Cowboy Coffee Porter - Big Sky Brewing Company

cosmicevan

New York

4.03/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

big thanks to Rathakem for the sweet extra! enjoyed from a sam adams snifter.

a - brew poured a watery black with a thin head that was gone quick leaving hardly any lacing at all.

s - smell leads with a really nice milk chocolate. followed up by some mild roast and big vanilla and coconut notes. smells really nice - gourmet coffee for sure.

t - like a cup a joe...big coffee taste followed by some roast and vanilla and finishes with some porter char. really nice.

m - soft, easy drinking. not too much char.

o -overally a rather nice coffee porter. the coffee really compliments the porter and brings it to a new level. enjoyable. quite good.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 04:36:27 | More by cosmicevan

archyquaffer

Montana

3.74/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Served from a 12 ounce bottle into a standard pint glass. The label has a painting of a cowboy cooking coffee over a fire in the midst of a melted area of earth and stone surrounded by snow. His horse, fully tacked and ready to ride, waits in the snow in the right mid-ground, the reins drooping onto the snow. In the background is a central Montana landscape of low mountains surrounding a windswept and snow covered prairie. The cowboy wears a hat with cavalry braids and appears to wear sheep skin chaps. Intently gazing at the coffee pot, his hat obscures his face. A legend on the side describes the contents as "malt beverage with coffee added". No freshness date can be seen.

Appearance: Very dark brown- nearly black, from which light cannot escape, even when held in front of a glaring incandescent bulb- more like a stout than a porter. The dark brown color is apparent only in the punt at the bottom of the glass. A 1/8 inch head lingers for a bit. As it dissipates, it leaves an inky black hole in the center fringed by a thin bog of pale brown froth which thickens at the edges and clings to the sides.

Smell: You can really smell the coffee- and it wakes you up to the fact that "coffee" is not a mere evocative term, but a real ingredient in the beer. The coffee aroma pretty much overpowers any other aromas except for the malt background.

Taste: The coffee taste is definitely not subtle, but bold and yet not like burnt or old coffee at all. I think the key is keeping the beer at a cool temperature away from lights. If I saw this beer sitting around getting warm under fluorescent lights, I would not buy it, because I think the coffee would develop a stale, acidy and overly bitter taste, like gas station coffee. However, this coffee taste is bold yet rich, creamy, and earthy, like a good French or Italian roast. In the background is a generally rich malt flavor, with undertones of citrus or ripe cherries. The malt flavor is more apparent in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat thinner than expected, since the coffee gives it more of a stout-like character. A lingering aftertaste of coffee bitterness is apparent. Enough of a burp to be satisfying, which floods the inner recesses of the nose with coffee and malt aftertaste.

I was a bit put off by this beer at first. Even though I love coffee, I consider it more of a morning drink- and drinking coffee at 7 PM reminds me of the good-bad old days of the graveyard shift. Nevertheless, on a second tasting, I have to say that I think the brewers have definitely achieved the goal of a beer that tastes just like good, strong coffee, such as might warm a lonely soul on a windswept and snowy prairie.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 06:06:46 | More by archyquaffer

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served from the tap.

The beer looked thick, creamy, and dark in colour. It had a VERY malty nose, with notes of coffee, and hints of hops. The beer tasted malted with a VERY strong coffee flavour. Despite the intense flavours it was smooth and the flavours blended well together. There was a lingering roastedness as well. It was not heavy, but quite flavourful.

Would I buy it again? Yes.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2013 02:04:49 | More by NilocRellim

danieelol

Australia

4.05/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

With great thanks to MrKennedy.

Pours a dark black with a light white head.

Smell is big earthy, soily, gritty coffee. Some fairly potent banana-y esters. Kind of a bit like a coffee banana split, with some whiteboard marker (alcohol).

Taste gets more of these weizen-coffee flavours, along with some alcohol.

Mouthfeel is decently thick, carbed and finishes bitter and soily, probably more from coffee than hops.

Nice beer, has quite a lot of alcohol presence for its ABV. Like a coffee with a shot of mild liqueur (Frangelico perhaps).

Flavours meld better than in the To Øl coffee brown ale, which is otherwise somewhat similar.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 11:13:13 | More by danieelol

PintOHops

California

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Glass - Pint

A - Wow that's a dark Porter! Super black color with practically no light coming through. It produced a 1-finger head that fizzled away quickly.

