Dire Wolf - Coco Joy
Wolf's Ridge Brewing

22 ounce bottle, label says packaged on July 27, 2017. Served in a DFH snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head that stayed around for a really long time. There's also a good amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like roasted malt, coconut, vanilla, coffee and chocolate. Taste is similar to the aroma, with vanilla, coconut, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and some brown sugar flavors. Light lingering coconut in the finish. Kinda reminds me of a Mounds candy bar. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick and creamy with a moderate amount of carbonation. This isn't a coconut bomb at all, but the coconut is still noticeable. I thought this was a pretty good imperial stout, glad I picked this one up! $12.99 a bomber.

enjoyed

 

 

 

Bottle dated 7/27:
Overall, this was a decent imperial stout with a chocolate lean. The coconut was almost completely missing, though the cacao and feel helped make the beer enjoyable. It does seem to be missing a more from the main component of its name and ingredient list.

A very dark brown, with a decently deep tan to brown creamy foam head. The head lasts a bit, with early lace, and ends in a thick collar.

The nose is somewhat chocolatey roasted malts. A little raw chocolate bitterness wins out over an overwhelmed slightly sweet note.

Taste is a little sweeter than the nose indicates, before the cacao brings on a more bitter dark chocolate note. The sweetness might or might not have a little coconut aspect to it - the fact it's not clear makes me think I'm wanting it to be more than it is. The beer has a fairly big body, but has an oily smooth delivery that is enjoyable to me.

 

 

 

22 oz bottle poured into a speigelau IPA glass bottles on 7/17

A: Small mocha head with tight creamy looking head. Body is a rich black with no light.

S: Soft coconut mixed with chocolate and vanilla

T: lots of vanilla and a little coconut up front finishes with a good bit of dark chocolate and roasted malts with light licorice.

M: Fuller to pushing medium bodied softer carbonation.

O: This is an average beer. The coconut is muddled to non existent and the vanilla and chocolate seem to clash. It makes the beer just so so.

 

tap at the brewery

Pours jet black with a tan rim of a head.

Smells of fresh roast coffee, vanilla and caramel.

Flavor is of rich coffee, vanilla, caramel, biscuit, and noticeable coconut.

Full bodied with stinging carbonation on the roof of the mouth. Viscosity higher than the other Dire Wolf I had, possibly due to coconut oils.

The very good base stout works well with the addition of coconut to create a rich and refreshing heavy brew. My limited experience with Dire Wolf tells me they could mix it with just about anything and it would work, and this is no exception. Worth trying.

 

1 Pint 6 Fluid Ounce bottle
Served in a snifter

This beer pours black and is topped with an inch of rich mocha head that leaves a little lacing.

I get a healthy dose of cocoa on the first whiff. But that's all I get besides some roasted malt and occasional wafts of alcohol.

The flavor starts out just like the smell with cocoa. I do pick up a little of the chocolate as it warms; however, the coconut eludes me. I get a little alcohol as well. It is mostly hidden though.

Full mouthfeel

I really like Dire Wolf and it's variants. This beer just doesn't have any coconut that I can detect. I'm sure it is better on tap as all variants have been good at the taproom. I still like the Dire Wolf "series." This beer is still good. I just wish it had some coconut flavor. I've heard it described as liquid Almond Joy. I hope it is on tap on my next visit.