiopian beans using our 18-hour cold brew extraction method, resulting in a satisfying brew with intense coffee aromatics. The marriage of two of our favorite beverages." Hear, hear!

Man, oh man, you CANnot be afraid of the dark if you are having this one! The Crack & Glug looked like high viscosity motor oil flowing from the CAN and into the glass. I was faced with three fingers of high-density, deep brown head with excellent retention. The nose was deeply roasty and very coffee-like, nutty, chocolaty, intensely bitter, just the way I like my morning coffee. Cue Moe of Sam's Saloon in Oxnard, CA - "Woody likes his coffee like he likes his women - hot, black and bitter." Ha! Hey, just because my bed had resembled the United Nations over the years does not mean you gotta be hatin' on me! Color was a deep, dense black that allowed so little light retention that I could only catch some ruby highlights at the edges. The back of my skull popped off with the first sip. Holy Iced Coffee, Batman! It was as intense as any coffee stout that I had ever tasted and it was kicking my ass into high gear. Dang, but this could easily be breakfast beer! Finish was dusty, like they may have saturated the beer with coffee, not to suggest that I had a problem, just sayin'. Okay, is my heart supposed to feel like it is going to jump out of my chest? Zounds!

Final thoughts: Redband is the name of their local coffee roasters, but just like for movie trailers, this Redband is for mature drinkers only. Whew!

Serving type: can

10-09-2011 19:31:07 | More by woodychandler

kojevergas

California

3.16/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

6% ABV confirmed. 16 fl oz aluminum can with appealing label art served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired from the very generous Duff27 in a trade. "Stout with Coffee added." 36 IBUs. I don't see a bottled on date. Expectations are high; I enjoyed their Hop*A*Potamus and Duff27 recommended this as a coffee-forward stout.

Served chilled and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a gorgeous dark chocolatey tan head reminiscent of hot cocoa. Three finger height, with great cream and thickness, and very good (8+ minute) retention. Light lacing sticks to the sides of the glass as the head recedes. Body colour is a solid nontransparent opaque black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Right on the money for a coffee stout, but the head colour is strange; it's dark but lacks the richness of the great coffee stouts I've seen. Hm. In any case, I'm excited to try it.

Sm: Chocolate, chocolate malt, light roast, and coffee. Little coffee roast; it definitely does seem cold-pressed. Rich coffee bean with a bit of bitterness. Light earthiness. No real cream. Chocolate isn't particularly evocative. The coffee isn't all that special either, at least compared to the great coffee stouts I've had before. Lightly burnt. Dark malts. A moderate strength aroma that isn't really selling me on the quality of the coffee. Quite assertive, but it lacks the rich creamy character of more appealing coffee stout aromas. Still, I'm looking forward to trying it. More coffee (and bitterness) comes through as it warms.

T: Hm. Metallic - its largest flaw. Coffee is definitely cold-pressed; it's got none of the roast, richness, or creaminess I want and a lot of the bitterness I hate about coffee. Little chocolate comes through at all. Boy, I'm not big on that bitterness on the climax; it destroys the balance. Caramel. Ugh, that bitterness just isn't balanced at all and adds nothing good in terms of flavour. No yeast or alcohol comes through. I'm not real big on this coffee stout, admittedly. To be honest, they do meet their goal of brewing a coffee stout reminiscent of iced coffee, but then I don't really like iced coffee. I appreciate what they're doing, but this one isn't really for me. I'm more a breakfast coffee stout kind of person. Lacks complexity and subtlety. It's not quite one note, but it's certainly simple.

Mf: Weak. Lightly undercarbonated. Smooth and wet. Lacks adequate body. Cream is sorely sorely missed here. Presence on the palate is decent. A missed opportunity.

Dr: Mainly will love this, and I wish I was one of them. But this just isn't what I want from a coffee stout; it lacks the subtlety and richness of something like Founder's Breakfast Stout or Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast/Brunch Weasel. The iced coffee emphasis really kills it for me, but that's probably just my personal tastes. If you want a bitter coffee stout redolent of iced coffee with little balance, this may be the beer for you. I'm glad to have tried it and will have little trouble finishing this pint, but I won't seek it out in the future. Thanks for the opportunity to try this, Duff27!

