Short's Cup A Joe Coffee Creme Stout - Short's Brewing Company

weatherdog

Illinois

3/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Growler shared by Richard at a tasting, poured into a Cigar City snifter

It pours a deep black with a small tan head. Some ruby highlights are around the edges of the glass.

The aroma is instantly recognizable as old coffee. It's the kind of coffee smell that hits you when you open up the coffee filter in the morning and old grounds have been there since yesterday. I've had many coffee beers and the only ones I can't stand are the ones that smell like old coffee.

The flavor improves a little bit. The old coffee smell is there but not as bad as the aroma. The coffee is complimented with some creaminess and a hint of sweetness contributed from the lactose. An interesting flavor combination that I'm sure I'd appreciate much more if the coffee flavor and aroma were fresh.

Mouthfeel is medium full with a nice creamy finish. Drinkability is decent for a stout of the ABV and body.

Serving type: growler

01-11-2011 04:24:54 | More by weatherdog

Axic10

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from growler into a tulip glass. Thank G311 for sharing this one.

Appearance: Poured dark black with a thin mocha colored head

Smell: Smells exactly like an iced coffee. Coffee, cream, vanilla, sugar. I had a hard time actually drinking this as I just wanted to smell it as long as I could.

Taste: This tastes just as the nose would indicate. Coffee, cream, vanilla and sugar. Very tasty beer.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and really creamy.

Drinkability: This was my first (hopefully not my last) Short's beer. I really want to get some more of this, as it was one of the best smelling beers I've ever had, and tasted really good as well. Never would have guessed 8%.

Serving type: growler

11-15-2010 02:44:02 | More by Axic10

HopHead84

California

4.45/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Growler opened by a generous Carlos (seaoflament) on 12/18/2009 and poured into a snifter. The beer is black with the faintest trace of dark brown when held to the sunlight. For a 14 day old growler, the soft pour by Carlos yielded a quite generous creamy light brown head of 1.5 inch stature. Retention is good, and scattered lacing is left behind.

The nose is as advertised: coffee and cream. The coffee seems to be high quality, and there's a nutty character in the background that is undeniable. Almonds...perhaps with a light toast? The coffee is black with very little astringency. There's a whisper of dark chocolate and a dash of vanilla. It's mostly coffee and cream against a backdrop of almonds.

The characteristics in the aroma translate nicely to the flavor. It tastes like espresso with cream added. The almond quality is present here, as well. I can't taste the alcohol, but I do feel a warming sensation. A light bitterness is noticeable, and there's a very light astringency in the smooth finish. The beer is rich midpalate, but it finishes dry with lingering coffee, cream, and almonds.

The mouthfeel is excellent. It's smooth, creamy, full, and surprisingly light on the tongue. Carbonation is at a moderate level. The growler held up really well.

All told, this if this was heated up and served to me in a coffee mug in the morning I would think it was a delicious coffee with cream. The alcohol is so faint it's almost unnoticeable. It's not a beer that I could drink in quantity (one snifter was more than enough), but it was delicious.

Serving type: growler

12-21-2009 08:34:03 | More by HopHead84

SPLITGRIN

Kentucky

4.6/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A very vigorous pour gets an inch of beautiful milk chocolate brown head that actually has nice retention for a growler pour. Body is like starring into the center of a black opal and getting lost in the darkness. Nose is big on the coffee but it is soft and sweet almost like a piece of coffee cake. Oh so creamy with first sip of this lush beer. Lots of coffee feel but in such a smooth and sweet desert kind of way. This is a lovely coffee stout without being to heavy in the normal stout kind of way, to stereo type the style. Very appealing coffee feel stays on the tongue. This is really a coffee lovers stout. Mouthfeel is a creamy coffee hum. Super nicely drinkable brew, would be great in the morning or late at night.

