"Ale with coffee and vanilla beans"
USDA Certified Organic beer.
Near black. Dark mahogany brown hues under the light. Dark beige head, like the foam
of soda pop. Solid retention.
In the nose are sharp, rich coffee notes; freshly ground. Some sweetness is discernable;
could be yeast, could be residiual sugars, might be both. Another glance at the label
reminds me of the vanilla beans addition to this brew. Notwithstanding other
complexities, roasted coffee is the most prominent element in this beer's aroma.
Medium-heavy bodied, dark roasted coffee flavor, bittering hops with a coffee-like
astringency, dark chocolate dryness on the tongue, and a sweetened finish round
this brew out. A number of layers keep it interesting and worth examining with the
palate.
Certainly unique and unlike other porters. It doesn't play the modern fence
between porter and stout. It's porter-ish, but more coffee-ish than anything. Standard
bearer for a new style, perhaps? Category: Coffee Ales. Sub-Category: Coffee Porters.
I can't think of another beer it reminds me of. Search this
out and take it home. Lastly, cocoa flavors become more pronounced as the beer warms
up.