S - Initially couldn't smell much. After it warmed up i picked up dark chocolate, roasty coffee, soft hop oils, and raisin. Great aroma and very inviting.

T - Wonderful mix of savory dark chocolate, bright coffee and hop oils. Just balanced so well. Low, lingering coffee and bitterness on the tongue. Sweetness is low.

M - Medium-full bodied brew with a velvety like texture and soft carbonation.

O - What a wonderfully balanced Porter. Robust, savory, drinkable, just a great example of the style. I picked up mine in a mix-pack for $14. I'd definitely buy this one again. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 01:36:33 | More by PintOHops

JosiahS

California

4.65/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

a: A thick, dark brown liquid with a 1 finger tan colored head.

s: Aromas of milk, coffee beans, chile and floral hops.

t: Rich roasted malt with flavors of coffee and faint cocoa. The hops lend a perfect compliment, adding bitterness, a slight spice flavor and a floral component.

m: lively yet somewhat thick and full bodied.

o: Awesome brew, a near perfect combo of hops and malt for a porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 01:35:40 | More by JosiahS

PrivateEquity

Kansas

3.94/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

A - Great looking beer. Very dark black with darker tan head. Lacing is okay.

S - Strong coffee aroma with chocolate hints.

T - Nice example of a coffee porter. Not too strong on the coffee taste. Nothing really stands out though. A little bit of nuttiness.

M - Mouthfeel leaves a little to be desired. Body is lighter than I would have like. Carbonation is also a little lighted than I would have liked. Dryer finish is nice. This is where the beer could improve.

O - A good drinkable coffee porter. Not too intense and good balance. Maybe makes a good coffee session beer, if there is a such thing. Good enough to have once, probably won't be revisiting for a while.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 03:29:15 | More by PrivateEquity

dlello2

Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - A fantastic representation of how a porter should look. Deep brown with just the suggestion of red. Good finger of head fading to a ring of medium soapy bubbles.

S - Dose of sweetened coffee with cream hits ya hard. Doesn't go much further than that. One dimenensional but nice.

T - Sugary sweetness hits up front and in the middle. Coffee creeps in towards the end and the over-roasted bean bitterness lingers in a good way. Pleasing.

M - Pretty spot on for the style. Medium bodied with average carbonation. A touch creamy, but the bitterness makes it work.

O - Not a bad brew at all. Big sky does it again for me. Gotta open the Ivan now!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 00:52:32 | More by dlello2

mtboozeaddict41

Montana

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: pours an oily dark brown with a nice a nice creme lacing. little retention. litterally looks like coffee, straight black, how i like it

S: beautiful coffee and sweet toasted malt aroma beckoning for a sip. Dark chocolate is noticed along with some burnt character. molasses with a bit of ryness is noted

T: Bold coffee and chocolate impression. As far as i'm concerned the malts round out the beer just right. Again toasted malts add sweetness and bready flavors. little hop profile

M: great carbonation that i feel is needed in a coffee stout. oily texture is left on the palate, also big body just like my favorite morning coffee brew.

O: Great beer for the style. Everything that is needed is there: bold coffee, bold chocolate, carbonation, and off dry finish keeps one beckoning for more.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 02:27:57 | More by mtboozeaddict41

Sark

Montana

4.18/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance- thin cream colored head, deep dark brown

Smell- toasted grain, with undertones of chocolate and coffee

Taste- roast up front, slight toffee hint, chocolate and coffee, little noble hop zip

Mouthfeel- full bodied, smooth velvet

Overall- another great brew from Big Sky, reminds me of Moose Drool but more amped up

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 04:18:45 | More by Sark

ADZA

Australia

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another Big Sky offering and looking forwards to this it pours the blackest black even when held to the light no light or highlights get in its black and leaves a tanned one finger head that resides to a fog and a rim of lacing,the smell is sweet coffee aswell as coffee liquor,dark malts and slightest hit of herbalness,the mouthfeel is light bodied with moderate carbonation and the coffee hits you first up followed by nice mocha and the coffee once again just like a nice cappicino its full of sweet and bitter and the finish is nice and hoppy bitter and really rounds out the sweetness first encountered and overall its what it says it is which is rare in some coffee beers and probably one of the most coffee influenced brews i have sampled and it works in my eyes and yeah id drink this again without a doubt but if you dont like coffee then you wont like this cheers.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 11:56:11 | More by ADZA

MrKennedy

Australia

3.78/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle from Beermasons into a Southern Tier tulip.

