Molto Bella Espresso IPA
Tree Brewing

Molto Bella Espresso IPAMolto Bella Espresso IPA
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Tree Brewing
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
5.8%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.66 | pDev: 15.85%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
28
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 04, 2017
Added:
Jan 09, 2013
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bumchilly25:
Photo of bumchilly25
Rated by bumchilly25 from Canada (BC)

2.75/5  rDev -24.9%

Feb 01, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of Lucaskowalik
Reviewed by Lucaskowalik from Canada (AB)

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bomber into a chalice
A- murky orange color with a nut brown tinge and bubbly whiite head
S- upfront scent of piney hops with a hint of coffee although it is very subtle
T- expected piney hop and citrus taste which is very well tamed by the richness of the coffee
F- Coffee makes the body more full than one would expect as well being very smooth
O- I was expecting a more upfront coffee taste but it served to tame the hoppy bitterness and actually makes this beer very sessionable
Jan 04, 2017
Photo of MilkLeg
Rated by MilkLeg from Canada (AB)

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This stuff is great.
Feb 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.84 by joemcgrath27 from Canada (AB)

Jan 01, 2016
Photo of Stazzy
Rated by Stazzy from Canada (MB)

1.34/5  rDev -63.4%
look: 1.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.25
Tastes like wet hair smells. Not on my list of favourite beers to drink.
Dec 12, 2015
Photo of Harry_C_Peters
Reviewed by Harry_C_Peters from Canada (MB)

3.71/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Well this is different. A Tree brew at only $5.05 for a 650 mll bottle. And a coffee brew that I thought would be black, being a lovely mahogany. So much nose, so much taste of coffee, yet looks a little like weak tea. Odd, but I like it anyway. I'd buy it again at this price, for sure, for sure.
Dec 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.84 by Sathanas from Canada (AB)

Jul 02, 2015
Photo of LampertLand
Reviewed by LampertLand from Canada (BC)

3.99/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Tree Brewing 'Molta Bella Espresso IPA' @ 5.8% , served from a 650 ml bottle purchased for $5.20
A-pour is gold from the bottle to a cloudy amber in the glass with a medium size off-white head leaving a streaky lace along the pint
S-coffee dominates over hops
T-coffee IPA ? (WTF) wow kinda , slight dry finish
MF-ok/decent carbonation , feels big bodied
Ov-ok beer , cool PNW IPA kinda
prost LampertLand
Apr 26, 2015
Photo of Derek
Reviewed by Derek from Canada (BC)

4.34/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
It seemed like such a bad idea, I passed on the first batch. It had mixed reviews, but they did it again. I picked this up a while ago, and I've still een reluctant to pull it from the fridge... But surprisingly, it is really good!

The espresso hasn't really added any colour, but it's in the aroma and definitely in the flavour. It works remarkably well with the hop head! I've had a couple others (Mikkeller and?), and I'd put this well ahead of them.
Mar 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.79 by Kenmac19 from Canada (BC)

Feb 23, 2015
Photo of KentCstrait
Reviewed by KentCstrait from Canada (AB)

4.14/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I find this beer to be a Canadian counterpart to Stone's Master of Disguise (http://www.stochasticity.com/beers/master-of-disguise). Nice try! This is a hoppy stout with a look of an IPA. A nice mix for an IPA/stout fan like me!
Feb 15, 2015
Photo of leaddog
Reviewed by leaddog from Canada (AB)

4.19/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance - Pours a caramel brown with four fingers of frothy tan head.

Smell - espresso bean, leafy and piney hops, grapefruit peel, bready caramel malts, citrus, hint of pine resin, hint of nuttiness, hint of chocolate.

Taste - This brew starts off the pungent hit from the espresso bean then goes into the leafy and piney hops, bready caramel malts. It is then followed by the grapefruit peel, citrus, hint of pine resin, hint of nuttiness and chocolate.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Finishes with a pleasant lingering bitterness from the espresso bean and leafy and piney hops.

Overall - A unique twist to the American IPA style. I quite enjoy the mix of bitter espresso bean with the leafy and piney hops. Hopefully this will be released in 6 packs in the near future.
Feb 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by artemh from Canada (AB)

Jan 31, 2015
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.91/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
650ml bottle - no shame in splashing the tricolore across the label of this one, eh? And if I have to read or hear 'we hope you enjoy our product as much as we did making it' one more time, I'mma not gonna be happy.

This beer pours a hazy, medium copper amber hue, with four fingers (ok, I ran out of them) of puffy, loosely foamy and certainly bubbly off-white head, which leaves a pleasant array of chunky webbed lace around the glass as it slowly sinks away.

