Nightcap
Tree House Brewing Company

 

 

Pours a deep dark brown to black color with a thin layer of mocha colored head. The nose has notes of dark fruits and some chocolate. There is a faint essence of bourbon on the finish. The flavor profile has some modest roasted coffee notes combined with molasses and a bit of bourbon on the finish. The body is thick and the mouthfeel is sticky.

There is a kernel of a great idea here. I really enjoy high abv coffee stouts. But, the heavy punch of such beers generally require me to drink them in the evening very close to bedtime. I often get concerned about such beers keeping me awake, so the idea of a decaf coffee stout sounded quite appealing. The only problem is that, like every decaf coffee I've ever sampled, the flavor diminishes with the removal of the caffeine.

Pours as dark as a black hole with a small brown head that faded in average time and left decent spotty lacing. It smells like dark chocolate up front and reminded me of touring her Hershey’s plant; after another wave of rich chocolate comes molasses, dark fruit, cocoa powder, fudge, burnt coffee grinds, bourbon, caramel and hints of vanilla. It is very complex and rich smelling, really impressive as it hides the ABV completely. Tastes like bakers chocolate, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, molasses, chocolate covered raisins, dark fruit like black cherries, vanilla, caramel, smoked malts, cold brew coffee, burnt coffee grinds, bourbon or port wine, charred wood (or barrel accents) and Hershey’s chocolate syrup. It’s a tad bit too sweet for me and I wish the coffee was stronger, but this is an excellent stout that goes down with zero burn and a buttery feel. A lot to like about this brew.

Almost no head, but excellent color. Deepest brown, even in sunlight.

Good nose, coffee, a hint of sweetness, bit not too much.

Delicious. Viscous, rich, not overpoweringly sweet.

I had high hopes for this beer, and it does not disappoint.

Outstanding, excellent.

First of all, it pours the darkest I’ve ever seen. Literally like motor oil. Very good beer here. Nice and thick. Just the right amount of coffee. Love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L - straight motor oil with a few ten thousand miles on it. Like pouring rope into a glass. Pitch black with a fuzzy, leggy ring of mocha lacing.

S - dark chocolate mousse. Light tobacco, charred oak, and syrupy brown sugar.

T - singed caramel flambe. Dry, roasty sugar and bourbon-soaked barrel. Candied plums, toasted marshmallows, and dark chocolate s'more vibes. Iced latte coffee with extra chocolate sauce. Decadent, but also every so slightly fruity. Finish is sticky and gooey. Woof.

F - at first appears almost flat, but nope, that's just viscosity and unwillingness to break the surface tension to release all the bubbles below, or at least that's how I imagine the fluid dynamics at play here. But once you're through, it's possible to coax out a gentle carbonation that breaks up the sludge a bit, but still gives the satisfaction of drinking crude oil.

O - the ultimate dessert beer. Love how the coffee and barrel character temper the cloying sweetness to create a balanced and drinkable experience that's soon going to require some serious balance skills of my own.