As it warmed, I came to like it more and more. But its main flaws still remained. Serve a hair below room temperature.

C+

Serving type: can

03-20-2013 04:51:34 | More by kojevergas

gford217

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz can.

Pours extremely dark for a standard stout - looks like an imperial stout. Pitch black with a thick tan head that leaves tons of lacing.

Aroma is fresh coffee beans, heavily roasted black malts and some light lactose sweetness and bakers chocolate. But, really, it's about the coffee.

The taste has lots of coffee but also has more of the lactose sweetness which really makes this taste like an iced latte. The finish is bitter and roasty.

The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied for the style. Good carbonation and roasty overall.

I've a huge fan of coffee stouts, so I really enjoyed this one. Probably not in the league of Central Waters Coffee Stout but it's not far behind.

Serving type: can

12-29-2011 03:20:35 | More by gford217

smakawhat

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the can into my Dogfish Head snifter. Much thanks to Woodychandler off we go!

A real nice light cocoa brown and creamy head is made off the pour. Good retention on this, and sitting on a dark walnut brown body. Looks fairly solid.

Simple coffee roast on the nose, a little airy malt backbone, going with a nice sense of classic light bodied coffee stout sensation coming. Still fairly solid and very enjoyable.

I really like this interesting fizz action on this for the mouthfeel. It's at first kind of jarring and I expected it to really take away from the pleasure of enjoying the beer, but it seems to enhance it. Tight fizz action seem to elevate classic char and mild roast coffee in the mid palate. It comes off as a nice coffee malted soda in a way, but still maintaining a true beer identity.

Overall very nice and more importantly, I found this beer actually quite fun to drink. Nice job!

Serving type: can

02-10-2012 04:44:28 | More by smakawhat

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16 ounce can. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Wow, you can tell from the aroma that this is a coffee beer. It smells mostly like coffee, and also some roasted malt and bittersweet chocolate. Taste is similar to the aroma, it's mostly coffee, but there's also some roasted malt, milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate flavors noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's creamy and it's very easy to drink. Moderate carbonation. I think this is a pretty good brew, I liked it a lot. If you like coffee beers, then you'll probably like this one. Definitely worth trying!

Serving type: can

12-31-2011 00:27:07 | More by bluejacket74

mynie

Indiana

4.63/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

PERFECT pour. Thick and completely opaque with a wonderful, retentive brown head. This'd be a good pour for an RIS. For a medium-strength coffee stout, it's bofo.

Smells like rich, medium-acidity dark roasted coffee mixed with milk chocolate and a tiny little bit of hazelnuts. Mostly it's bitter, but that bitterness is balanced out freakin' perfectly.

Tastes wonderful--maybe a bit sweeter than I would have liked, but still an excellent balance between rich coffee, bitter barely, and chocolatey sweetness. The coffee nodes are just about as good as any other coffee beer I've ever tried, save for maybe Coffee Bender; you can actually pick out acidic fruit nodes. In other words, it tastes like nice, dark roasted coffee--not like burnt espresso.

Wowzers. It makes sense, I guess, since the coffee stout was far and away the best beer they brewed at the old Old Capitol. But this--this is a solid improvement even upon that.

Serving type: can

12-22-2011 01:06:34 | More by mynie

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Alright, this is a first. A couple of weeks ago a package arrived from cpolking including this beer. The very next day my main man, woodychandler makes an unexpected visit to my job with a bag of beers, incliding this one. I was destined to try this beer! Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of coffee, roasted malts. Taste is very espresso like, some malts, this would be great in the morning as opposed to around midnight, which is when I cracked this beer. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is a high quality beer.

Serving type: can

09-01-2011 14:59:58 | More by tone77

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with just the slightest hint of dark brown when held up to the light - this beer is very thick looking when poured. The beer has a finger tall dark mocha head that reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer with a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Strong aromas of freshly roasted coffee, freshly ground coffee, and freshly brewed coffee - the smell of this beer is all about the coffee. Smells wonderful.

T: Similar to the smell, the taste is dominated by coffee - there is the smooth flavor of freshly brewed coffee along with some hints of espresso bitterness. Additionally there are lighter flavors of dark roasted malts.

M: Full bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Thick and smooth.