Serving type: growler

08-04-2009 01:49:27 | More by SPLITGRIN

francisweizen

Australia

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

Ruby coffee
red brown black
nice foam lacing
is where its at

I smell espresso
a cup of joe
I love coffee beers
for those in the know

The taste is bitter
coffee wonder
one for the ages
a winter wonder

Mouthfeel is full
drinkability is good
I'd drink this every morning before work if I could

Serving type: growler

04-29-2009 18:07:06 | More by francisweizen

spointon

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this one served from a growler at about 10 degrees cooler than room temp.

A= This ale poured a very dark black-brown with a modest 1/2" tan head. The head lasted a while and clung to the glass nicely.

S= Aroma was about 80% strong black coffee and 20% roasted grains, malt sweetness, and faint toffee.

T= Bursting with delicious coffee flavor all the way through each sip. Flavors of very roasty malts, milky sweetness, espresso, carob, and faint earthy hops blend perfectly.

MF= Medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel and moderately tongue-coating ability.

D= An excellent coffee beer and all that I love about creme stouts rolled into one delicious flavor vehicle. Highly recommended.

Serving type: growler

04-27-2009 04:35:32 | More by spointon

tpd975

Florida

4.9/5  rDev +21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler share thanks to WeeHeavySD!

A: Pours a very dark flat black hue with a nice tall mocha colored head. Pretty good retention with some nice lace going on.

S: Wow what an aroma, I love me some coffee stout and this one smell like... well.... coffee. Fresh roasted coffee, with hints of chocolate fudge.

T: Wondeful coffee flavors right from the start. This one is more fresh bold roasted coffee than espresso, but the balance is so nice. Nice creamy chocolate seems to blend in only to be overtaken by more toasty roasty fresh coffee. This is a very well crafted brew and EXTRA tasty as hell.

M: Medium in body, smooth, very velvet like. You would almost think this one has some oatmeal in it. Does it?

D: Wish I had the growler all to myself. It is one that once I started I could continue until it is all gone. Top two or three coffee stout made. Period!

Serving type: growler

04-20-2009 18:52:57 | More by tpd975

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Was able to sample this thanks to the ever generous Dyan.

The beer pours a dark black color with very good head retention and lacing. On the nose I get a huge blast of coffee grounds, chocolate vanilla, and maybe a hint of licorice and tar. On the palate this beer is just delicious. The beer offers up a huge, creamy, rich flavor profile of coffee and chocolate, with maybe some cherry vanilla in the finish. The creamy mouthfeel aside, this beer is amazingly drinkable and light on its feet. It's incredible how well disguised the alcohol is, and how outrageously easy to drink it is. Wow. Yummy. This beer is so smooth and easy to drink it's nothing short of amazing. Impressive.

Serving type: growler

04-15-2009 13:47:04 | More by johnmichaelsen

MasterSki

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to rclnmeyer for picking up a growler of this (and many other Short's goodies). Served in my trusty Surly pint glass.

A - A hard pour made a a thin dark tan head that dissipates to a nice cap with a millimeter of foam around the edge. Midnight black - not even lighter at the edges.

S - Sweet malts, roast coffee & cream, dark chocolate, hazelnut. This is probably the most convincing coffee smell I've smelled from a beer. Really strong and intense.

T - Roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, molasses, and some light floral hoppiness at the back end. The taste is a tiny bit more bitter and smokey than the smell, but it's a light hint that adds richness instead of getting fatiguing. This is definitely on par with the best of the coffee beers I've tried. The aftertaste is surprisingly mild. Not discernible alcohol

M - Wonderfully creamy and full-bodied, with a mild amount of carbonation that tingles my upper lip.There's some residual stickiness that kind of coats my teeth.This is exactly the right texture for a brew like this one.

D - This is probably the most drinkable coffee stout I've ever encountered. The glass disappeared before I even finished the review. Well I'm sure the ABV and coffee flavor would catch up to me I don't mind all that much. This growler will go fast.

Serving type: growler

03-22-2009 01:27:20 | More by MasterSki

ROBORB

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Growler courtesy of a very generous trader, thanks man!

