Tröegs Java Head Stout - Tröegs Brewing Company

BeerDawg1

Massachusetts

2.05/5  rDev -45.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

Aroma-roasted nut and coffee

Appearance-Black/Nice head/Good retention/nice lacing

Flavor-at first malty then bitter then soapy/all in all kinda gross

Mouthfeel-Too much carbontaion for any stout/dry/ bitter/makes you salivate/couldn't get past the soapy after taste

Drinkability-Absolutly didn't like/the after tast stuck with it and didn't wash away/will never drink this again

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2010 00:38:38 | More by BeerDawg1

CaptJackHarkness

New York

2.1/5  rDev -44.4%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I usualy like an Oatmeal Stout, but this tasted of burnt grains and old Starbucks french roast coffee! I didn't even notice anything about the hops!! The Brewmaster's here may still have a good idea though, try differing coffee's in the mix or less coffee.

I'm also not a fan of these new caffenated alchohol drinks I see in 7-11, they just encourage wide awake drunks!

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 01:24:13 | More by CaptJackHarkness

chilly460

Virginia

2.17/5  rDev -42.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

Wow, what a disappointment. I like Troegs, this is the first brew I've tried from them that I didn't like. Beer is just "thin". Doesn't look like a stout, pours dark brown with a thin light tan head. Smell was weak, mild coffee roast with background of sweet malts but nothing stood out. Tasted "weak", no full flavors. The mouthfeel was the worst, almost watered down...more like a cheap lager style.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 02:35:24 | More by chilly460

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

2.35/5  rDev -37.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Got this as a housewarming gift.

Black with a thin, muddy, tan head. Eh retention leaves some foamy ledges. Neat bottle art.

Smells predominately of unattenuated sugar. Mild citrus hop and mild coffee--kinda smells like tree bark tea. Or at least what I think tea made of tree bark would smell like.

Wow, this is really bland. Again, unattenuated sugar, watery gas station coffee, and watery hot chocolate (the sugar-free, fat-free kind) with some citrus hops peeking up in back. Tea-like sour.

Honestly, this is one of the blandest beers I've ever had. It's not terrible, it's not really anything. It doesn't have a strong coffee quality. It doesn't have a strong stout quality. If anything it reminds me of a really bland English brown. I thought that maybe it doesn't age well, but it's only 3 months old--max.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 18:39:10 | More by donkeyrunner

TheAdventurella

Pennsylvania

2.42/5  rDev -36%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

SPOILER ALERT! This is not a stout! The name "Java Head STOUT" is (or at least should be) a misnomer; the Java Head Stout is actually a Porter.

Troegs Java Head Stout pours a deep brownish-black with a good amount of medium, tan head. Its smell is a complex, sweet smell with a traditional beer undertone mixed with a slight bitterness. The mouthfeel is a good one: though it is not chewing for a beer that claims to be a stout, but it is one of substance.

The taste is what makes this "stout" a porter. A stout should be malty and sweet, as much of the oat and other grain's starches have been converted to sugar without a large amount of fermentation, as most stouts have a relatively low abv (unless it is an imperial stout, in which case the high amount of alcohol will dominate the taste).The Java Head does not supply this. It, as porters characteristically are, is bitter. The Java head does not have a hop-bitterness like many of the pale ales and IPA's, it is a bitterness from coffee (hence the "java") and bitter chocolate.

Let me point out that the Java Head Stout from Troegs is a fantastic porter, but it is a porter, not a stout,nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 16:32:55 | More by TheAdventurella

bltzburgh

Pennsylvania

2.55/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Troegs being one of my favortie brewers, I was excited to try this. There was a sampling at a local distributor and and first taste its was worth splitting a case. When I brought it home it the secong and third trys weren't as good. It poured dark chocalate as expected with a nice coffee aroma and head the after taste was bitter and stuck around in an odd way.

It was purchased in a case of 12, 24 oz bottles and of those there reamins 3, one of which I'm trying as I write. For the price there are better stouts out there. They should brew this in 12 oz. bottle for a variety pack; its not terrible, just not the best. Maybe a hoppy stout isn't for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 03:43:21 | More by bltzburgh

madvermin

California

2.65/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured very, very dark brown with a light tan head. Very fine bubbles and a creamy, lasting texture to the foam. Left nice lacing on the glass.

Smells weakly of coffee and grain, with not much else. Weak overall, which is not what I was expecting from a coffee stout. A bit of dry fruit perhaps, but not really.

