Mocha Java Stout
Z Street Brewing Company

Mocha Java StoutMocha Java Stout
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From:
Z Street Brewing Company
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
American Stout
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
89
Avg:
3.97 | pDev: 12.85%
Reviews:
66
Ratings:
66
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 25, 2009
Added:
Feb 21, 2001
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by LarryV:
Photo of LarryV
Reviewed by LarryV from Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Brewed by Mercury Brewing Company. I liked the original version of this brew, but I think the new contract brewed version is even better. Pours a black color with a light tan 1/2" head that fades to a lacy ring. Aroma is earthy, chocolatey with a slight musty overtone. Huge roasted malt flavor mingles with hints of chocolate and coffee, but both are held within check so that they don't dominate. Mouthfeel is suitably creamy for the style, all in all a very enjoyable brew. I only rated it 3.5 for drinkability because I could only drink 2 of these at most as it is a very rich and filling brew. Perfect for the 18 degree temps outside.
Jan 20, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of bsend
Reviewed by bsend from Massachusetts

3.32/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured this 12 oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.

The beer poured a thick, jet black color. There was a rich, brown mocha head. This beer was so frothy though it was at least 3 fingers with a steady pour (the bottle had been sitting a while too).

The smell was interesting. Lots of roasted malts, and the smells of coffee. Reminded me of stepping into a starbucks. Over all warm and inviting.

The taste was interesting. Definitely burned malts, and loads of black coffee. The beer was pretty bitter, but was a different take on the usually sweet cafe style stouts.

The mouthfeel was average. It was filmy and slightly viscous. It helped to coat the mouth nicely but nothing special.

The drinkability was average at best. I can see myself drinking one or two of these, but this is not a session beer. The overall quality of the beer doesnt lend me to drink many of these (even if it isn't a session beer).

Final Thoughts - Z Street is somewhat local. I will always support smaller labels as they often don't get the love they deserve. Definitely worth a shot, but I picked this up on the cheap. Give it a try.
Mar 25, 2009
Photo of MuenchenerKindl
Reviewed by MuenchenerKindl from Germany

4.42/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle to a pint glass the liquid is very dark with good carbonation. The head is nice and thick 2 fingers, dark tan and leaves some lace.

The smell is an incredible coffee aroma with notes of double chocolate.

The taste follows this brew is a chocolate coffee bomb and really well done. The flavors are strong, fresh and delicious. I'm really loving this brew.

The mouthfeel is good, nice body and good carbonation.

The drinkability is very good this would be a late night go to beer for sure. Prosit, MK
Sep 24, 2008
Photo of Oxymoron
Reviewed by Oxymoron from Colorado

2.68/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Where is the word Latte? Pours a lighter shade of black with more of a deep brown hue. Good clarity. A decent pour with a darker shade of white head that dissipates quickly. No lacing.

The nose is a little off. Coffee is the most notable smell but some malty and grainy touches are there as well. Some lighter roast in the back end as well. There is a slight lactic quality that gives off more of an infected nose. Mix that with oxidation and cardboard aromas I was not happy. As it warms DMS comes out.

The taste is better. The malt flavors come out and balances the coffee touches. A nice roast flavor and come caramel finishes blend out a mostly (instant) coffee taste. Some lighter chocolate and bitterness balances well. There is a lactic finish again that gives an infected feeling again. Some solvent phenolics emphasis this that gives a almost fruity characteristic.

The body is has a mid flavor. Really there light texture almost like a oatmeal stout but there are some many off flavors here its really hard to get past the negatives. Sorry kids I could only get about a third of this before dumping.
Feb 07, 2008
Photo of Absumaster
Reviewed by Absumaster from Netherlands

4.04/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A very very dark brown beer with a tiny head that only leaves a small white edge on the side of the glass.

Smell at first of a oatmeal stout with roasted and mild burned and chocolate notes with an oily touch of the oatmeal. Then the coffee sets in and gives the beer a great coffee smell.

Taste is bitter and mainly coffee. The coffee combines nicely with the roasted malts that show chocolate and oatmeal notes. The bitterness is lingering and appears to be US hops, fruity and citric. The yeast is also quite fruity. Body is just right, a little sticky.
Aftertaste is bitter and coffee, this taste stays in my mouth long after I finished the glass. Good balance!
Jan 20, 2008
Photo of Jwale73
Reviewed by Jwale73 from Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in my Brigand chalice. Pour color was dark brown, almost black. Half-inch tan colored head settled into a thin inconsistent skim; some lacing but poor adherence. Strong scent of coffee, cocoa and alcohol. Flavor similar to nose. Mouthfeel was thin and a little on the watery side; also a bit chalky with a slightly bitter finish. Much more coffee than chocolate make this a pretty pleasant and drinkable stout without being cloyingly sweet. Alcohol detected in the nose not particularly noticeable in the tasting.
Jan 14, 2008
Photo of brewcrew76
Reviewed by brewcrew76 from Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to TheManiacalOne for this brew

A - Black with ruby highlights and a thin brown head that leaves a ring of foam behind.