The beer pours a very dark, motor oil black color with a 1/2 inch brown head. The aroma is of strong coffee and roasted malts. There is a lot of cream in the first sip with coffee following quickly. My only complaint with this beer is that it is a little thin. Regardless, this beer is one of my new favorite coffee stouts!

Serving type: growler

03-06-2009 02:17:07 | More by ROBORB

joe1510

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

64oz Growler

I got this growler earlier today in a trade with jw347, thanks again Johnathan! Cuppa Joe fills this breakfast stout pint glass wit ha liquid as black as a moonless night. Even when directly backlit there's not a hint of light flowing through this black beauty. The mocha head rose to a finger in height on the pour and became incredibly creamy while leaving chunky spire lacing down the glass. This is a damn fine looking brew.

The nose is rich with coffee delight. French roast coffee with cream and sugar is what dominates this brew. There's a slight charred maltiness and a drizzle of caramel but this beer is all about dark roasted beans. I actually wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this being a beer or coffee if blindfolded which is fine with me, I thoroughly enjoy my coffee dominated stouts.

The coffee stands out even more on the tongue than in the aroma, if you can believe that. French roast dominates the palate while the cream and sugar fall back and become accompaniments instead of standouts. The coffee borders on charred bitterness but doesn't quite make it there. The mild bitterness on the finish is perfectly done and the swallow leaves behind some rich caramel.

The body is on the heavy side of medium with an active enough carbonation to add some frothiness on the back of the tongue. This stout leaves behind a moderate coffee bitterness on the back of the throat. The body has a velvety quality that slithers along the tongue, I know that doesn't sound very good but it is.

The drinkability is super high when taking the intense coffee into consideration. I made my way through two pints very quickly.

I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've had the opportunity to drink with the name Short's written on it. Cuppa Joe is no different and one of the better coffee stouts I have ever had. Thanks for the treat Johnathan!

Serving type: growler

02-27-2009 02:10:23 | More by joe1510

younger35

Minnesota

4.95/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Received a growler of this delectable treat from northernbrews. Coffee beers are by FAR my favorite so I really hope this lives up to what I have pictured in my head. Drank from my clear Surly Coffee mug.

Appearance- Pours a onyx black with a feint ring of extremely dark brown around the edges where the light somewhat penetrates. A very slow forming head appears after a few seconds but it's very small and very thin. Dissipates quickly leaving no cap and thin collar that is to small to leave any lacing.
Smell- Tons of cold pressed French roast coffee that is earthy and fresh. Some cream and sugar are present in the coffee smell along with a bit of dark chocolate (but very little compared to the shear coffee dominance here). Very roasted malts and maybe even hints of caramel come through.
Taste- Wowsa's, now that's what a coffee beer is supposed to taste like! Tons and tons of French roasted coffee that is very lightly sweet and o' so creamy. Quite a bit of roasted goodness is prevalent as well. Charcoal and bitter baker's chocolate from all those roasted malts comes out in full force. Not necessarily burnt, but they use definitely use a liberal amount of the black grain in this puppy. Very lightly sweet toward the finish but the first sip is pretty bitter from all the acidic grain. Finishes with a big dose of coffee and a very light alcoholic sting.
Mouthfeel- Medium to full body with a very creamy feel and nice light carbonation.
Drinkability- Amazing. If it wasn't for the appearance, I'd easily give this brew a perfect score. I don't think a Coffee Beer/Imperial Stout can improve on this anymore and that's saying something; until 20 min ago, I though Coffee Bender was the greatest brew on earth. Perfect balance of coffee and roasted/chocolate malt. I may be a Short's fan because of their creativity and willingness to try new things but I haven't been blown away by them. Until now. Great beer that I really enjoyed and appreciate the opportunity to try. Thanks Jeff!!

Serving type: growler

12-29-2008 22:46:40 | More by younger35

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler into a over sized Duvel tulip glass. BIG thanks to Deuane for picking this up for my coffee beer lov'n ass from a recent trip out to Short's.

