Tröegs Java Head Stout - Tröegs Brewing Company

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.43/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass

Appearance – Served a deep brown nearly black color. The head was almost non existent upon serving, with only the lightest amount of foam on the surface of the beer.

Smell – The aroma is of coffee and some roasted malt and chocolate notes. There is a very light sweet sugary aroma as well, giving a somewhat sweet coffee drink smell.

Taste – The taste is quite roasty malt up front. The coffee then shows up on the scene more toward the middle of the of the taste. It starts out more on the bitter side but then sweetens slightly with some more milk chocolate coffee toward the end. Towards the very end the sweetness seems to lose ground however, giving way to the more bitter detected earlier on. At the end it leaves the tongue with a malty and oaty bitterness.

Mouthfeel – The body is a little above average in creaminess and quite fitting for the style. Being a cask, this beer was quite low in the carbonation level; enhancing the creaminess, but yet a bit too low and leaving something to be desired.

Overall – It was an alright drinking experience, although I do remember it being better when had from a bottle (non-cask).

Serving type: cask

04-18-2012 23:38:13 | More by Darkmagus82

MsRif

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on hand-pump cask at Teresa's in Wayne, PA. Poured a pitch black color with a large tan head. Head retained well and left nice lacing. Had an aroma of spices, black coffee and oatmeal. Tasted like it smelled, with some notes of dark fruits. Very smooth and drinkable.

Full mouthfeel with light carbonation. Recommended!

Serving type: cask

11-11-2011 21:49:50 | More by MsRif

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: hand-pump cask at Teresa's, Wayne, PA

Poured into a Troegs pint glass, an impenetrable black color with a solid finger of beige head, that displayed good retention and lacing. Smelled like a breakfast spread of toasted pumpernickel, spiced oatmeal and black coffee. Taste of dark roasted malts, bready, with lots of coffee--more on the bitter side and less mellow--and notes of dark fruits, citrus zest, grains, and even a touch of hoppiness which is typically unexpected for the style. Interesting. Heavy-medium mouthfeel, smooth, and quite drinkable.

Serving type: cask

11-05-2011 21:11:42 | More by Rifugium

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

More undated notes, but probably not written long after my initial, bottle review.

This was presented to me a finger of deep-brown head with great retention that eventually settled into some great lacing. Color was an inky ebony. Period. No light penetration whatsoever! Nose was like my morning cuppa joe - roasty and strong! A fellow Mug Club member (at IHLNC) and I were talking and as former servicemen, we prefer our coffee smokin' when it is finished brewing. My students often remark on how the room smells of coffee when they first enter in the morning. Man, there are days when I am hard-wired for sound by the time that I am done. How does Woody take his coffee? Hot and black, just like his women! Ha, thanks, Moe. Mouthfeel was silky and smooth with a roasty bitterness on the tongue. Forget cream! Finish was as bitter as a nasty divorce. More, please.

Another go-'round with this on cask, this time dated F, 30 July 2010.

Arrived with two fingers of dense deep-tan head with excellent retention, right from the handpump. Color was a deep dark-brown with zero light penetration except at the edges. Nose had qualities of dark chocolate, coffee, and charcoal. Mouthfeel was full and creamy with a pronounced dark-roast coffee taste on the tongue. Finish lingered with anise, bittersweet chocolate and charcoal. Very dry and would be an excellent accompaniment with dessert. Nice lacing throughout.

Serving type: cask

11-26-2010 22:59:30 | More by woodychandler

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a nonic pint glass at ChurchKey.

Yet another awesome cask offering down at the CK. It pours a straight obsidian topped by a minor ring of large tan suds. The nose comprises roasted malts, coffee, caramel, chocolate, and some slight oak and vanilla notes. The taste follows in lock-step, adding molasses and a slight bitterness from the coffee to the proceedings. The body is a hefty medium, with pretty much no carbonation (shocker!) and a fairly viscous feel. I gotta say, it's better on cask than from the bottle. Tasty shit, people. Get some!

