Hazelnut Coffee Stout
Publican House Brewery

 

2,050th review. LCBO purchase for around $3.70 CDN. Served at cellar temperature into a tulip.

Appearance - Very dark brown, near black. A finger of thick tan head is poured. Moderate staying power leaves behind a creamy cap.

Smell - Definitely hazelnut with robust nuttiness and mixed in with some fresh espresso. A hint of green pepper and maybe a touch of vanilla. I'm ready to drink this with some biscottis.

Taste - Really good melding of hazelnut flavors and coffee. Starts more nutty, transitions to coffee and finishes with just enough bitterness and both primary flavors.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, full for a beer under 5% ABV. Drinks slickly with medium-light carbonation.

Overall - Smart concept, smart beer. Get two things that work really well together (hazelnuts and coffee) blend in another thing that works well (roasty stout) and execute it nicely and there's a recipe for success. By no means a world beater, Publican's Hazelnut Coffee Stout nonetheless is a beer well worth trying. I'm looking forward to picking up a few more while they are in stock.

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Sept 28 2020 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a dark cola brown, its body functionally opaque, and topped with half a finger of frothy tan-coloured head. It vanishes within a minute or two, reduced to a narrow collar of creamy foam, with some scant, far-flung specks of lace being the only other remnant... at least at first, as there's better lace deposition as the level drops. It smells of roasted malts, dark roasted coffee grounds, burnt grains, espresso and nuttiness - I'm digging it all, I just wish it was more aromatic.

The flavour profile compensates somewhat: for only 4.6% it's rather bold, with coffee grounds coming through at the forefront followed by notes of roasted grains, cocoa, rich dark chocolate and of course hazelnut. Bitter at the finish, with coffee grounds, earthiness and baker's chocolate; toasted nuts and roastiness linger on into the persistent aftertaste. Light-ish in body, with gentle carbonation that weakly tickles the palate; soft and smooth texture on the tongue. It's a little thinner than I'd prefer from a stout, but at under 5% I suppose there's only so much that can be done. Exceptionally drinkable, at least if you're as much of a coffee addict as me.

Final Grade: 3.94, a very solid B+. Publican House's Hazelnut Coffee Stout might be a 'flavoured' beer, but they've done a real good job on this one - the coffee is at just the right level of intensity for my tastes, while the hazelnut adds a unique dimension to the tail end of the sip that results in a really satisfying, surprisingly flavourful light stout. This is totally worth picking up if you see it - in fact, I'd buy at least two, because this is a seasonal brew of potentially limited availability, and there's a strong chance that one serving won't be enough to last you through the winter. Hell, my other can will be long gone by Christmas.

Dark walnut colour, big head settles to a partial film, some attractive lace on the way down. Nose dominated by aromas of chocolate, vanilla, hazel nuts. Bitter and steely up front, big dark chocolate characteristics. Coffee and dark chocolate to taste. Slightly thin bodied. Overall pretty good, would make decent after dinner beer.

Look: Pours rich dark brown with a 1 finger tawny beige head. Head gives way after 5 minutes leaving slight lacing.
Smell: Large espresso notes, with a hazelnut syrup dash mixed in for good measure.
Taste: Rich dark coffee, with only a slight bitterness, and hazelnuts. Could use a slight touch of sweetness and creme.
Feel: Medium body, slight carbonation and wateriness. A touch of dryness on the back end. This is a session stout.
A really nice sessionable coffee stout. It earns an A-