S - Just as the label reads. Oatmeal, fresh roasted coffe and cocoa with some roasted malt.

T - Black coffe and cocoa followed by a big lactic milky taste. Big bitterness in the finish but I can't tell if it is coffee or hop bitterness.

M - Medium body with low carbonation and a lingering astringency.

D - I have had better coffe stouts but I would definitely drink this one again.
Jan 05, 2008
Photo of grub
Reviewed by grub from Canada (ON)

3.77/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
TheManiacalOne hooked me up with this one as part of BC2. thanks mark!

12oz bottle.

pours very dark brown, showing just a little light at the edges. a few very find bubbles form a ring around the glass. no lace.

aroma is nice. huge chocolate nose - dark and milk chocolate. light coffee. bit of caramel sweetness. hint of alcohol. bready malt. touch of cranberry and cherry.

taste is nice. coffee comes through big here. bittersweet chocolate. alcohol. bit of bready malt. medium-low bitterness level that seems more from chocolate and coffee than hops. not as much complexity as i'd expect.

mouthfeel is good. low well integrated carbonation level that comes over silky smooth - at times you don't even notice it's there. just a touch of lingering astringency. medium-large body.

drinkability is good. fairly good balance. i don't mind the bit of lingering bitterness and astringency. the flavour doesn't have as much depth as i'd expect, but it's still nice.
Dec 20, 2007
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a mocha coffee dark black. Smells chocolate and mocha. Some coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Above average mouthfeel. Nothing outstanding to distinguish this one from other stouts, but quite nicely done. Not too sweet at all. Definite caffeine surge.
Another fine z-street.
Oct 07, 2007
Photo of jjayjaye
Reviewed by jjayjaye from New York

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours an opaque darkness with better than a full finger loose dark head that resists fading. A nice amount of lacing. The smell is a rich milky tootsie roll cocoa java. Medium-full bodied, the mouth feel is adequately carbonated that is complemented by an interesting bitter tingle. Full flavored, the taste is deeply roasted, but there is a milky creaminess that prevents the level of intensity from being overwhelming. IMO quite drinkable.
Sep 28, 2007
Photo of Doomcifer
Reviewed by Doomcifer from Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance - pours a pitch-black, with a decent light brown head that lingers.

Smell - very roasty, coffee, burnt, maltiness, dark/bitter chocolate, caramel

Taste - coffee, roasted maltiness, hop presence in the finish....extremely roasty finish too...tasty

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, decent carbonation, not too heavy at all

Drinkability - if you like coffee stouts, this one is a bit lighter and very drinkable.
Sep 16, 2007
Photo of tempest
Reviewed by tempest from New York

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very java and some cocoa in there. Some java beers sing, and some don't. This one doesn't quite inspire anything. The coffee dominates the aroma and flavor, but it doesn't come off as that dark a blend or roast. I think this beer just doesn't have enough coffee in it for me. Overall pretty good, worth trying if you dig coffee beers.
Aug 26, 2007
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A 12 oz bottle from a trade with johnnnniee.

A: The stout pours thick and black, looking more viscous that it actually is. The head never amounted to much on pour (at max a finger) and has left sporadic patches of lace throughout the glass.

S: The aroma is definitely stout, roasted and bold (this is not a double, so it is not too bold). The dark notes that emerge are nicely met by a smooth java aroma, rich and chocolatey.

T: This is a nice beer! Roasted malts are matched with burnt toast flavors to create a a full bodied initial impression. The more the ale sits in the mouth, the harsher the roasted flavors become. A big hop flourish pops up near the end, adding a twist to the taste with its citrusy bite. Mid-sip, java notes come through, vibrant with a pleasant chocolatey taste that softens the roasted depth.

M: Roasted malts, coffee and big hops all conspire to make a darn good beer. The flavors are robust throughout and leave a lasting impression in the mouth.

D: The coffee and hops add a nice twist to the stout, adding variety that you want another glass.
Jul 15, 2007
Photo of NEhophead
Reviewed by NEhophead from Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 fl oz brown bottle; served in a nonic.

Pours a syrupy, opaque maple-coal. Half-inch, creamy coffee-toned foam. A wall of condensed lacing with good strength.

Caramel and milk chocolate with rich whaffs of toffee and ground coffee beans; rich mocha. Mild notes of alcohol and a touch of smoke.

