Mountain County Stout
Pisgah Brewing Co.

 

 

A different approach to a BA coffee stout which I really appreciate. Mountain County Stout lets the Four Roses barrels shine after their long ageing process, contributing a lot of boozy heat, oak, and a balance of the bourbon spice and sweetness that Four Roses does well. The cacao nibs and complement each other beautifully but don't try to steal the show from the bourbon barrels. As such, this stands out as being well composed but striking a different balance than many of the more widely known BA coffee stouts which tend to think that the coffee should be shouting at the fore. A touch thinner on the mouthfeel than I might like, and slightly reducing the carbonation take down some of the spice, but very enjoyable either way.

 

 

 

 

 

Drank from a 1 pint 6 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Bruisin' Ales, Asheville, NC
Served in a snifter

Dark brown/black appearance. Slightly thinner than anticipated. The liquid was capped by a tiny film of cappuccino colored froth that disappeared within seconds. A small collar encircled the liquid.

The nose was interesting but not as punchy as I anticipated. Big chocolate fudge notes. Dark chocolate perhaps. Good dose of roasted malts. Subtle hints of espresso. Loads of booze. The booziness intensified as the beer warmed.

The flavor profile was surprisingly rough. Super roasty on the front end. Bitter espresso notes were apparent. A big boozy presence kicked in mid palate. Loads of whiskey. The alcohol intensified on the finish. More roastiness was noticeable as well.

The mouthfeel was disappointingly thin for the style. Frothy and bubbly. The beer also felt somewhat over carbonated.

I had high hopes for this $24 imperial stout that features two of my favorite things on earth - coffee and chocolate. Unfortunately, the coffee was barely noticeable and the cacao nibs were lost amongst all the booziness. I remember trying Pisgah's Valdez coffee stout a number of years ago and loving it, but this beer seems to be a far cry from that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6/26/16

 

Pours into a goblet jet black with no light showing thru what so ever,a thinner deep beige head atop.Toasted oak and big sweet vanilla tinged bourbon in the nose...very menacing.The cocoa nibs shine thru right away on the palate wich was nice because they were light in the nose.Graham cracker and bourbon follow the chocolate with roasted coffee coming in late giving off not only the roast but a bit of drying earth.There is almost a "meatiness" to this beer wich only lends to the complexity.This NC. brewed herculean stout can stand up to any,a fantastic beer here.

Poured into a teku pint. No freshness date.

A- Pours a mostly opaque black color with a 1/4 inch tan head that retains decently before becoming a paper-thin ring around the edge of the glass and nearly no surface foam. Minimal lacing.

S- Big fudge and vanilla aroma with lots of bourbon character. Slight nuttiness.

T- Wonderfully balanced between the barrel, cocoa nibs and malt sweetness. Coffee comes through mainly in the aftertaste. Super smooth for the ABV as I would never guess this was higher than 10%. Notes of brown sugar, molasses, pecans, caramel and some slight char.

M- Creamy with medium-low carbonation and a full body.

O- So tasty, so smooth, so nutty. That about sums it up for this big beast of a BA Imperial Stout. Was looking for a bit more coffee but the balance is so on point that it's easy to disregard. Also, I want to note that the lower level of carbonation suits this beer magnificently. Way to go Pisgah.