Coffee Barbary Coast
Almanac Beer Co.

Can dated 12/13/16:
Pours a seemingly clear dark mahogany, appearing black in the glass. A tan head doesn't build too high, and settles slowly into a thin rim around the rim. No lacing.

At just over 3 months old, I'm a little surprised at the weakness of the nose. It does improve, and notes are more easily detected as the beer gets nearer room temps. The notes are proper, light roasted notes and a subtle coffee note. Warmth with a good swirl brings out a hint of cinnamon to me.

Taste is sweet, sweeter than I expected. The label specifies coffee, although it also has chocolate and chiles. In my mind, it reminds me of a coffee into which I accidentally threw too much sugar. This is a light beer, somewhat thin and slick - but I like that aspect of it, it is almost more like a strong coffee in its feel. Beyond the sweetness, there is more of a cola-like roasted/toasted nut flavor than roasted malts. I think maybe the sweetness and vanilla that comes with warmth helps promote this cola impression. I did start to notice a little burn on the sides of my tongue about midway through the glass, enhancing the feel.

I started out higher on this beer. Then I dropped my ratings as the sweetness started getting to me. Then the beer started showing its complexity a little more, and I went back. But I couldn't go back too far, as the sweetness (combined with the vanilla) was a little too much for my tastes. I think it might make a nice dessert beer for those who don't mind the thinner feel.

 

 

Canned 12/13/16; drank 3/19/17 @ the Palace.

Black appearance.

A rough pour yielded a small tan head; almost no lace.

Milk chocolate, dark roast coffee bean, cream & mild sea salt notes in the nose.

Thick, sticky mouthfeel.

Milk chocolate & medium roast coffee bean flavors up front; mild cream & faint sea notes on the finish. No booze heat.

Dangerously easy to drink; the salt notes added nice balance. Very good.

 

 

Can shared by Dave. Thanks man!

Viscous, dark brown, opaque body with a thin beige collar. Aromas of coffee, chocolate, cacao. The flavor brings additional notes of vanilla and milk chocolates. Medium bodied, moderate sweetness. Double digit alcohol hidden well. Fun.

A 16 fl oz can, canned on 13th December 2016. Poured into a snifter.

Appearance: Black in colour with a very thin brown head that dissipated quickly and left sparse to no lacing.

Aroma: Light dark fruit followed by milk chocolate, roasty coffee and vanilla with perhaps some light spice.

Taste: Milk chocolate, cacao and coffee with a hint of chili pepper spiciness and salt.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.

Overall: Very nice flavours of chocolate and coffee which was well balanced with chili and salt.

 

 

 

Look is jet black and pours with a finger of spongy looking tan/caramel head.

Aroma is rich dessert like chocolate and solid coffee, vanilla and maybe a hint of spice.

Taste is rich chocolate like chocolate lava cake, creamy vanilla, coffee and a faint hint of spice.

Feel is full, voluptuous and creamy.

Overall I didn't expect this stout to be this good. Suddenly regretting I only bought 1 can. This beauty is a dessert like stout that caught me off guard. It's big and rich without being anywhere near cloying or diabetes like sweetness. Well done Almanac!

 

 

And now, the aftermath of the Fourth of CANuly! I had laden my reefer with CANs that day, not really expecting to run through all of them, but more as a stopgap from running out before the day was over. The result is that now, I have a buncha cold CANs that I do not want to simply pull out & have get warm again. Ah, the trials & travails of The CANQuest (tm)!

From the CAN: "Imperial Stout brewed with Coffee, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Chili Peppers, Sea Salt and Oak"; "Brewed with coffee roasted by: Sight Glass and cacao nibs from: Dandelion Small-Batch Chocolate"; "Every great city has its wild side, and in 19th century San Francisco, that was the Barbary Coast. From this chaotic cauldron emerged San Francisco’s vibrant jazz culture and a rich legacy of poets, artists, writers, and entertainers. Inspired by this creative tradition, this decadent imperial stout was brewed with oak staves, sea salt, a hint of spicy chili, Dandelion Chocolate’s cacao nibs and Sightglass Coffee. Pair with rich chocolate cake and a flair for adventure!"

I Crack!ed open this CAN and simply gazed wistfully at its size. A pounder CAN meant that I was precluded from CANducting an inverted Glug since even though I am quite good at it, that much liquid CAN quickly get out of CANtrol. I learned the hard way early one! Ah well. Once deCANted into the awaiting glass, a vigorous swirl raised just under to fingers of deep-tan/light brown head with decent retention. Color was Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), allowing ZEROlight penetration. The nose was redolent with chocolate and a vague spiciness that I could not quite identify. Mouthfeel was medium, a bit thin for the style. The taste was initially heavy with chocolate, but then the heat of the chili peppers really took hold in a big way. I began to despair that I might not be able to taste anything else, but as it warmed & I became accustomed to the spiciness, the coffee flavors began to assert themselves. Finish was dry and spicy, leaving me with an unquenched thirst, possibly from the sea salt. Phew!

This one gushed on me for some reason. Smells like rich chocolate cake, with dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee. Similar flavors in the taste, with a spice undertone. Chile is subtle, just adding a bit of growing warmth. The vanilla and oak combine for a bourbon effect. The salt is just barely noticable. A fun, tasty beer where all of the many special ingredients stand up on their own.

 

16 ounce can into a snifter. Canned 12/13/16, had 2/1/17.

Pours a deep, oily looking brown, mostly opaque, with a thin head and some spotty lacing. The smell is coffee, chocolate, cocoa, peppers- all very defined, malt, vanilla, some caramel, light smoke. Great aroma. The taste pretty much follows along with the nose. Coffee, malt, chocolate, vanilla- stronger than the nose, cocoa, peppers- a little heat, light oak. A sweet note up front and generally a little sweet overall. A little salt on the finish, when fully warmed. Smooth, lighter bodied for the style, but not thin, creamy, well carbonated.

Fun one to drink. Flavors, and especially the aromas, pop out and are well defined. Well worth a purchase.