Coffee Stout (Brewmaster Series) - Long Trail Brewing Co.

neophilus

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark as night, poured with very little head as per the "pour slowly into glass" instructions on the bottle. The inky blackness of this beer is impervious to light, looking thick and heavy like motor oil. Roasted coffee scent pleases the nose with a sweet scent of chocolate in the background. The aromas compliment each other, are not forceful and beckon you to imbibe the ebony liquid inside.

Mild bitterness tingles the tongue and is quickly supplanted by a dark chocolate rush on the palate. Very quickly the coffee steps in and takes over, pushing the bittersweet chocolate to the background and demonstrating a rich coffee flavor, balanced and not overpowering with its roast flavor.

As the beer finishes the rich coffee flavor lingers in the mouth, with a mild acidity that really compliments the warm chocolate flavors. The beer feels rather viscous in the mouth, sticky and syrupy but without a cloying sweetness that would make a thick beer unpleasant. The roasty bitter chocolate taste lends itself well to the thick mouthfeel.

The beer does not overpower the senses but does present itself as a meal unto itself. I find myself wanting to reach for another but a part of me is rather satisfied with the experience of slowly sipping the glass in front of me. Not a beer to drink several in quick succession, but yet a beer to sit back with and enjoy slowly with total satisfaction.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 18:39:20 | More by neophilus

mdfb79

New York

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 08/20/11 notes. Had on tap at the Iron Horse in Washington, DC. Served in a 10 oz. snifter.

a - Pours a pitch black color with one inch of tan head and moderate carbonation evident. Looks pretty nice.

s - Smells of fresh coffee grinds, roasted malts, and bitter chocolate. Coffee is very strong.

t - Tastes of bitter coffe and bitter chocolate, roasted malts, and light cream/vanilla. A little more bitter than I would have liked, and a step down from the nose, but still good.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

o - Overall a solid coffee stout. Lots of fresh coffee in the nose, but a little too bitter for me. Worth checking out if you like coffee stouts and would give it another shot.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2011 19:31:45 | More by mdfb79

JizackFH

New York

3.63/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - This beer pours a nice dark brown color. It has a small 1-finger tan head on it. the head has good retention and it leaves some scattered lacing behind on the glass.

S - The nose starts off with a nice bit of roasted malt. There are also some nice scents of vanilla, hops, caramel, and molasses. I am also getting some chocolate and coffee.

T - The taste starts off with some roasted bitterness. There are some nice flavors of caramel, vanilla, coffee and dark chocolate. There is a slight hop presence and a touch of booziness as well.

M - This has a heavier body and lower carbonation. It goes down smooth, and has a nice rich and velvety feel to it. There is some roasted bitterness as well as some boozy warmth that lingers on the palate.

O - This has pretty good drinkability. It is a bit of a sipper, but the flavor is pretty nice. It isn't the best imperial stout out there, but it is definitely quite nice. I recommend giving it a shot. The price tag isn't very steep for this style, I'd buy another.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 10:47:02 | More by JizackFH

Klym

California

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

Big ups to Palphen for this unknown brewery and beer to me. Poured into a surly nonic (thanks to expedition for the glass!).

A: Dark black pour that, immediately noticing it wasn't producing head so I poured very violently almost the entire way, barely edged out a soil brown 1 finger head that leaves excellent, dripping lacing.

S: As one could imagine huge roasted coffee aromas burst from the top of the beer with an undertone of melted dark chocolate. Really powerful coffee smell that is so well paired with dark chocolate its hard to tell which one you're getting more off.

T: Again, huge roasted coffee with dark chocolate bitterness and flavor bolstering it and a little bit of lactose-esque sweetness making it a dessert worthy treat. Really simple notes, but they work together great and make this beer awfully delicious and enjoyable to drink.

M: Slightly fuller bodied than medium with enough creaminess in the carbonation to make this a worthy, hearty imperial stout.

O: You can't knock something that is just so damn tasty. Many beers go coffee centric but accomplish little else, this one really does it nicely. I'd give this one compliments to its use of coffee in the same way I'd compliment speedway, though this beer falls into the sweeter spectrum. Another very worthy brew sent from palphen!

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 04:37:18 | More by Klym

yankeej13

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Haven't seen Long Trail in a long time so I decided to pick up some of their imperial series.

A- Beer as dark as night with a head of foam that is a mocha or brownish foam. Little to no carbonation.

S- Extremely potent, a lovely fragrence of coffee withh a nice slight hint of mocha as well.

T- Has a very bold coffee flavor and once again a nice sweet like finish with a mocha finish.

M- For a higher abv beer it has great drinkability. Very smooth and has a fantastic finish.