Taste is a nice oatmeal followed by very bitter coffee. Tasty for sure, with some chocolate coming out as the beer warms. It's a simple flavor profile, but a good one. Maybe just a bit too astringent on the finish.

Mouthfeel is thin and not very satisfying for a stout. I like the acidity, but its almost gritty and not balanced by anything else. Drinkability suffers due to the basic taste - doesn't really develop other than the chocolate, and it gets a bit boring to drink to be perfectly honest. Not one of the better coffee stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 02:30:20 | More by madvermin

BB1313

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

BLAND. Picked up a bomber, nice price. Too bad I find this very boring and bland. The coffee wasn't present in the aromas or taste. More on the thin side. Not, bold and really lacking robust flavors. It's very thin and seems like there's no body at all to this one, very flat. Troegs is a nice brewery but this is a miss for them in my eyes. It's drinkable, but not the best representation of the style, IMHO. I know they meant well but this one doesn't work and would pass on it in the future. BLAND.

I know it sounds like I have nothing good to say about it, it's not horrible, just boring. BLAND.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2009 07:42:20 | More by BB1313

neophilus

Massachusetts

2.68/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Nice dark brew with a thick tan head. Hop aroma up front, lots of fruit and maybe a little bit of pine. Malt leans to the sweeter side, not much roast - more like chocolate.

First sip brings lots of hop flavor. Big dose of fruit goes down hard against the backdrop of roasted grains. Hop bitterness mixes with roasted grain bitterness. Flavors clash. Can't find the coffee in here either.

Body has too much carbonation by far, almost spritzy with carbonic acid aftertaste. Finishes with a nice dryness that stretches out the roasted grain flavor, still carries fruitiness on the palate though.

Not very good balance in this beer. I don't understand the fruitiness - whether from yeast esters or aggressive american hops it just doesn't belong in my coffee oatmeal stout. Too much carbonation as well makes the aftertaste unpleasant and punishes each sip instead of inviting another.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 15:59:41 | More by neophilus

BigMike

Pennsylvania

2.7/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bomber into a tulip glass.

Black as night with no highlights coming through at all. Topped with a huge three finger head thats thin watery and disappears quickly leaving minimal lacing.

The smell is disappointing. I thought maybe the beer was too cold so i let it warm up but its still the same. Very light nose. The slightest touch of coffee and a roasted maltiness. Searching even further with my nose damn near in the beer itself i get more of a butterscotch aroma.

I'm disappointed once again after tasting this. I don't know if it's just me but for a beer brewed with coffee beans. I'm getting hardly anything as far as coffee flavors go. I get the slightest touch of semi sweet chocolate and thats about it. This beer is bland and watery. It finishes with a little bit of bitterness but other then that there is hardly any flavor to speak of.

Mouthfeel is extremely watery and almost non existent. It's very thin a light bodied. No alcohol presence at all.

Drinkability is ok. I mean water is very drinkable but this ain't water. I could drink another, but i really have no desire to.

Overall, i love Troegs and most of their beers and i really wanted to love this one as well. Ive been excited to try this and i hate to give low reviews on any beer but this one just doesn't do it for me. It's just missing too many elements.
I wouldn't recommend this.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 00:59:19 | More by BigMike

AwYeh

California

2.7/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

22oz poured into tulip pint glass

A: Deep, dark brown; almost opaque. Two fingers foamy tan head, with great lacing.

S: Quite sweet; smells like an oatmeal raisin cookie. Disappointingly, I'm only picking up a few light hints of coffee aroma.

T: Lots of the sweetness carries over here; there's a definite and predominate tang from the oatmeal, and once again a raisiny dark fruit malty flavor. Some coffee does show up here, but it's surprisingly weak considering the beer's name. Bittersweet finish, one place where the coffee actually is somewhat noticeable, even if it's still greatly outweighed by the oatmeal. Metallic finish as the beer warms, which further detracts from taste.

M: Medium-bodied, but surprisingly thin for an oatmeal stout; goes down like water without leaving much texture behind.

D: An okay beer but not one I would ever seek out, especially with all the other great coffee and/or oatmeal stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 06:42:00 | More by AwYeh

Vierenner

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer proved to me, once again, that a bomber priced less than $9.99 is likely to be unsatisfying. Not exactly sure why but that's the conclusion I've reached.
This beer has decent flavor but lacks the fullness that I've come to expect from a stout. There are roasted, coffee, and smokey flavors but they all kind of hover in the background while the body of the beer lies dead.
If you're looking for a rich, satisfying stout ... pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 01:16:22 | More by Vierenner

chrisbues

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Dark chocolate brown. Light-brown, almost non-existent head.