Matt black appearance, nice medium tan foam on top. Retains well for a while before forming a ring around the outside.

Smell has coffee as you'd expect, some chocolate and a little bit of char in there as well. A bit there, but nothing to insane or over the top.

The chocolate and coffee carry over into the taste, some roast to add a bit more to the complexity of it and a little bit of a smoky finish.

Soft feel to start, the little smoke at the end gives you something to remember it by, but a little on the thinner side.

Nice beer to drink. Enough flavour to satisfy you and easy enough to hit for a session. Sort of like a coffee beer where it isn't all about the coffee.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 09:49:15 | More by MrKennedy

obrike

Texas

3.94/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bought a single at HEB in Round Rock for 1.69.

Poured a jet black with a finger of mocha head that dissipated evenly with fairly light lacing...not too shabby.

Really enjoyed the scent on this one...strong chocolate malt with mild coffee beans, sweet fruit and some earthy hops. Loves me a good coffee scented porter or stout.

This is good...some bittersweet chocolate with fresh ground coffee, a little smoky with a light fruit sweetness. The only issue I have with this is the thin mouthfeel and light carbonation. But that's nitpicking isn't it?

This one is recommended to my coffee beer hound brethren. A tasty coffee porter that I will certainly purchase more of.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 02:01:21 | More by obrike

Vindabinjy

4.53/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Bold, but not too bitey. Good coffee tone that's not overpowering. Well executed! Bottle is nice and rustic looking, which I find appealing. Definitely my favorite coffee type porter on the market to this point! Finishes nice and smooth. Smoother than 90% of porters.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 01:15:10 | More by Vindabinjy

Jellopants356

Montana

4.68/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Very dark with a reddish tinge. Thin lacing and very little head, but that's cool. Wow, the smell is really complex. I definitely smell the coffee but i also smell a bit of burned...caramel? HOLY CRAP! This is amazing! Coffee galore (i may just start having this in the morning) and definitely the malty type of flavor profile i love in porters. Ah, Big Sky you never let me down. The mouthfeel is a little thinner than i would like but pleasant anyway. Overall, if you like coffee flavors and enjoy a complex porter, this is for you.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 11:02:33 | More by Jellopants356

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.99/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

one of the best big sky brews ive had the pleasure of drinking. pours chocolate syrup brown, dense and thicker, with a lazy tan head. the nose is fresh brewed coffee, bitter grounds, dark toasty barley, and unsweetened cocoa. there is a ton of coffee in the flavor, and some definite wake up potential in here too, buzzin! no acid at all, which i love, and the dark malts balance the coffee bitterness with a touch of toffee sweetness, but its short lived. really round flavor, with some dark chocolate notes in the finish. soft feel, perfect level of medium carbonation for a porter, and a little more alcohol than most makes this just right for winter time. overall an outstanding coffee beer, worth seeking out before spring hits.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 03:59:28 | More by StonedTrippin

cubancigar2000

Idaho

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

Smell - wonderful coffee and hops smell along with a toasted aroma & lots of chocolate

Taste - a little less bold than I wanted but all in all a great flavor that sent me back for another 12 oz bottle

Buy again - At first bottle I thought not. decided to try a second and I found it grew on me. Yes I would buy it again. Not my favorite Porter but I am picky

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 18:52:01 | More by cubancigar2000

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Deep brown pour yields a fair tan head. Lacking in the lace department but apt in retention. An extra from colts9016 it's always nifty to have beer in the fridge that I can't actually buy.

Smells like coffee. I'm sure there's roast malt in there too but I'm bad at separating the two. Tastes like coffee too. A good coffee flavor I'm guessing warm infusion which is what I generally prefer. A bit thin.

