Christmas Roast
Rochester Mills Beer Co.

 

Poured from 16 oz can dated 6/3/2018 which I assume is a best by date.

A: Very dark brown tending towards black with 1-2 finger light tan head that settles to a thin cap with light lacing.

S: Dark roasted malts, rich coffee with cream, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Hints of bourbon but not prominent.

T: Big roasted malts, coffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla, and cream. Subtle bourbon lingering.

M: Medium to full body with average carbonation. Subtle creaminess to the texture. Alcohol well hidden for the ABV.

O: Excellent stout but the bourbon and barrel notes are muted.

 

Wow, this one is a champ from the 12 Days pack. Poured from pint can to tulip glass. Cola colored liquid with a few fingers head that dissipates quickly. Nice aromas of coffee, char, cocoa, sweet cream, vanilla, and warm bourbon. Damn nice flavors of roasted coffee, chocolate, cream, char, dark bread, and vanilla, with just enough of a bourbon finish. The barrel aging truly compliments this one rather than makes itself the star. Well done.

Beer is dark brown, cola colored, with a thin light tan head that dissipated quickly.
Smells of roasty coffee. That's about it.
Taste is about the same. Maybe some slight sweetness like vanilla added in there. Cacao nibs are pretty much undetectable. The barrel is too. I would like to know how long this is barrel aged.
The feeling is a little dry from the roastiness.
Overall, this is a good brew and made with good balance but I would like more barrel character in something like this.

 

 

 

 

 

For me this one was all stale coffee. Roasty to the point of burnt. No barrel at all. I love the variants in this series but this was a big miss for me.

 

12 ounce can into snifter, best before 4/4/2018. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk chocolate, cocoa, nutty dark roast coffee, caramel, vanilla, cream, toffee, and toasted dark bread; with lighter notes of coconut, bourbon, oak, dark fruit, smoke, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, coffee, lactose, cocoa, and light-moderate bourbon barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk chocolate, cocoa, nutty dark roast coffee, caramel, vanilla, cream, toffee, and toasted dark bread; with lighter notes of coconut, bourbon, oak, dark fruit, smoke, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Very mild herbal/roast bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, nutty dark roast coffee, caramel, vanilla, cream, toffee, toasted dark bread, light bourbon/oak, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, coffee, lactose, cocoa, and light-moderate bourbon barrel flavors; with a nice roasted bitter/sweet balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth and moderately creamy/silky/bready mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal chalky roast, oak tannins, or dryness. A bit thinner than expected, but not bad. Minimal warming alcohol for 8.5%. Overall this is an awesome imperial coffee milk stout. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, coffee, lactose, cocoa, and light-moderate bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. Not as much barrel as I hoped for, but solid. Basically like a richer Woodward Bold coffee Milkshake. Same coffee company, different blend of coffee. Great fruity/nutty coffee complexity and base beer balance. A very enjoyable offering.