Overall- I look forward to all the other Imperial series as well as the rest of their products! Cheers

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 01:30:19 | More by yankeej13

nassaubeercop

New York

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler poured into a snifter

A- Opaque Black with thin brown head which quickly dissipates leaving a brown ring.

S- Roasted coffee beans, some lactose.

T- Strong dark roast coffee flavor, some bitter cocoa and malt.

M- Smooth full, some bitter (in a good way) coffee aftertaste.

O- Great Beer. For the price, definitely one of my favorites.

Serving type: growler

08-09-2011 18:26:00 | More by nassaubeercop

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Midnight black with an espresso-foam brown head, this beer announces from the start that it's not going to pull any punches. The smell is just as telling, being a rich, complex mixture of almost-burnt chocolate malts, dark cocoa, caramel, and coffee.

On the tongue, the malts come through first, beating against the tastebuds in waves of chocolate malts and caramelized brown sugars. Dark cocoa flavors linger just below the surface, and the depths contain hints of tobacco. Around midway through, the sugars fade away, leaving only the almost-burnt flavors of chocolate malts, which are joined quickly by pure black coffee--and as a coffee connoisseur, I can attest to the quality of the beans used. The malt/coffee notes continue into the aftertaste, providing a long and lovely reminder. Mouthfeel is slightly heavy, reminiscent of light cream.

Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed with this brew, as it nicely marries the beer and coffee flavors, each highlighting the complexities and nuances of the other. A must-try for stout lovers.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 15:47:41 | More by jondeelee

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark black color with just a bit of brown mixed in with a thick covering of frothy chocolate-tan head atop. The head fades down revealing some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is full of roasted coffee smells. There is also some roasted chocolate malt and just a bit of lactose smell mixed in as well.

T - Starts off with a nice balanced mix of roasted coffee and chocolate flavors. Through the middle, a bit of lactose sweetness mixes in a bit. The finish is a mix of lactose sweetness and coffee flavors that linger really nicely.

M - Medium-full bodied with mild carbonation. Feels really smooth and the roasted flavors really coat the entire mouth in a nice way.

D - Very drinkable. The balance of the chocolate and coffee with the milk sweetness is just spot on. Everything really works here.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 06:36:16 | More by ngeunit1

BrewCrew2010

New York

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a black body with a small tan head; disappears quickly to a ring around the glass and no lacing.

S: A rich roasted coffee and malt aroma. Pretty straight forward.

T: Upfront roasted coffee flavor with some lactose notes and caramel and chocolate malts. Finishes slightly bitter sweet.

M: Medium body that tends to be slightly thin; light to mild carbonation; creamy and smooth texture.

O: If you're looking for a coffee stout, this one is a good one to try. I have had others I enjoyed more, but this one is easy to find and priced nicely ($8/bomber). I would definitely get this again and can drink 1-2 easily.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 11:40:25 | More by BrewCrew2010

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber bottle poured into a Victory snifter. No bottle date but pretty sure this was bottled in Feb or March.

A: Pours a deep rich black or dark brown color. 1/2 finger tan head that dissapates quickly. Some mild lacing. Not too much on the alcohol leg front....but not that high ABV

S: I get lots of roasted malts with rich coffee and chocolate covered cherries. Mild chocolate though, not overpowering.

T: This one coats the tongue with roasted goodness. No alcohol burn being lighter than most RIS versions. I get the coffee bitterness which is nice but not much else. Wish there was more of a malt backbone.

M: Medium bodied. I wish it was more full bodied and thicker.

O: This one is just OK. They need to beef up the recipe a little bit. More WOW.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 15:04:33 | More by inlimbo77

Thads324

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A : pours a jet black with a deep tan head. Looks like dr pepper but with better head retention. A bit of lacing
S : dark Malts, roasted malt and dark dried fruits. Sweet with a bit of alcohol. Not much coffee
T : starts sharp with some roasty malts. A bit of bitterness from the malts in the middle. Chocolate and a sweet flavor, followed by a bit of earthy and slightly citrusy hop flavor. Mild bitterness from the hops. Coffee towards the end becomes more prevalent as the brew warms along with a smooth chocolate.
M : very smooth and full bodied with a low carbonation.

Overall a pretty nice brew. Very smooth and full of flavor. Not as much coffee as I expected but I'd rather have it this way than overpowering everything. You could tell me this was a chocolate stout and I'd never know the wiser. Great stuff regardless.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 02:46:30 | More by Thads324

mdaschaf

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes.

A: Pours a deep black, with a small tan head on top that fades quickly leaving behind touches of lace, but nothing substantial.

S: Some heavily roasted malt and an overwhelming amount of coffee. Not much else comes through over the coffee for me.

T: Again, tons of coffee with some dark roasted malt. A hint of hops come through as a lightly floral flavor, but overall the coffee dominates again.

