Coffee Cocoa Stout
New Belgium Brewing Company

 

 

 

This is a really tasty boi...

Strong coffee nose and taste that followed... cocoa was less present upon smelling but the taste was there and complimented the coffee nicely.

Will certainly get this again.

 

a new one i think, and i like it, although i find it a little strange that the beer is as strong as it is yet the coffee and cocoa are as light as they are, i mean we can taste them both here for sure, but i think the beer can handle quite a bit more of both, being so robust in its own right. either way, its a nice offering for winter. i get the coffee more in the aroma than the flavor, not much bitterness from it, and real compatible with the dark grains this is built with. the cocoa performs a similar function here, almost like both arent needed together, and it adds a bit more sweetness than i personally need in a stout like this, but the flavor is natural and its nice with the dark malts as well as the coffee. it could be a little lighter in alcohol and in body, but i do think this works well in a winter weather and holiday context, it seems built for that kind of vibe, warming, a little desserty, this one should have pretty wide appeal this holiday season. on tap at old chicago, its sure been awhile since i set foot in one of those...

Pours fairly dark. 1 finger off white head when poured from the tap. Retention isn't the best. No real lacing on the glass.
The nose has a nice hint of coffee.
Taste - really great and well balanced mix of coffee and chocolate. The mix does linger in my throat.
The body is ok. Not extremely heavy, but it fits with this beer.
Delicious, and all the parts work well together.

 

On draught at Old Chicago.

Pours black with a healthy off white head of foam.

Smells nice. Good notes of cocoa and coffee with light vanilla.

Smooth integration of the coffee and cocoa, light vanilla, interesting mix of sweet and bitter.

Creamy mouthfeel.

Really nice and smooth with the alcohol hidden well.

 

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – The beer is nearly pitch black with a small head of thick tan foam sitting atop the surface of the brew. The foam fades relatively quickly to leave a little bit of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The smell of the beer is strong of a coffee chocolate latte smell with coffee, crème, and chocolate all showing big. Along with these smells comes some nice notes of a roasted and toasted malt as well as a strong aroma of toasted grain and some vanilla and light toast.

Taste – The taste begins with a rather sweet roasted malt flavor that has a big showing of caramel, molasses, toasted malt, crème, and vanilla. There is a decent sum of coffee upfront, which grows stronger and stronger as the taste advances. All the while, the sweet grows quite intense, with more caramel, molasses, and some brown sugar all coming to the tongue. Flavors of milk chocolate have developed as the taste advances and seem to surge at the end, leaving one with a somewhat cloyingly sweet mocha taste to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is rather thick and syrupy with a carbonation level that is rather low. For the super sweet and rich flavors the feel is rather well done and makes this one a slow sipper.

Overall – This brew has nice coffee and sweet mocha flavor, but unless I want a dessert, this one is a little too much for me. A very nice sipper on a cold night maybe. Well worth a try if you like a sweet stout.