This pours an absolute dense black with a finger or so of creamy burnt mocha colored head. The retention on this is just fabulous, with a fantastic flareup when swirled, leaving a massive cascade of lace and brown oily residues all down the sides of the glass. The aroma is Wow! To say that this smells dark roasted is an overstatement! Burnt and blackened roasted coffee and espresso just dominates the aroma. I think that I'm getting a caffeine buzz just smelling this stuff! Underneath lies another layer of burnt smelling coffee ground acrid character that starts to get a little sour but never quite makes it, as well as another layer of sweetness that helps keep the aroma in check.

The taste is an intense, roasted, coffee experience up front, with a bitterness that lingers long and loud on the palette. Much like the aroma, I'm also finding a chewy mix of chocolate and caramel underneath that's perfectly balances out the back, along with some additional light acrid notes that flesh out the finish. Man, the coffee notes in this just stick in the mouth with a dry lingering bitterness that definitely tides you over until the next sip. The mouthfeel is full bodied with a sharp and prickly carbonation up front that then spreads out into a smooth and creamier feel. And this stuff is 8%? You have to be kidding me?!!! The only sense of alcohol I'm getting is the subtle fogginess that's slowly creeping it's way over my brain as I work through the growler, which gets this a rare 5 in the drinkibility department. Awesome!

I've been fortunate to engage my lips with a lot of great coffee beers this year and this one is right up there at the top. This is just INTENSE with coffee character and the magnificently hidden ABV guarantees that you'll get buzzed in more ways than one from this stuff! A fantastic brew from Short's!

Serving type: growler

12-07-2008 21:42:34 | More by Kegatron

dashirey

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Well I was quiet scared to open this growler. I got it filled back at the beginning of July when I visited Short's with my wife, yes July. Long story short, it was forgotten about and once I realized it was still around I was afraid to be disappointed that I ruined a whole growler of this awesome brew.

So when I finally decided to crack my German flip-top growler open today (December 6th), I could hardly believe my ears when it happily hissed.

A - Dark as night with a fairly frothy one-finger worth of tan head.

S - Roasted coffee with some malts coming through as well. There is a small amount of sweetness that comes through as well.

T - A bitter coffee taste up front which is quickly followed by some sweetness. At the end the bitterness comes back with a hint of smoke too. It is definitely a great taste but there is a lot more going on in there besides just the coffee.

M - Mouthfeel fits the style - medium bordering on full. It is smooth and creamy at times but also drying at times.

D - Again another beer that makes me want to relocate to Bellaire. Since I love coffee beers I could really drink this one all day or night.

Serving type: growler

12-06-2008 19:21:05 | More by dashirey

brentk56

North Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours out an odyssey of darkness from the growler, almost pitch black; a big dark tan head forms atop and retains fairly well, particularly given the transit to NC from MI

Smell: Strong, roasty double espresso aroma with a hint of sugar and cream

Taste: Opens with a rich, roasty black coffee character that is followed by the mellowing sugar and cream tones; by mid-palate, the fruity bitter elements arrive; after the swallow some smoke factors into the flavor profile as well

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body; moderate carbonation, but somewhat creamy

Drinkability: Clearly one of the top coffee beers out there; a shame it doesn't make it into the bottle

Thanks, hoppymeal, for the unexpected treat

Serving type: growler

06-30-2008 01:34:52 | More by brentk56

ncvbc

North Carolina

4.78/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, a very special treat for #300.