It's all good except the body. I'd say it would be an excellent session beer but after a friend had a run-in with Wolaver's coffee porter, coffee beer in large quantities = diarrhea in large quantities.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 14:49:56 | More by donkeyrunner

superspak

Michigan

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

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best by 4/27/2011. Pours very dark brown, almost black color with a nice 2 finger light tan head with good retention that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some decent lacing clings to the glass as you drink. Aromas of chocolate, caramel, coffee, toasted grain, bread, and a touch of herbal hops. Nice and well balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of big espresso, chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, biscuit, toffee, and herbal hops. Fair amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of coffee, chocolate, caramel, and herbal hops on the finish for a bit. Nice balance of flavors. Medium carbonation and body; with a slightly creamy mouthfeel. Very smooth and drinkable at 6.2%, with not alcohol presence at all. Overall this is a very nice porter, with nice robust flavors and very smooth drinking. Really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 04:38:38 | More by superspak

warnerry

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Notes from 2/7/11

A - Pours black with two fingers of spongy brown head. Head dissipates quickly.

S - Coffee and earthy roasted malts. Simple, but pleasant.

T - Very nice blend of coffee and long-lasting earthiness. Well balanced and with a very slight sweetness to it.

M - Awfully thin compared to my favorite portes. Carbonation is quite high as well. Still, not bad.

O - Despite the lackluster mouthfeel, there are some nice flavors here. Not a great beer, but I would have it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 02:09:27 | More by warnerry

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.73/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Taturbo for the trade

Appearance:
Deep, dark black beer with a wispy tan head that falls flat and halos around the outer edges. There is relatively minimal lacing.

Smell:
Pungent coffee and sugar with a little bite from the alcohol. This beer reminds me of a candy bar at warmer temperatures. Otherwise, it's got the pretty standard roasted coffee playing well off a menacingly dark body and bold sweetness.

Taste:
As with the smell, this beer is pretty standard with what it has to offer. I've had plenty of coffee porters that match this profile, all of them tasty, but hard to differentiate.
Not too much to brag about although there is a nice bitterness that creeps up towards the end and lingers for about 1/2 a minute.

Mouthfeel:
Thin, watery body with bold roastiness and sugar. Although porters are typically not super dense beers, I've been spoiled. I definitely prefer a coffee porter/stout with as much body as a style is capable of giving me.
However, I did enjoy the beer at 50-60 degrees (a true test), and there was even a slightly dry finish.

Overall:
This was a beer worth sampling, it was in fact an unexpected extra in the trade. I enjoyed the beer, as i tend to for most in the dark beer - coffee infusion class. It's got good coffee flavor, but is still rather generic in comparison.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 03:43:57 | More by ThePorterSorter

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

dark brown on the edges and almost black towards the middle. Small cream colored head gave way to some nice lacing. Smell was dominated by a roasted malt, smokey hints in there as well. This tasted thick with a rich caramel, and chocolate flavors. Very filling indeed. Smooth going down but very full bodied.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 04:32:22 | More by mikesgroove

jera1350

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown with a creamy tan head. Coffee bean nose. Tastes of iced coffee with medium sweetness and roast. The body is creamy and smooth with a medium full body. A really nice coffee beer. This is right up there with Coffee Bender. I would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 16:53:17 | More by jera1350

tavernjef

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark ruby tinted brown settling very dark brown, nearly black in most light. A firm, medium sized crown of dark tan foam lifts well upon the pour. The foam stays a foot very well and keeps itself a solid skim and collar while some skimpy, thin lacing emerges in a few spots and globs about the glass.

Aroma is of cold pressed coffee with a fairly strong tint to sweet vanilla, dark cherry, and soured cream. Other then that, it has a bit of cocoa and roastyness to its overall sweetness. It has a fairly decent pull on the nose but is a bit heavy on the sweet end, but still quite nice.

Taste is somewhat reflected from the nose with a sweeter side showing more then a heavy roast. Roast is there but in a slightly burntish tone of black malt and a bit of coffee. But again, there's more of a dark cherry and vanilla sweetness pulling through then a full on coffeeness. Nice creamy cocoa finish dusting off lightly.

Lighter medium body, light front end but builds gradually with a firm, creamy, milken-esque low carbonation and tender sweetness thats very tolerable, playful, and drinkable.

A pretty decent porter, perhaps not as coffee as some that tote the same name or use of coffee, but pretty solid none-the-less.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 00:17:08 | More by tavernjef

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black and brownie brown in color with a one finger brown head and a ring of foam still holding on strong after drinking half the the glass.

The aroma is simple, coffee, roasted malts, and a little cream.

The taste is the same as the smell, but with more creamy flavor and a creamy texture. Ohh yeah, and chocolate. Very session ready coffee porter. Flavor, smooth, and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 18:06:36 | More by scruffwhor