Sheltowee Java Dawg Coffee Stout - Bluegrass Brewing Co. - East St. Matthew's

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.98/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This, the fifth beer brewed exclusively for the Kentucky Liquor Barn retailers under the Sheltowee series. Consider this beer to be KBS Light.

This stout pours as expected from most well-brewed stouts. Poured from the growler, the onxy black beer builds a creamy, froathy tan head in a most gentlemanly fashion. Light on lace, but the head reduces to a delicate creme before holding firm through the remainder of the session.

Where roast aromas are expected with stouts, this coffee stout borrows a bolder and more masculine coffee roast to accompany that of roasted barley, malted milk and burnt caramels. With low level of sweetness and hops buried deep within, the nose is all about French pressed coffee and complementing roast.

Flavors even further tilt toward the coffee with flavors of dark French roast, walnuts, roasted barley, and charred toast. Malty flavors (aside from roast) contribute only a timid malted milk taste that gives support to the roast and coffee but without competing for attention- similar to how the balance of Guiness behaves. Bitterness from roast and that from hops add layers of complexity and is hardly distinguishable- with each sip, one seems of hop bitterness and the next from coffee. No fruitiness, spiciness, or other flavors distract from the coffee focus. Lightly acidic throughout for added complexity.

Medium creaminess early fades quickly towards a roasty finish with an everso slight sourness or grain deriven astringency. The beer lightens considerably late for a highly drinkable stout despite the intensity of coffee and roast flavor. As the beer intensifies in bitterness and acidity in aftertaste, the memory of coffee lingers well into the next sip.

Undoubtedly another well-made beer in the Sheltowee line. While I appreciate the discipline with the coffee spice, I would welcome a bit more complexity, caramel flavor/sweetness, or actual malt taste. Regardless, the use of well-make coffee and in appropriate usage makes this a highly drinkable beer.

Serving type: growler

04-05-2011 02:31:21 | More by BEERchitect

bobhits

Kentucky

3.68/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Java Dawg.

Pours deep brown from the tap, but it’s damn near black in the glass. Impressive given the abv and maybe my lack of expectations. Low on carbonation but I feel growlers can do this and far too often do.

The nose is a blast of coffee and chocolate malt with little else there. I have to admit, I’m pretty excited to try this now.

5.3% doesn’t generally work well for stouts. They often just don’t have the flavor to back it and this one like many before falls a hair short here as well. Coffee is the showcased of course with chocolate and caramel malt backed by the slightest bit of hops add a mildly citrus and mostly acidic element. Just not enough umph for the rest of the beer.

If a beer is going to make 5.3% work it needs the perfect body. A creamy thick mouthfeel really can fix this, and this beer falls completely flat (please ignore that one could mean than as a pun). There isn’t enough carbonation plain and simple. The beer isn’t overly thick either.

A good coffee stout, but falls well short of being outstanding or exceptional. An imperial version or just a better carbonated bottled version might be just enough to make things right.

Serving type: growler

06-13-2011 22:05:10 | More by bobhits

StuartCarter

Alabama

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours jet black with a dramatic fluffy caramel-coloured head. Aroma and taste of a nice dark roast coffee. Flavour is slightly simplistic, it could do with some more caramel or brown sugar sweetness for my taste.

Will definitely buy again and recommend to anyone who likes coffee stouts.

Serving type: growler

05-02-2011 03:15:04 | More by StuartCarter