M: Medium to heavy bodied with medium carbonation. Slightly sticky finish.

T: Even though I don't like coffee, I can appreciate a good coffee beer, and have had some. This one just didn't cut it for me. Would have liked some other flavors and a little more balance.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 19:39:51 | More by mdaschaf

Another6Pack

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A surprise extra from vdoz. Thanks Max! Bottled on 2/15/11.

Pour is pitch black with a tan chocolate head that is thick and holds up well. Nose is full of heavy malt with modest coffee notes.

Nice coffee flavor at the start, with a finish that is a little too smoky for my taste. Finishing flavor improved as it warmed up, though not significantly. Nice and heavy mouthfeel, which I like in my stouts.

Happy to have the chance to try this one, though Central Waters' Peruvian Morning and Santa Fe's Java stout maintain their #1 and #2 rankings in my book.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 19:46:07 | More by Another6Pack

angelogarcia3

New York

4.22/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An excellent beer with the nitro tap came out with a large dark head that lasted throughout my drinking the beer. The dark color reminds you that this beer is a coffee stout. The nose doesn't disappoint with strong coffee notes with hints of espresso. The creamy texture, and the cappuccino flavor with a hint of chocolate makes this beer an excellent finish for the end of a meal or an excellent accompaintment with Sapsucker's mushroom barley soup.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-15-2011 00:34:23 | More by angelogarcia3

Retsinis

California

3.43/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bomber I got off of half time beverage, dated 02/15/11

A: The beer pours black with just a small quarter inch of light brown head that slowly formed, and then quickly receded to just a ring of bubbles, no discernable lacing.

S: Scents of fresh roasted espresso, as expected, but also some scents of light vanilla, roasted malt, rich caramel, and cream.

T: Layers of finely blended espresso coffee, thin cream, roasted malt, vanilla, smoke, tobacco, and mild bitterness.

M: light mouth for the style, a little sticky, lingering coffee bitterness, mildly carbonated.

O: Decent, but only slightly above average for me. I'm really big on quality coffee (buy fresh roasted whole bean, Burr Grind and brew fresh pots at home) so the quality of the coffee bean, as well as when it is added during the brewing process all affect the outcome. The beer tasted as it should for the style, it just lacked in the flavors notes I preferred, and the ones it did have, they were somewhat muted. For me, I prefer say Victory at sea from Ballast Point, or Java from Bells as better examples of this style.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 01:01:58 | More by Retsinis

jmfc8237

Delaware

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nice dark brown and ruby color. Decent head no retention and very little carbonation. A bit syrupy but there isn't much to the nose of the beer until it warmed up. Sweet malt and roasted malts are ever present. A bitter milk chocolate finish cleans it up a bit and gets a bit more intense as the beer warms. Nicely balanced after awhile however. Not a heavy stout at all. It's remarkable how thin this feels to me. Not a bad stout but not a great one either.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2011 18:52:20 | More by jmfc8237

BruChef

New York

4.08/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Wow, poured this into a goblet and man does it has some serious viscosity. It's a beautiful dark brown/almost black brew with some ruby high lights and exceptional thick, creamy head of at least two fingers. The smell isn't overwhelming of coffee as i expected but just the right amount to compete with the roasted and chocolate malts.

An almost lactose type sweetness hits the taste buds but resides in enough time to not make this beer cloying. Coffee soon follows and, like the aroma, its just the right amount. The combination of coffee and roasted malts with just a little bit of hop bitterness round the sweetness out in perfect harmony. Delicious.

The mouth feel is thick and viscous, almost like a milkshake. This beer is a meal in glass, or at least the perfect dessert. Very enjoyable and i hope it's brewed again.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 22:15:32 | More by BruChef

DoubleD89

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

4.99 for a 22oz bottle.

Aggressive pour yields a 1 finger tan/dark khaki head. Color is pitch black. Can't see anything through it.

Smell is roasted coffee. Lots of coffee. Not much else.

First sip. Whoa. That's a lot of coffee. Taste is completely dominated by coffee flavor. It's almost like drinking unsweetened frozen coffee from D&D.

Mouth feel could be a little thicker. But good.

I'm only halfway done this 12oz glass and the coffee flavor is very dominating. You better love coffee if you wanna drink this brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 03:18:16 | More by DoubleD89

brystmar

New York

3.6/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

On draft at The Pony Bar.

Pours pitch black, served to me with practically zero brown head; moderate lace. Huge aroma of freshly ground coffee beans invites you to sample its fruits...

Surprisingly malty up front, which is quickly overpowered by the coffee. Shows many elements of a Belgian Quad.

Not quite full-bodied, tons of carbonation too. Aroma is the stand-out quality of this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2011 02:26:55 | More by brystmar

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the West Hartford Plan B into a shaker pint.