It smells of crisp, bitter coffeehouse coffee (that's a thing), herbal, leafy, and piney hops, maybe a twinge of orange and lemon zest, and grainy crackery pale malt. The taste is bready caramel malt, a lessened, but still punchy bitter Italian roasted coffee bean acridity, muddled citrus flesh and rind notes, and struggling earthy, leafy, and piney hops.

The bubbles are here, and they're queer for tickling my tastebuds with their chirpy frothiness, the body an adequate medium weight, a touch unctuous - from either hop or espresso, but I suspect the latter - and generally smooth. It finishes off-dry, the underlying malt still on the clock, while both hop and coffee bean start a slow, dark wane.

I'm a little surprised at how much I'm actually enjoying this, as, for one, I don't believe in adulterating IPAs (see the ABA 'style' for reference), and two, I am heartily disinterested by coffee, in all its forms. But for some reason it works here, even if the nose was a little overbearing with its espresso bitterness up front. Anyways, good on these Richter street neighbours for pulling this off.
Jan 04, 2015
Photo of Brewji
Reviewed by Brewji from Canada (BC)

4.57/5  rDev +24.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Let's face it, we've seen espresso put into all sorts of stouts, porters, hard liqueurs, coffee liqueurs, and the list goes on. What about any other type of beer? Well, the folks at Tree Brewing Company in Kelowna have created one of the most unique and delicate beers that I've come across.

I was at the checkout of the liquor store on Willingdon and E. Hastings when out of the corner of my eye I spotted the bottle of Molto Bella Espresso IPA (ABV 4.8%). I couldn't resist exiting the store without picking this up, and I'm even skipping all the brews I had in queue just so I can review this one tonight.

I'm guessing this is a limited brew, so I may as well review it now and let you know about it. I'm excited, can you tell?

I popped the top of this beautiful bottle, poured it into the glass, and even before sniffing this brew up close, I could smell hints of espresso. Seeing that this isn't a stout or porter, I wasn't sure how it would actually turn out. I put the brew up to my nose, took a small sniff and made out a strong espresso overtone, with slight hints of grapefruit, citrus-y scents, and other standard IPA smells. I don't know how to describe it, other than delicious.

Without hesitation, I took my first sip and the flow between espresso and IPA was flawless. I didn't even think this was possible, but the two flavours worked in harmony. There is a feeling of surprise, ever so delicately when you discover this taste. It's a good feeling - just don't chug this baby.

I'll admit, I drank it pretty quickly myself. It's too bad it only comes in a 650mL bottle, because I'd buy a size bigger any day. (Grrrowler anyone?)

This IPA is nowhere nearly as bitter as other IPAs, keep that in mind. This is a flavoured brew, so the bitterness level of citrus and hops is instead replaced by the strong fusion of espresso flavouring. It's a great mix, but if you're into the Fat Tug and Lone Wolf IPAs, then you might not enjoy this as much.

This goes down as my new favourite flavoured non-Stout/Porter. It comes up huge and delivers on all fronts. A solid brew for a thirsty you!

The Tree Brewing Co. Molto Bella Espresso IPA gets a surprisingly-delicious 9.0 / 10 -- or for you BeerAdvocate's, a 4.5 / 5
Nov 28, 2013
Photo of andrenaline
Reviewed by andrenaline from Canada (ON)

3.83/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Though likely a bit passed its prime, still pumped at the opportunity to try it. Props to my bro for the hook up.

A - Pours a nice copper colour, thumb of head with solid retention and some sporadic lacing.

S - Nose is dominate by the espresso and fresh coffee grinds, hints of sweet toffee and a touch of citrus.

T - Again the espresso dominates the palette, but sweet citrus notes linger on the tongue alongside some bitter coffee grinds and a bready caramel malt backbone. Although the hop profile could've been amped up, it did provide a sweetness that nicely balanced with the espresso notes.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and a touch of dryness on the finish.

O - I've only had a handful of coffee IPA's, and I really enjoyed this one. Nicely balanced, full flavoured and I'm super glad I is a chance to try it.
Jun 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by BigBry from Canada (AB)

Jun 19, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by maclean25 from Canada (BC)

Apr 09, 2013
Photo of TheSevenDuffs
Reviewed by TheSevenDuffs from Canada (ON)

3.44/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle to wine glass.

A - Medium orange in colour with a thin layer of white head.

S - Very one-dimensional nose with only espresso coming through.

T - Espresso up front with some lighter caramel flavours in the background. The hop bitterness gets lost in the espresso profile but contributes big pine and citric flavours to the beer. The finish is bitter espresso with some floral and citric hop notes.

M - Medium body. Moderate carbonation.

O - Not a bad beer but not memorable. The flavours came together ok but overall this was a fairly average beer.
Mar 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by rodrigueZflyingf0x from Canada (BC)

Feb 06, 2013
Molto Bella Espresso IPA from Tree Brewing
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 28 ratings