O: This beer has a wonderful flavor and aroma - this beer just screams out as being perfect for a weekend brunch. I really enjoyed this beer and will be happy to drink the rest of this 4 pack in the not too distant future. Easy to drink and sessionable. I put this on par with Mikkeler Beer Geek Breakfast but is significantly cheaper...

Serving type: can

08-05-2012 13:46:25 | More by dbrauneis

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours an opaque black color. The head is a massive two and a half inches in of dark tan foam that recedes slowly leaving stick lacing along the sides of the glass. The aroma is of espresso with some roasted malt underneath, but it is mostly espresso. The taste is more balanced between beer and coffee. There are considerable roasted malt, and chocolate notes that balance the still strong coffee component. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a velvety texture, and ample carbonation. Overall, this is a really good beer that I will surely be drinking a lot of in the future.

Serving type: can

12-21-2011 00:39:38 | More by KarlHungus

GbVDave

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 64oz growler into multiple glasses. Thanks to Matt for sharing!

A: Pours a pretty typical stout black with slight lightening at the edges. Head struggled to grow more than a finger thick, but that is probably due to the growler serving (not can or draft)

S: Incredible coffee aroma. Fresh, french press coffee that refused to leave my nose. I couldn't stop drawing the glass close for another whiff. Picked up some chocolate and lightly burnt malt.

T: See above. Absolutely wonderful coffee flavors that weave around bakers chocolate, charred malt, and unsweetened cocoa.

M: I actually found this to be a little on the thin side. This is probably tempurature related (the growler came right from the fridge to a shady backyard where the temps struggled to crack 60 degrees) and I'd love to try this again in a slightly warmer environment.

O: This was a supremely drinkable coffee stout. Straight up french press/cold press coffee without a trace of burnt grounds, tartness, or cloying sweetness. A hell of a beer!

Serving type: growler

11-06-2011 21:16:03 | More by GbVDave

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter.

4.0 A: Black color. Two and a half fingers of frothy/foamy tan head. Retention is very good for a coffee beer.

3.5 S: Rich roastiness in here. The coffee added must have a huge hand in this. Bittersweet chocolate and not overbearing amounts of coffee.

2.5 T: The strongest flavor in the taste is a tangy, somewhat acrid old coffee. It trumps the roastiness which is second. Hints of caramel and chocolate under that. It's not horrible, but I'm not a fan.

4.0 M: Heavier medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Thick, viscous feeling without a lot of creaminess. Good here for a coffee beer.

3.0 D: The coffee really wasn't well integrated into this one. If it was, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot.

Serving type: can

02-15-2012 02:36:47 | More by DavoleBomb

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

16 oz. can, picked up at John's in Iowa City in late August - a beer purchase I'd have likely skipped, if not for BA at the fingertips! Poured to a pint glass.

Around the rim of the can: 'Redband Stout --- Keepin' It Local --- Keepin' the "C" in Craft Beer'

"We love our local roaster's New Orleans Iced Coffee so much we decided to use their beans in our brew. Redband Stout is made with Indonesian and Ethiopian beans using our 18-hour cold brew extraction method"

A: Very, very dark - 'black' essentially. Head is a leathery tan, creamy and a little fluffy - it doesn't hold very long, withdrawing to a crescent ring and dimpled skim. freckles and flecks of lace and a little froth.

S: Oh, wow - SO MUCH COFFEE! Beany roast, quite pungent. Cocoa, vanilla and dark chocolate are sweeter, there's even a slight lemony/citrus squeeze. It's a potent and pleasant aroma... I could sniff this all afternoon!

T: Rich coffee roast and dark, slightly smoky malt offer plenty of dark chocolate bittering and a creeping sweetness. The dark roasted beans avoid a 'burnt' flavor, and a nice vanilla/caramel sugariness lend balance. Long-lasting dry roast finish, a little mineral-ly/sooty and oxidized.

M: Hmmmm--- for all the terrific aromas and flavors, the body here is lacking, it's low on carbonation. The flatness translates to an underwhelming feel. On the plus side, coffee roast is 'perfect' and the bitter/sweet balance is among the best I've had from this style. I searched, to no avail, for a freshness date on the can - thinking maybe the beer is old (purchase date was approximately 6 weeks ago - it has been refrigerated almost ever since).