A: Absolutely, completely, 100% black body with a finger of creamy light brown head; decent retention and pretty lace. Quite nice indeed.

S: A little thin, with bitter, roasted coffee being the sole aroma. Not bad, but no real complexity or depth. Smells more like iced coffee than beer.

T: The coffee is front and center, and deservedly so - rich, bitter, even slightly fruity, this is a great dose of coffee flavor. Some caramel and chocolate malt sweetness is present as well, but the coffee stands out beautifully. Surprisingly great considering the simplistic aroma,

M: Medium body, fairly high carb. Ok.

O: I wasn't expecting too much from this one, and thought that my low expectations had been precisely met by the underwhelming smell. One sip, though, changed my mind. Combining intensity and complexity, this one delivers one of the better coffee stout flavor experiences I've had recently: the coffee maintains its dominance throughout, but never to the point of making me forget that I'm drinking a beer. Great surprise.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2011 00:50:36 | More by woosterbill

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Long Trail Coffee Stout on tap at Shorty's, HK, NYC.

Appearance: Beautiful, intense shiny black with a nice nitro-style mocha-colored head and outrageous lacing.

Smell: Cold coffee, smells sort of like a coffee pot leftover in the kitchen stove and inspected the morning after (but not in a bad way). Sugar, some coconut and chocolate cake. Roastiness, a bit of a coal feel. A tad underwhelming all around, more so considering the beautiful looks.

Taste: Intense coffee bitterness, followed by a creamy sweetness, lots of sugar and a hint of chocolate. Rather one-dimensional, but delicious.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, feels like a nitro. Intense coffee finish. Medium body, full flavor, surprisingly low carbonation.

Overall: I really like this. It's not mighty groundbreaking, not amazing, perhaps could qualify as a single stout rather than an Imperial, but it is oh-so-enjoyable, drinkable and yummy. The coffee flavor is delicious, nothing short of outstanding.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2011 04:29:55 | More by DoubleSimcoe

AnPiobaire

New York

3.48/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This coffee stout was poured from a 22 oz bottle into a tulip glass at about 52 degrees. A little colder then I like but you can't blame a guy for being thirsty.

The Long Trail Coffee Stout pours a deep dark opaque brown with no head whatsoever, although that's because as the bottle advised I poured it very slowly.

The nose is rich and malty and smells like fresh brewed coffee grinds. There are some milder notes of vanilla and caramel.

The taste was not as bold and lucious as the nose was which was a bit of a let down. However, this is still a nice brew. Coffee is the overpowering flavor which stands to reason with malt and a bitterness I am not sure is from the hops or the coffee.

The mouthfeel is medium to light which again contradicts the rich looking brew and nose. It is mildly carbonated and finishes very cleanly.

Overall this is a nice stout and I am glad to have experienced it however, I won't be stocking it in my basement "emergency supply". Enjoy!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 15:57:49 | More by AnPiobaire

drinkiusmaximus

New York

3.23/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A-pours black as midnight with a three fingers width head nice retention and plenty of sticky lacing.

S- roasted coffee ash and burnt toast.

T- very one dimensional it tastes like coffee and I guess it should being a coffee stout a little residual ashiness.

M-not an imperial so it is medium but very watery, slightly disappointing.

D-nice roasted coffee flavor but thin in the mouth leaves one somewhat wanting.

Prost!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 03:20:34 | More by drinkiusmaximus

jman892

Massachusetts

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

A - Pours a solid black with a nice dark tan head, which fades quickly but a nice intricate lacing remains

S - Nose is dominated by strong coffee, as expected

T - Follows the nose as the coffee is dominant. There is a hint of dark or bakers chocolate in the background. As this warms there is a faint touch of vanilla

M - Nice and creamy mouthfeel, moderate level of carbonation, and the alcohol is vry well hidden

O - Great coffee stout, and for the price, hard to beat. No problems at all polishing off this bomber

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 00:38:16 | More by jman892

HosP

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Split up a 22oz bomber with the wife. Poured into New Belgium snifters.

A- Pours nice thick black in color. Nice dark brown head, little retention to it, but still a thin cap throughout.

S- Strong roasted, burnt coffee aromas come out up front. A little sweetness at the end, but still strong coffee notes throughout.

T- Interesting flavors. Sweet up front, almost like a milk stout. Some bittering chocolates subtle flavors up front. Roasted malts come up in the middle along with some coffee flavors. Coffee isn't as present as I would have though. Ends with a tad bit of bitterness to it.

M- Medium body, not quite full. Low carbonation. A bit creamy in the mouth.

D- Easy to drink, very smooth. Flavors are balanced well, but wish they would pop a little more than they did. For an Imperial Stout, wanted more from it, reminded me more of a milk stout. Still not a bad drink here.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 02:32:26 | More by HosP