Mocha Belgique - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Samichez

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

04-30-2012 13:37:54 | More by Samichez

robbrandes

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-12-2013 06:35:01 | More by robbrandes

BeastLU

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-01-2013 21:35:52 | More by BeastLU

bhunt201

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.5%

03-31-2013 14:57:35 | More by bhunt201

Hopbully

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

03-07-2013 09:29:37 | More by Hopbully

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

03-02-2013 00:23:08 | More by AlexFields

mojiboo02

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

01-25-2013 19:27:07 | More by mojiboo02

RyanBeer13

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.5%

01-25-2013 10:17:35 | More by RyanBeer13

jlindsey

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.5%

01-23-2013 21:43:30 | More by jlindsey

nkeckhar

New York

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

01-22-2013 21:44:32 | More by nkeckhar

TD2

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

12-22-2012 20:30:06 | More by TD2

jfozzy

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

11-26-2012 20:15:39 | More by jfozzy

animal69

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

10-21-2012 15:00:00 | More by animal69

booyabojangles

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

10-12-2012 04:00:20 | More by booyabojangles

SpecialN32

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

10-01-2012 02:27:53 | More by SpecialN32

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

From 750mL C&C bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 7/9/12
*From notes

-- Thanks to lekkerdoc for hookin' me up --

A: Cleanish brown in hue, not too dissimilar from a cup of black joe. A straight pour yields a two finger mocha colored head. The retention is solid. Decent lacing and collar follow.

S: Not what I was expecting, yet it's certainly pleasing to the nostrils. I'm getting a lot more Belgian yeast then anything else here. Hints of milk chocolate covered bananas and saccharin. Not much coffee to speak of in the bouquet.

T: I'm really digging this. It's like a booze filled cafe-au-lait. Coffee, dusty sugar-like sweetener, milky chocolate, green grass. The finish is mature and balanced. Beyond tasty, and something that's a pleasure to return to, sip after sip.

M: Like all of Hardywood's brews, this is a bit more bubbly then I'd like. After having sampled plenty of their beers, I've got to assume this carbonation situation stems from their house/Westmalle yeast. Their Mocha Belgique is medium bodied and fairly creamy. As it warms and I swirl the beer, the overly aggressive carbonation wears off, and it becomes a bit more viscous.

O: Another winner from Hardywood. I had this on tap at SAVOR and wasn't wowed by it. Yet in this specific bottle, I've found one of the most creative American Porters around. Complex, and more then anything delicious. An easy recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 04:22:53 | More by Rhettroactive

avalon07

South Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a thick consistency. There was a half inch of creamy, tan-colored, fairly long-lasting head. Not much lacing.

S: A nice, welcoming aroma coffee, chocolate and malt.

T: Tasted of coffee (not quite as much as I would have thought), chocolate, malt, light hops, and a bit of yeast (presumably this is the Belgique in the name). Not a terrible flavor, but definitely a bit on the thin side.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a smooth, yet somewhat thin finish. Medium-bodied.

O: Certainly not a bad beer, but a bit on the disappointing side. Still worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 12:14:48 | More by avalon07

MidloRapid

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%

07-03-2012 22:17:31 | More by MidloRapid

Gatordaddy

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

06-22-2012 01:32:06 | More by Gatordaddy

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4/5  rDev +1.5%

06-10-2012 22:29:06 | More by stephenjmoore

DmanGTR

New York

4.83/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to BJ for this awesomeness!

Poured pitch black with deep mahogany and garnet hues around the very edge where the liquid meets the glass. A short lived beige head left but a trace of lace on the glass. The aroma is bursting with coffee! Bold and rich coffee with a slight tinge of tannins is all over the place. Underlying tones of cocoa, molasses, and dark caramel malts. I even gather a bit of light fruits somewhere in the mix. This beer is so complex and delicious. I only wish it was a bit richer in body, but other than that I think it gives Peche Mortel a run for its coffee!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 16:12:44 | More by DmanGTR

mhaugo

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-04-2012 16:03:41 | More by mhaugo

BeerForHokie

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%

04-29-2012 08:15:02 | More by BeerForHokie

siege06nd

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a nonic pint...

A: Deep dark brown, nearly black. A really nice two finger cream colored head that appears very pillowy and creamy. Excellent lacing with great consistency and uniformity.

S: Roasted coffee, some mild chocolate, and some breadiness. Something in here gives way to a slight vegetal smell as well...it's faint, I believe it is the interplay between the chocolate, coffee, and Belgian yeast. Not bad, but not great.

T: Pretty malt and Belgian yeast heavy with some creamy chocolate, vanilla and brown sugar sweetness, as well as hints of coffee bean. Chocolate and coffee presence aren't very assertive until the finish, which consists of a balanced, creamy mocha flavor. Good, but definitely a Belgian-style porter, with a lot of sweet malt and Belgian yeast presence that gives it a very light quality.

M: Drinks a touch thin. Chocolate and coffee flavors aren't nearly as assertive as I believed they would be. Creaminess, however, is very nicely accomplished, and I truly feel like I am drinking a cafe mocha at Starbucks, albeit one where the coffee is fairly well-hidden. I feel like the Belgian qualities of this beer are taking up too much of the spotlight and the focus falls off the coffee and chocolate, which is where I thought it should be.

O: A solid beer and an aggressive style from a fairly new brewery. Definitely enjoyed it, just thought it came off a bit thin for a porter. The chocolate needs a bit more complexity instead of drinking like a powdered addition. I also think the Belgian yeast hurts more than helps, as it muddles the nose on this one a bit. That being said, this is the beer I thought Boulevard Chocolate Ale should have been. Very glad to have tried it, though not sure it's one I feel the need to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 20:40:50 | More by siege06nd

Hallce2

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +20.6%

04-15-2012 03:47:51 | More by Hallce2