Espresso Cream Stout
John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House

 

 

On tap at the JH in Lake Grove, NY

A - Black pour with a slight mocha foam, which settles quickly.

S - Very minor coffee smell. Would have preferred more of a coffee punch.

T - Has a pleasant initial taste of milk and sugar that blends well with the coffee flavor at the end. Reminded me of a coffe creamer. Perhaps a tad too sweet.

M - Velvet smooth stout that is easy on the taste buds and the palate.

O - An interesting stout and maybe my favorite of recent John Harvard's beers.

In a pint glass, seems very flat and very little head and not much lacing. For another style this might be an issue but its fine since its a stout. It was very dark and in the lighting at John Harvard's (which is fairly dim, which makes it hard to note the appearance of their beers) it seemed pretty much black. The aroma was very coffee and roasted malts and it more or less tasted as it smelled with a good deal of sweetness to it and almost no bitterness. The coffee flavor is something I enjoy in a stout and so this rates high for me, though this might be better categorized as a coffee stout.

Overall, fairly good. Not spectacular but better than 90% of what John Harvard's makes. I wish they had stouts year around because I'd go there more often then! Cheers.

On tap at JH. Pours brown with a small white head. Aroma of coffee. Flavor of, whoa, coffee, like tons of coffee. I get some roasted nuts, but not as much as I do in other coffee beers. This beer has the most coffee flavor of any beer I've had before. I don't like coffee, but I like this beer! I don't know if it tastes like espresso, but wow, this beer is a coffee bomb. Very nice and I can't wait to try it again!
8/4/8/4/15 (3.9/5)

The beer poured a darkbrown, almost black and opaque. Not much of a head on this one, not sure why. Not much lacing either. The aroma was of pure coffee beans, dark chocolate, and some roasted nuttiness.

The taste was more of the same. There was a creamy, milky taste, followed by burnt coffee and some chocolate. This is definitely one for coffee lovers. As it warmed, a soothing raspberry flavor enveloped the brew. Nice touched. The knock I have is the fact it seemed too thin and watery in the mouth, not what you'd expect from a cream stout. Drinkability is good though; this is a great dessert drink.

Poured a black hue with ruby highlights along the edges. There was a two finger creamy caramel head with decent retention and lacing.

There was a big toasted grain and coffee aroma.

The taste was a nice clean combination of toasted grain, coffee and charcoal. I was told that the it is brewed with six gallons of coffee per batch, and it shows.

The mouthfeel was full and creamy.

Very drinkable.