S - Roasted, chocolate, malty. Very little coffee so far.

T - Not what I expected. Chocolate malt overtakes everything. Very little coffee. Flat and uninteresting.

M - Not as thick as I'd expect an Oatmeal Stout to be.

O - Pretty disappointed in this. Just wasn't as complex as I would expect. Not a very good stout IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 17:01:07 | More by chrisbues

NODAK

Tennessee

2.7/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

Aroma is a fairly aggressive mix of roasted and burnt malts with perhaps just a hint of coffee. But for a coffee stout, definitely not too heavy on the coffee. More like a dry stout.

Taste has quite a roasted malt character to it, a bit burnt perhaps with a small bitterness on the finish. Coffee is very light. Most coffee stouts that I've had pack way more of a coffee punch than this. As it is, it comes across more like an ordinary stout to me. Those aren't really my favorite style so that's a letdown to me.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 02:45:14 | More by NODAK

jnc007

Maine

2.73/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

In a word "meh." Nothing great, not horrible but the six pack I bought was definitely more of than I want to drink. You can actually taste the grittiness of the coffee beans, but no actual coffee. There's some chocolate overtones, but in a powered box kind of way. It leaves a hell of an after taste, and again not in a good way. The more I write, the more I don't like the beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 21:32:30 | More by jnc007

Arbitrator

California

2.75/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Chilled bottle into a glass. A generous extra from Goblinmunkey7. Thanks, Joey!

A: Pours a very dark brown: it's opaque in the center, with some edge translucence. A small mocha cap of foam develops and vanishes into a few bubbles on the periphery of the glass.

S: Dark chocolate, coffee, mild notes of pine and earth. Not a standout, but it's serviceable as a coffee stout. I don't know if this is really brewed with oatmeal, but it doesn't exude much of a grainy aroma.

T: This is on the sweeter side, with a syrupy chocolate flavor dominating the coffee. The effect immediately reminds me of Southern Tier's Jah-va, though this isn't quite as treacly. The pine notes of the nose contribute a restrained hoppiness to the flavor, with some crushed vanilla bean hints on the back end.

M: The body is smooth on the front end, suggesting oatmeal really was used here. Creamy carbonation, though it leaves a slightly prickle on the tongue after a swallow. The finish falls off quickly, and it borders on watery there.

O: This isn't bad at all, but it's hard to get excited about this when I've got Velvet Merlin as a local alternative. Plus, Founders Breakfast Stout beats this in every category.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 06:58:39 | More by Arbitrator

Mancer

New York

2.78/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The bottle poured out a jet black color with a two finger high light brown head. The head slowly dissipated to a thick and sticky lace that smothered the glass and coated the top of the beer. The initial aromas of the beer were light alcohol, light coffee and some subtle caramel. The initial flavors were watery all around, stuper light coffee notes (barely noticeable,) and some lightly roasted grains. Nothing special here at all. This beer had a full body, light to no carbonation and was smooth.

The beer is a gorgeous pour but everything else is left to be desired. The smell and taste barely even had coffee, this beer is clearly not one they will be known for. What they got right was how an oatmeal stout should feel and how I envision stouts should pour.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 14:24:30 | More by Mancer

jcartamdg

Florida

2.78/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours jet black with a white two finger head into my bruery tulip. Aroma is weak, malts and feint coffee. Taste follows the nose, very light, like drinking a Guinness with a dash of coffee. Smooth and easy to drink, hides the alcohol well. Not bad if your looking for a light tasting stout, just not what I was looking for.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 01:24:32 | More by jcartamdg

SaCkErZ9

Florida

2.8/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle for $5.99. Pours into an imperial glass. Emerges nearly opaque with raisin colored highlights. For all intents and purposes, lets call this opaque. Topped with a frothy and creamy mocha colored head. Looks pretty damn tasty.

I was a little disappointed in the aroma. With this being a coffee stout, I get no coffee. Instead, I get citrus and fruity hops followed by a large caramel malt backbone. Blindfolded, I would think of this as an imperial amber or something. Roastiness? Gone. Toastiness? Nowhere. Caramel and hops? Plenty of that.

No coffee in the flavor. Unless you count way in the back in the finish about a minute after the sip. There is a bit of bitter chocolate in there but mostly this one is a caramel malt, citrus and pine hopped beer. Thoroughly disappointed.

