Peppermint Mocha Morning Bell
Kane Brewing Company

 

 

Christmas in a glass. More like a Peppermint patty flavor which was nice.

**
01/01/2021

Happy New Year!

Meant to open this Christmas morning, but was not in the mood for drinking that early that day.

Bottle to snifter with dessert for New Years Day coffee cake.

Was not overly excited about this one, but figured it was worth a try. Pleasantly surprised and how well the flavors work together.

LOOK: dark black, thinish look. medium beige head, excellent retention. head gives foamy legs after tilting/swirling.

AROMA: mint first, little bit of dark chocolate underneath but no hint of coffee.
TASTE: coffee and cocoa, mint is subdued and mixes in later.
FEEL: silky smooth, creamy, a touch fuller than medium body,

Very good. Great dessert beer if you like mint. In all other instances of mint I have had in beer, the mint ruined the roasted malt or coffee flavors; here somehow the mint and coffee avoid clashing. For whatever reason, the mint dominates the aromas where the coffee does the same on the tongue.

**

 

The beer pours opaque and very dark brown. Nearly black. A densely packed, tan colored head disappears but for a ring of foam around the edge of the glass. Some lacing as I drink the beer. No visible carbonation.

A lot of dark chocolate, cocoa, and coffee. These are the stars. Some cooling mint in the background. A hint of maple syrup. Although, there is a slightly offputting note that I sometimes get from maple, described as “fresh pumpkin.” It’s a vegetal note. Still a nice smelling beer.

The flavor is creamy chocolate, smooth and nutty cold brew coffee. The peppermint is present and nicely complements the coffee and chocolate. Herbal and cooling. Much needed deft hands brewed this beer. It’s not too sweet and the peppermint level is perfect. The coffee takes a bigger role as the beer warms, creating a drier, more roasty and slightly bitter finish.

The beer is light bodied and creamy with a minty cooling sensation. Some sticky sweetness on the lips.

Overall, I really like this beer. I was disappointed with the Pumpkin Spice version of Morning Bell because the pumpkin spice aspect was too dialed back. I went into this one thinking that “dialed back” would be good. And it is. If you don’t like peppermint, you probably won’t like this beer. But if you’re OK with peppermint, or an outright fan of the Andes / After Eight / Basic Bitch Beverage you’ll surely enjoy the beer.