Pours dark, about as close to black as you can get. A medium tan head caps it off, tight, thick bubbles, falling to a ring around the glass. Now the nose on this bad boy is killer...I think it knocks Valdez off the top of the list even though they're both superb. Not so up front on the roast coffee but it's for damn sure there. A good dose of cream and sugar come in to balance the chance of pure roast coffee right away. I can smell a little green hop bitterness under there too but just as this comes up I also notice excellent rich chocolate. Taste is surprising. The roast coffee comes through full-force upon first sip. A good bittersweet combination of flavors follows soon after. The hops are present and show up after the initial roast flavor but quickly give in to the creamy, sweet goodness that this beer brings to the table. In the end, it's a perfect marriage of roast and sweet with a touch of hops helping the two make precious love in my mouth...you know how that usually ends. Mouthfeel is big, creamy, and like velvet. A hint of bitterness is present but it's pleasing. I can't drink this like Valdez but I enjoy it about as much. Coffee Stouts, they're a weakness of mine. This and Valdez are standing at the top...

Thank you, Derek. This stuff is great!

Serving type: growler

05-03-2008 02:44:20 | More by ncvbc

Faro

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A heartfelt thanks to hoppymeal for sending me a growler in a trade.

This is a wonderful beer. It comes in a typical half-gallon jug type growler with a big circular label with the brewery’s information. The specific beer is written on the cap.

Appearance: Pours with a thick, dark, frothy head into my Stone 10th Anniversary pint glass. The thick head sticks around the edge as I drink the entire glass. There is a slight lacing present. The beer itself is a very dark, opaque brown.

Smell: Wonderful! Roasted chocolate and roasted coffee fills my nose. The coffee is somewhere between a dark and medium roast.

Taste: Roasted, toasted chocolate and coffee dominate with a fair dose of welcomed sweetness. The coffee and chocolate blend nicely. Very mild hops are barely detectable. They provide a bit more complexity of flavor and they dissipate quickly.

Mouthfeel: A wonderful silky, creamy mouthfeel, almost chewy. Reminiscent of a glass of Silk soymilk. The carbonation is a bit higher than most double stouts but perfect here. The finish is crisp and clean. Smoother than I expect for this style probably due to the carbonation level. It works quite well.

Drinkability: I could drink a growler of this beer each week. Though it is very rich, like a dense chocolate cake that you want to keep eating.

Breakfast stouts are a new style for me and I love them. This beer is up there with my favorites: Founders Breakfast, Kentucky Breakfast and Terrapin Wake-N-Bake. If you like coffee stouts this is a must have beer.

Serving type: growler

09-30-2006 19:41:38 | More by Faro

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -50.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pour is jet black with virtually no head. Nose is a bit artificial, artificial vanilla, overly sweet malt an sugar, and used coffee grounds. Taste is just as bad, overly sweet, under attenuated malt and coffee mess. Virtually no carb and extremely oily and slick feel.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 13:19:35 | More by cpetrone84

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Got this from Stormking47, cheers Joel!

Pours an effervescent mahogany with 2 fingers of mocha colored head. No lacing or head retention

S: Big time coffee & coffee grounds, fades as this warms

T: Dryness, much coffee & a bit of lactose up front. Nice mocha & cocoa flavors blend with straight up coffee & exrpesso as this warms. plus some more lactose sourness. Finishes dry with mocha & coffee grounds

MF: Smooth, some what creamy, medium bodied

A nice coffee stout, not upper rung, but right on the heels of them

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 04:06:00 | More by russpowell

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours motor oil black with a razor thin tan head that dissipates. There is very little lacing or head retention. The nose emanates a potent, bitter coffee with a touch of sweetness. The beer drinks like a cup of coffee with a touch of milk, leaving a roasty, slightly bitter aftertaste. There is almost no distinctly hoppy bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, oily, sweet and roasty. It definitely a coffee cream stout with a great body and a sweet, effervescent finish. Worth trying and it definitely lives up to my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 03:09:50 | More by ThePorterSorter

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.09/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours from a 12 oz bottle into a Pipeworks snifter.

A- pours pitch black with a 2 finger brown head. Trails and blotches of lacing all over the glass.

S- huge coffee, espresso aromas! Lang with roast and some pine.

T- bitter coffee, espresso, bitter roasted malts.

M- medium body and carbonation. Very smooth with some creaminess.

O- very good coffee beer. Pretty straight forward coffee beer but damn good.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 04:10:41 | More by kawilliams81

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Awesome bottle from Adam (thanks man!) poured into my Snake River pint glass.