Serving type: cask

07-16-2010 22:26:14 | More by TMoney2591

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer poured jet black with a two finger tan-colored head. It has excellent head retention--a thick head constantly covered the surface all the way until it was all finished.
S: There are light aromas of coffee in the nose, which grow stronger as the beer warms up.
T: There are flavors of dark roasted malts and hop bitterness along with some notes of coffee.
M: It feels light- to medium- bodied and extremely smooth on the palate. The dryness leaves you wanting to take another sip.
D: You need to take your time drinking this beer given the amount of dryness and bitterness.

Serving type: cask

06-17-2010 21:58:24 | More by metter98

Nickls

District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(From notes)

A - Dense, dark brown that's close to black; a thinner bubbly tan head

S - Lightly roasty; bittersweet chocolate; some lactose-like sweetness

T - Roasted maltiness; light chocolate flavors that only hint at bittersweet; good stuff

M - Medium, next to no carbonation (cask); warming and smooth over the palate

D - Nice dessert type of brew; very nice sipper that comes close to being a session brew :)

Overall, a nice stout and very enjoyable.

Serving type: cask

11-05-2009 22:36:01 | More by Nickls

Lunch

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had on cask at Frisco Grille in Columbia, Maryland (10/15/09). Poured into a 10oz. goblet at around 55 degrees.

Appearance: Very dark shade of brown capped off with a slight coffee brown head. Little black specs float around like finely ground coffee beans.

Smell: Roasted coffee and malt followed by chocolate, toffee, roasted nuts, vanilla, and a faint tinge of alcohol.

Taste: The taste mirrors the smell greatly hitting the palate first with roasted coffee, malt, chocolate, toffee, nuts, and vanilla. There is a slight alcohol finish which nicely adds a degree of warmth to this beer.

Mouthfeel: Extremely creamy with just a hint of carbonation. Moderately thick and very smooth with a slight slippery mouthfeel.

Drinkable: Exceptionally drinkable especially from a cask.

Overall I really enjoyed this beer and have already revisited it quite often and will continue to do so. Highly recommended if you are a fan of coffee stouts.

Serving type: cask

10-21-2009 14:55:57 | More by Lunch

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at Kite and Key...

Pours a deep dark brown with a standard full and fluffy khaki colored hand pumped head. Smell is of roasted coffee beans and malts with only faint hints of chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar. Taste is a medium to dark roasted coffee bean flavor with dark chocolate and malts, more akin to chocolate covered espresso beans than actuall brewed coffee. Hints of vanilla and brown sugar are present. Mouthfeel is typical cask, creamy and smooth, medium body lightened up by the hand pump. Very good, somewhat unique take on the coffee beer.

Serving type: cask

10-19-2009 13:41:46 | More by rfgetz

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Very little light manages to squeeze its way through the dark brown to black beer that cascade bubbles up very quickly after the cask pour. The head that remains is a beautifully full inch of creamy darker brown head whose retention is phenomenal. The beer leaves thick rings of lacing from the first sip to the last.

S: Fresh coffee springs from the glass bringing with it nice strong aromas of roasted grains and malts. There is also an earthy character of hops.

T: Very similar to the smell for the most part, but the taste finishes out with a mild malty sweetness that I was unable to find in the nose. The hops are also a bit more evident in the taste, and they really add a ton of complexity and character to this beer.

M/D: If you have ever had a beer that you thought was silky smooth, re-evaluate your stance. Nothing I have ever tasted comes close to the silky texture of this beer poured out of a firkin. The beer retains just a bit of carbonation from the pump, lending one of the most slippery mouthfeels of any beer I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The alcohol is completely non-evident, and I would try to session this one if possible! This is one helluva good cask beer.

Serving type: cask

10-02-2009 03:02:52 | More by NittanyBeerFan

mikejseal

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Hard pour from a 12 oz bottle after I gave it a little shake

A: Nice, blackish-brown color almost opaque with a creamy head that faded fairly quickly

S: Bittersweet chocolate, slightly earthy- the coffee scent is fairly subdued

T:Earthy, spicy, slightly bittersweet in between a chocolate stout and a milk stout

M: Very smooth, moderate carbonation, not to filling

O: Very good, The actual coffee taste was well balanced, not overly bitter

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 16:38:20 | More by mikejseal

keith_wayne

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle poured aggressively into a pint glass.

