Golden Coffee Ale
pFriem Family Brewers

Pours a wonderful golden glass, fluffy head. Definite coffee notes come up and mingle with a yeasty biscuit-y note. It's easy to pick up the coffee flavors, while wondering how those guys did it while keeping the APA syle for color and transparency. As a APA, it hits close to the mark with a notable hop profile coming in with a solid malt base. It's a bit flat on the finish, but overall another solid offering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottled dated 03/27/17 into a tulip glass.

L: Pours gorgeous bright golden with two fingers of medium density white head with great retention and left ringed lacing.

S: Nose is sweet, plenty of caramel. Very little coffee, possibly due to age?

T: Some sweetness against competing breadiness. Finishes clean, mild bitterness.

F: Thinner bodied, medium carbonation, general slick mouthfeel.

O: It's a nice beer, but it left me wanting more contribution from the coffee. Perhaps will revisit if I can find it super fresh.

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with a two finger ivory head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of pale malt and citrus hops with a hint of dankness. I can barely get a hint of coffee, but would probably miss it if I weren't looking for it. Flavor is pale and biscuit malt, citrus hops, lemon citrus and light, earthy coffee. Finishes with a mix of coffee bean and hop bitterness. Medium bodied with light creaminess. A very well made coffee ale. The coffee is mellow and not assertive, which may be why I like this so much. I'm a fan of dark malt beers with coffee, but often find the coffee notes in lighter styles clashing. Not here; the coffee is noticeable, but blends with the malt nicely and despite healthy hopping, real earthy and authentic coffee flavors are present. Very nicely done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottle to tulip glass on 8/30/16. I'm becoming a pFan of pFriem.

Look is golden, as advertised. Pretty and clear. Dissipating head.

Smell is certainly coffee, and it stands out for me that this is not on top of dark malts and chocolate like many coffee beers. I guess the only other I've had like this is Calm Before the Storm from Ballast Point, but that one was a cream ale and sweeter with additives such as vanilla. For me, this one seems subtler and purer. The smell and flavor of this beer have some fruit/subtle berry notes and floral tones, and are not super dark and roasty. Regardless, there's definitely coffee.

Taste follows the nose for me, with some apt bitterness added by hops. Some sweetness, some bitterness, definitely coffee and it seems unusual for its pairing with a golden malt.

Feel was zesty and not unappealing but not my highlight in this beer.

Overall, it's worth a try if you like coffee in beer. I appreciated what this beer did.