A: Black pour with a tiny dark brown head; some lacing.

S: Straight-up coffee. Coffee grounds, fresh coffee; potent, and kinda in-your-face. Dark, espresso coffee. Light notes of acrid char.

T: This is a different animal; much more diversity here. Bigger body than I expected as well, but we'll get to that...sweeter notes, sugary even; dark caramel, brown sugar, milky lactose, and even some mocha. Still plenty of coffee, but now blended beautifully with a gorgeous milk stout that has some heft.

MF: Not quite full but a creamy medium body...soft, velvety mouthfeel.

O: Impressed with the taste and feel on this one; coffee cream stout for sure! Lactose sugars come through brilliantly, cutting the acrid bitter coffee down to size and blending into a wonderful cold coffee concoction.

Fun one to try, would love to have it again. Thanks Adam!

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 18:30:38 | More by Scotchboy

Dope

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: Pitch black pour with a huge fluffy dark brown head. Fades super slowly, great head retention with a big island of foam remaining. Solid wall of thick fluffy lacing left behind.

S: Fresh coffee grounds. Quite creamy and sweet. Touch of chocolate in there too.

T: A wonderful creamy chocolate and coffee mixture up front. Like a great mocha. Sweetness fades a bit and it becomes more of a bitter roasted coffee in the middle and back end. Touch more cream in the finish with a long lingering coffee ground between sips.

M: Creamy and full. Smooth. Nice.

O: Really nice brew. Coffee is QUITE heavy but is tasty and melds well with the cream stout characteristics. If it weren't so coffee dominant I'd give it even better ratings. Definitely a must-have for the coffee lover, especially if you take yours with cream.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 05:52:24 | More by Dope

davey101

Connecticut

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

12 oz bottle into a DFH signature glass. I enjoyed 2011 vintage last year but never reviewed it. Thanks steimie!

A - Black body with a two finger mocha head. Foam sticks around for a long time. Excellent lacing and retention.

S - Plenty of coffee. Roasty, bitter and slightly sweet . That is about it actually.

T - Rich and roasty coffee beans and sweet milk sugar. Again, just coffee...but its so delicious. This might be my favorite "coffee beer" but its certainly not the best "coffee stout". Aftertaste is of bitter coffee beans.

M - Medium bodied and creamy. Carbonation is on the low side.

O - Shorts certainly has a skill for making beers which meet their descriptions. While this beer lacks the flavors and aromas that I would normally associate with a stout, this is spot on like a good cup of coffee with some cream. Phenomenal execution!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 05:03:18 | More by davey101

tectactoe

Michigan

4.29/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Served on tap at my local Old Chicago. Pours dark, dark, dark as hell with a tan colored head made of very fine bubbles with fine definition. Creamy and bold looking at first glance. Insane coffee aroma comes from the beer, even before you bring your nose to the glass. Thick, creamy, and milky sweet coffee with a touch of bitterness, but mostly sweetness. Some cocoa notes are present in the background, along with burnt wood and toasted barley.

The taste hits first with an intense sweetness that takes on a cream & sugar filled Colombian coffee profile. Then comes the crescendo of a woody character, very "oaky" on the palate - however the coffee presence is still in full force pretty much all the way through. Bitterness and nuttiness are abound - the bitterness comes a touch from the coffee but there are some noticeable hop flavors that are certainly overshadowed but still somewhat necessary for their balancing effect. Deep espresso aftertaste leaving the mouth with a dark, slightly bitter, mostly sweet casting. Medium body, super rich and creamy feeling with a pretty low level of carbonation.

I've had this on bottle and tap. Certainly better on tap, but amazing either way. I'm a huge fan of stouts and I drink coffee like crazy, so naturally I have an affinity to coffee-stouts. This stout is better than most people give it credit for, so if you see it (and you like coffee), make sure you give it a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2012 14:43:31 | More by tectactoe