A. Black with a 1 to 2 finger head that dissipates rather quickly.

S. Coffee, little chocolate and hints of molasses.

T. Coffee/mocha flavors dominate. Reminds me of bitter/sweet chocolate with coffee infused in the taste. Very good. The malts and coffee total hind the alcohol as I get no alcohol taste in this brew.

M. Medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Fairly dry overall.

O. I really did not know what to expect. I am a big fan of Founders Breakfast Stout. This stands up pretty well to Founders, although different. I would recommend this to any stout or beer lover that likes coffee.
Funny thing is that I am not a coffee drinker because I don't like hot drinks, but coffee stouts are among my favorite styles.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 01:04:20 | More by keith_wayne

stooge

Michigan

3.56/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- dark brown with a healthy light brown, lacy head

S- pleasant nose, hints of coffee, vanilla, and roasted malt present

T- smooth with mild vanilla and toffee flavors at first, followed by intense bitter roasted coffee and chocolate flavors on the back end. Pleasant while on the tongue, but overwhelmed by the bitter aftertaste, which reminds me of bittersweet chocolate.

M- Very dry, a bit thin for a stout, but a nice balance and appropriate low carbonation for the style

O- Solid but unspectacular, tastes wonderful until the bitter chocolate aftertaste overpowers the initial flavors. A bit disappointing, as I prefer stouts and porters. This is very dry and bitter. I enjoyed it, but it fell short of my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 04:46:59 | More by stooge

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

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

2.98/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Bottled on 1/15/13. Poured into a pint glass.

A - Pours slightly viscous black and opaque with a one-finger rocky brown/khaki head. Nice lacing.

A - Coffee is predominant. Slight sweetness. Could not pick-up the citrus notes the brewer calls out on the label.

T - Coffee, some burnt bitterness and some hop bitterness upfront, in the middle and in the finish.

MF - Astringent, sharp, not smooth like a typical oatmeal stout.

O - Not sure I would classify this as an oatmeal stout as it is missing some of the sweetness and all of the smoothness expected from the style. I guess the whole flower hops really alter the typical taste profile. The burnt bitterness and the hoppy bitterness do not work for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 01:33:12 | More by Sludgeman

csrbv

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought a #3 Troegs Anthology Sampler Case with Java Head in it. Poured into a Corsendonk Tulip Glass.
A--Appears an opaque deep brown color with over an inch of dense, creamy dark foam.
S--Freshly roasted coffee beans, molasses,
T--Coffee, the molasses, hops, bittersweet chocolate, nice roastiness, some dark bread notes and a sweet citrus. The more I think about it, it tastes like a melted dark chocolate orange (that are around for the holidays) over oatmeal with a coffee chaser--Delicious!
M--the stout has just about a nice medium body and is amply carbonated.

My brother has been raving about this one for some time and I am very surprised about how good this stout is. I guess I should listen to my brother more (at least about beer). Another great beer from Troegs!

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 12:50:25 | More by csrbv

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Got this from Stormking47, cheers Josh!

Pours mahogany with 3 fingers of mocha colored head. Super head retention & good lacing

S: Ever so faint roastyness, & some mocha

T: Roasty, coffee & chocolate up front. More roastyness as this warms, then coffee, dryness & a touch of woody hops, slight booze warming & a touch of baker's chocolate. Finishes dry, roasty with cocoa

MF: Fairly thick with slight carbonation, grew warming as it warmed up

No much nose to this, but otherwise a solid coffee stout

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 04:25:37 | More by russpowell

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

rawfish

California

3.91/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours stark black with a frothy mocha head. Two fingers high with good retention. Nice rings of lacing.

Coffee forward some roast and charcoal. Hops of this one are prevalent and floral with some uplifting citrus. Sweetness balances perfectly with the floral and bright nature of the hops.

Charred malt that leaves a slight acidic quality. Coffee grounds and a mild toffee sweetness with dark pitted fruit. Hops are dank and earthy with a creeping bitterness.

Average body with a creamy texture that is still well carbonated. Bitterness allows this beer to dry very well once the acidity of the charred malt begins to fade. Alcohol is well hidden too.