I cant imagine calling this one a stout, oatmeal stout, coffee stout, or any other kind of stout. At best it is a weak black IPA but realistically, this is a dark imperial amber ale. Its sweet and malty. Kind of an Arrogant Bastard meets Rogue Imperial Red meets Southern Tier Iniquity. Maybe my bottle is old as hell; who knows. I still dont understand the lack of a brewed on/bottled on date. Anger! Not my cup of tea, or in this case, not my cup of coffee. Not a stout!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 21:01:51 | More by SaCkErZ9

Bendurgin

Maine

2.85/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a pint glass. As I've mentioned before in previous review, I generally give aggressive pours. This one pours pitch black with not even a shred of head to be found. This looks like a glass of flat cola. Hopefully, it get better. The aroma is near non-existent. Light coffee and that's about it. Not much to be found so far on this one. The taste is pretty one dimensional as well, charred coffee and faint hints of sweet chocolate. The mouthfeel is really the best thing about this for me. It's silky and full bodied with just right carbonation. Not the best I've had from Troegs. I'll finish this one, but I'm less than impressed.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 03:10:24 | More by Bendurgin

neorunner

Virginia

2.88/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- Poured into a tulip glass. Large amount of head, possibly poured too violently. Head is very thick and creamy tan with large carbonation bubbles trapped and plenty of lacing in the glass. Small carbonation bubbles barely visible in the beer.

S- Malt and biscuit aromas but no apparent sweet smell. First sniff I smelled hops but was unable to locate this smell afterwards.

T- Bitter malt/coffee taste, lingering hop presence. Slightly sour, almost like acetyl-aldehyde at the end.

M- Watery and thin feeling in the mouth, evens out with a good to fair amount of carbonation.

D- Reasonable beer, not a drain pour but not the best beer I've had from Troegs either. Will try again next year to see if the sourness is still there.

Over all impression was it tasted like Newcastle poured through a stale coffee filter.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2009 01:28:10 | More by neorunner

PDXHops

South Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Ryan011235 for this bomber, poured into a Duvel tulip.

3 fingers of fluffy tan foam rises on top of the dark brown body. This settles down into a denser 1-finger layer after a couple of minutes and leaves pretty nice lacing.

For a beer with "java" in the name, the aromas are surprisingly light on coffee (older bottle?). Smells chiefly of burnt malts and dark fruits, but not terribly fragrant.

The coffee flavors are surprisingly restrained as well, coming into play mid-swallow and lingering a bit in the finish. The dominant flavors are burnt malts and a tangy fruitiness.

On the thicker side of medium, but lacking the signature creaminess of your better 0atmeal stouts- the combo of fairly lively carbonation and the acrid malts make it a little harsh. Could stand a bit more chocolatey sweetness.

Overall impression: Worth a try, but not something I'd seek out

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2009 01:05:22 | More by PDXHops

StoryOfTheGhost

New Jersey

2.93/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Dark brown with copper head

S- Smell coffee, roasted malts, some chocolate, metallic smell to it

T- This beer is a mess. I was surprised because I love Troegs and I love the style. Tasted mostly a roasted malt, some coffee, but not a good coffee- more like a stale coffee taste. Some chocolate and sweetness. Oatmeal. Leaves a metallic aftertaste

M- this, light body. too light for the style. Medium carbonation

O- not something that I would drink again

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 03:07:35 | More by StoryOfTheGhost

SFLpunk

Vermont

2.95/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to Thorpe429 for this one!

22oz brown glass pry-top bottle. No date.

Appearance: Pours black but not super thick. Head is fluffy but does not cascade out, just appears. Lots of spotting/lacing.

Nose: Faint coffee with cream aromas. Some light roastiness. Something that reminds me of palm fronds.

Palate: Medium-light bodied for a stout, especially a coffee stout. Somewhat acidic coffee flavors, light roasted malt. Some toasted oak flavors. Short finish.

Notes: Not super impressed with this one. I want more body from a coffee stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 04:40:10 | More by SFLpunk

BeefyMee

Connecticut

2.95/5  rDev -22%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A: Black like your heart. Good head and lacing.

S: Cocoa and chocolate syrup, a weird fruitiness as well. No coffee aroma. Not sure if this is actually supposed to be a coffee stout.

T: That strange fruity characteristic is still sticking around, and I can't quite put my finger on what it is. Maybe dates. Slightly roasty. Not much chocolate or coffee flavor. Confusing and underwhelming.

D: A bit of a mixed bag. Not sure I'd want to drink too many of these.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 20:51:46 | More by BeefyMee