Mocha Belgique - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

chilly460

Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours almost black, clear, with some lighter brown at the edges. Immense fluffy tan head emerges and retains pretty well. Flecks of lacing cling to the glass.

S - Nice aroma here, medium strength roasted coffee comes through pretty clearley at first. Followed with sweeter cocoa nibs. There is a spicey, banana Belgian yeast profile in there for sure, as well as a finish with grassy hops.

T - Immediately get the Banana and yeasty character from the yeasts, very sweet like cotton candy. Small amount of weak coffee flavors come through, but overpowered by the sweetness. Hints of hops balance as well, but intermittent. Just couldn't get on board with this beer, I've tried several Belgian stouts and it just doesn't click for me.

M - Decent medium body with fizzy carbonation, helps keep it a lighter brew.

O - Just didn't enjoy this one, it has a great aroma but the overwhelming sweetness on the front end and muted coffee and roast killed it for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 15:17:05 | More by chilly460

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-19-2013 01:48:13 | More by Photekut

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

Samichez

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

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

BeerForHokie

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%

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