O: Very enjoyable stout, lots of coffee and chocolate. I wish the mouthfeel had been a little sturdier, but it's overall very easy to drink and has flavors that should entice any lover of coffee and beer. Very happy to have chosen this one and wish I'd have brought back a couple more.

Serving type: can

10-13-2012 23:35:56 | More by msubulldog25

morimech

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the pint can into a snifter. Dark black color with a large mocha colored head that has good retention. The head eventually settles to a thick cap. Plenty of lacing is left down the glass as well. Looks like one chewy stout.

Aroma is heavily influenced by the coffee. Freshly brewed and iced. Underneath the coffee there is a touch of roasted malt.

Has one of the best coffee flavors of beers that are coffee influenced. The stout area of the beer loses a little focus so I cannot give this a perfect score. Could use a little more roasted and chocolate malt flavor to compliment the coffee.

I was expecting this to feel a little thicker considering the look of the pour. Still quite large for a 6% ABV beer. A little over carbonated as well.

Arguably the best coffee flavor in a beer. Comes in cans at a great price. Definately happy to see this on local store shelves.

Serving type: can

12-11-2011 17:30:11 | More by morimech

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Robbie for this can. Poured in to tulip.

A - Poured dark black with one finger of cocoa brown head.

S - Big bitter coffee aroma up front with roast and sweet molasses notes.

T - Lots of roast and dark roasted coffee. Fairly big sweetness with hints of molasses and chocolate. The finish is dry and bitter.

M - Medium body. Creamy. Light carbonation.

Serving type: can

01-02-2013 23:37:27 | More by TheSevenDuffs

claspada

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Can/extra courtesy of mcqwire756. Pours extremely dark for a standard stout - looks like an imperial stout. Pitch black with a thick tan head that leaves tons of lacing.

Aroma is fresh coffee beans, heavily roasted black malts and some light bakers chocolate. But, really, it's about the coffee. Not the craziest coffee forward aroma ever, but it's definitely top 5.

The taste has lots of coffee but also has more of the lactose sweetness which really makes this taste like an iced latte. The finish is bitter and roasty. Good flavor profile, but kind of one note.

The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied for the style. Good carbonation and roasty overall. Would have liked a little more body here to make it taste more like a beer and less like straight coffee.

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise. It has a nice flavor but it relatively one noted. If you like extremely coffee forward beers you will enjoy this, especially for the low price point. Probably not in the league of Central Waters Coffee Stout or Dark Horse Tres or even Coffee Bender, but it's not far behind.

Serving type: can

01-21-2012 14:02:56 | More by claspada

harrymel

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned: unk

A black stout with a couple fingers of light mocha foam and a decent lace. Smells like coffee - serious amounts of coffee. There are hints of malt, but not particularly pronounced, mostly the smell of coffee. The taste follows a bit of a different route, the coffee is more complimentary than dictatorial. There are tones of chocolate, toasted malts, some hints of oxidation, and a creamy flavor as well. This is well done in the flavor department. Medium bodied with a sincerely dry finish - surprisingly, this feels right.

A deceptive beer up front with the nose, but converges into a really nice beer. As it warms, it grows on me and as I enjoy it, the nose seems less important. If they adjusted the aromas for more interaction, I would argue this would be a world class coffee stout. Really a beer worth seeking and I plan to place on my wants list for a second round.

Serving type: can

01-08-2012 13:10:26 | More by harrymel

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Full coffee aroma-ground coffee aroma. Not much else. Good for what it is.
Dark head that is smallish at first and then settles to to a very long lasting thin layer. Small temporary lacing after each drink. Body is pitch black.
Coffee taste with an oily quality that holds a bitterness, tartness and an occasional sweetness. Long semi-dry finish as though the coffee grounds are laying on the tongue. In there seems to be some nice roast from the grains. The grains seem to add some caramel type flavor too.
Body is moderate to a tad thin, but it seems right in this drink. Really increases the drinkabilty of a beer that would otherwise be too much richness.
I don't really have any complaints. Full flavor, nice body and drinks well. Nicely done. This beer really grows on a guy. The more I drink it the more enjoyable it gets.

Serving type: can

04-29-2012 02:06:57 | More by garymuchow