This beer grows on you. Well balanced stout, equally displays hops with coffee, good complexity. Could use less roasted malt and more crystal malt sweetness. Overall very pleasant and one of the better oatmeal stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 02:11:58 | More by rawfish

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.28/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a near pitch black with 1.5 fingers of tan head that has very nice retention and good lacing

S: Roasted malts, coffee, anise, dark chocolate, and earthy hops

T: Follows the nose. Very roasty and coffee forward, with good hints of cocoa, earthy hops, and anise. Alcohol not noticeable

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth and creamy

O: A great oatmeal stout with a very coffee-forward approach. I'd say this one stands up there with the better coffee oatmeal stouts such as FBS or WnB. Definitely an underdog in the category, most likely due to the fact that it isn't labeled as an Imperial

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 04:05:19 | More by BEERMILER12

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.81/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle was poured into a nonic pont glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a two finger mocha head that reduced to a thon layer and left super awesome lacing on the glass. It is a pitch black color with no clarity or bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: roasted coffee, chocolate, sweet and bready oats, and vanilla.

Taste: roasted coffee and bitterness dominate all the other flavors mentioned in the aroma.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, full bodied, medium carbonation, easy to drink, and a little bit of lingering bitterness.

Overall: Pretty standard oatmeal stout. The oats seemed to have gotten lost in the roasted notes. Still a good beer though.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 07:39:25 | More by Flounder57

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.91/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Java Head Stout pours black into the glass with a medium sized, creamy tan head on top. The foam dissolves slowly leaving behind a coating of lace on the glass.

The aroma has nice notes of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, some dark fruit and a touch of pine.

Each sip of this medium bodied beer is smooth and a little oily with light carbonation. The flavor has lots of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, nuts, and a little pine at the end. It finishes dry and once gone the chocolate and coffee lingers on the palate.

The flavor comes out as the beer warms, especially the coffee. It's a tasty stout with a lot of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 02:20:01 | More by WanderingFool

smiga

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

I am a fan of stouts. This one is too done up - between flowers, coffee, and spring earth - too much going on for more than 1 in a row. A little cloying. I drink unsweetened espresso. Still a great way to finish the evening, and I'd enjoy it again as a singleton. complex.

ALSO - I have found this stout makes a great "black and tan" when poured over a pale or red ale.

A- dark black roast body with a thick tan large head, with nice lacing. Excellent looking.

S- roasted coffee, malty and chocolate, spring earth, flowers, hops, earthy, piney. Mostly spring earth. smell is matched with appearance

T- approachable, nice first impression, roasted java dominant, earthy hop finish.
A bit too sweet for me after.

M- medium body, medium dry finish, a little warming. Needs some cheese or cookies to go with it. Too much burnt earth to invite another.

O- a decent coffee stout, good hop & earthiness, not overwhelming coffee malt, pleasantly surprised at its approachability, but still too cloying for two in a row.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 23:25:23 | More by smiga

gr0g

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2/1/2013.
12oz bottle.
Overall rating 8/10.

A dark, opaque beer with a tan head. Head retention is good, as is lace formation. Coffee is present in the aroma though not especially prominent. The bulk of the aroma is toasted malt and dark, bittersweet chocolate.

Taste is moderately dry from start to finish. Strong hints of coffee but nothing overt, as with the aroma. A bit of sweetness upfront that quickly subsides. Some light bitterness from the hops amidst a current of roasted malt. Use of oats yields a signature soft, smooth mouthfeel, but it could stand to be heavier. Nonetheless, it's very quaffable for 7.5%.

Having had Java Head several times now, I've found it to be a very well-balanced coffee stout. More coffee and more viscosity would be nice, but as it stands, it's a great stout that I keep coming back to.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 01:45:37 | More by gr0g

ThirstyBehr

Maryland

3.51/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A- dark black roasted body with a thick mocha head.

S- roasted malt coffee and chocolate, good hop presence earthy and piney.

T- roasted java dominant, earthy dry hop finish.

M- medium body, dry finish, a little warming.

O- a good coffee stout, good hop balance, I expected to get smacked with burnt coffee malt but was pleasantly surprised at its drink-ability.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 17:30:12 | More by ThirstyBehr