Rough, dark chocolate and intense mocha over a chewy, roasted malt character. Hazlenut, bitter coffee beans. The malt character turns weak and tea-like. Big floral hop bitterness makes for a rough finish.

Full bodied; rough and powdery feel on the palate.

The Mocha Java lacks balance and well-roundedness. Rough around the edges in flavor and texture.
Jul 10, 2007
Photo of WesWes
Reviewed by WesWes from New York

3.12/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The beer pours a deep, dark black color with a thick frothy brown head that quickly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a dry, earthy scent that boasts of black malts and coffee. The taste is average. It has a dry, black malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes with a mild coffee taste. This is a very "black" tasting beer. The mouthfeel is horrible. It is a full bodied beer with very little carbonation. This is a decent beer in concept, but the delivery fails it. The mouthfeel really hurts the flavor and the lack of CO2 kills the head and appearance.
Jun 23, 2007
Photo of TheManiacalOne
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color with a thin tan head that fades slowly and leaves a decent lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is roasted coffee and smoky malts with a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste is loaded with a bitter black coffee flavor that completely dominates. There’s a hearty malt character but very little sweetness. The hops presence is decent and accentuates the bitter coffee flavor. The after-taste is smoky and slightly bitter.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium-to-heavy body, medium carbonation, dry and slightly sticky finish.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, slightly filling, good representation of style, this is a beer worth drinking two or three of but there are several other coffee-flavored beers that I would pick first if that was the type of beer I was looking for.
Jun 21, 2007
Photo of Damian
Reviewed by Damian from Massachusetts

4.04/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Drank from a 12 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Julio's Liquors, Westboro, MA

Poured a thick, transparent brown/black with a thin, coffee-colored head that quickly faded to a ring of lace.

The aroma was deep, rich, complex and quite fragrant. Hearty, dry oats were instantly recognizable along with charred malts and sweet dark chocolate. As the beer warmed, the nose became significantly sweeter and subtle notes of molasses and brown sugar came out.

The taste was strong, smooth and quite dry from start to finish. Dry, bready, oat flakes were apparent up front with dark chocolate, black coffee and charcoal notes appearing mid-palate. The finish was huge with an intense, tannic, bitter espresso flavor dominating and an oat-like quality also noticeable. The lingering aftertaste consisted of a mix of burnt malts and moderate hops. As the beer warmed, the deeper, maltier flavors seemed to soften out, yet the hoppiness and the bitterness intensified.

Mouthfeel was full-bodied, rich, thick and chewy.

Overall, this beer was quite impressive. I was amazed at how well each of the major flavor components (the chocolate, coffee and oatmeal) stood their ground yet seamlessly managed to come together. This offering was a joy to savor and would pair perfectly with a plate of dark chocolates.
May 11, 2007
Photo of sethmeister
Reviewed by sethmeister from New Hampshire

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle into a pint glass served at just below room temperature.

Pours near black with soapy taupe head and what appear to be particulates floating in the glass. Head fades to an oily film.

The scent is similar to Guiness with its earthy cold coffee aroma.

Roasted malt and slight oatmeal flavor with semisweet cocoa and coffee. The unsweetened cocoa finish lingers as a nice aftertaste, which I think is the best part of this beer and its defining quality.

Thick creamy - almost chewy - mouthfeel with just a hint of alcohol warming at the throat.

I'd definitely drink this again. I like it more and more as I drink it. Probably best at room temperature. Someone else said they thought it might be rather nice with a peanutbutter dessert. I agree.
Feb 27, 2007
Photo of ClockworkOrange
Reviewed by ClockworkOrange from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to bjohnson for sending this my way. Poured from a 12oz. bottle into my Imperial pint glass. Appears an opaque, very dark brown with a finger of dark tan head. Smells of caramel, milk chocolate, and coffee. Tastes of bitter coffee beans, dark chocolate, and cocoa powder. Finishes dry and bitter. Medium in both body and carbonation. Very nice. Recommended.
Feb 20, 2007
Photo of joedon
Reviewed by joedon from Minnesota

2.97/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
No date indicated on the bottle. I get the feeling this was a little beyond its freshness date.
Very dark brown with a thin tan head that rapidly disappears.
The aroma is full of coffee with a bit of dark maltiness.
Really harsh flavor. Very bitter edge from the coffee as opposed to hop bitterness. Some burnt chocolate flavor and a tiny bit of sugar. Not at all malty or smooth like an oatmeal stout.
Mouthfeel not bad but this stuff is tough to drink.
Feb 13, 2007
Mocha Java Stout from Z Street Brewing Company
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 66 ratings