Mantra Vanilla Cream Coffee
Braxton Brewing Company - Braxton Covington

16 ounce can, canning date is smudged but it was canned sometime in 2022. Thanks to Brutaltruth for this one! Served in a tulip, the beer pours dark brown/black with about a couple inch tan head that stayed around a long time. There's a lot of lacing too. I like the aroma, the brew smells like vanilla, coffee, cream, dark fruit, and dark chocolate. Taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some burnt/charred malt and caramel flavors. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating and smooth with a moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this one, but it seemed more vanilla and cream than coffee to me, wish the coffee flavor had more of a kick. With that being said it was still good, wouldn't mind trying this one fresher in the future!

Ever torn between coffee and beer? Well, tear no more, Braxton and their Lab-brewing approach has you covered with a vanilla and cream coffee Imperial pastry Stout.

The java focused Vanilla Cream Coffee version of their Mantra series gets itself going with a dark brown appearance held in a slightly murky mocha haze. As a loose and lofty froth rises to the rim, the scent of sweet latte, whisky spice and campfire roast create a robust perfume. Sweeter on the tongue, the beer soon leaves impressions of cold-brewed coffee, cream, vanilla, caramel and chocolate on the tongue.

As the flavors roll along the middle palate, the sweetness relaxes and the roasted elements of charred grains step up, bringing bold coffee flavors of Columbian and Breakfast blends. Never reaching espresso strength, the beer begins to fade into a nutty, toasty and bittersweet chocolate finish with broad coffee-like bitterness to close.

Full bodied and perhaps flirting with being thin, the beer reads more like a big porter as the sweeter cream flavors take the roasty edges away. There's a flat roasted character that weakens the taste and mouthfeel for a lackluster late palate and a linger of cola, whisky and cream.

From the 16 oz can in a snifter. This mighty fine brew pours a dark
blackish brown with a very nice head of tan foam that settles to a thick
ring, thin layer, and shows excellent lacing. Nose of dark chocolate, dark
coffee, cream, char, brulee, and hints of dark fruit. Flavors surpass the
nose with dark chocolate, dark coffee, cream, brulee, deep well placed char
and roasted malt goodness, and hints of dark berries with blueberry and
raspberry. Nice mouth feel; full body, smooth, lightly slick, coating, light
well placed carbonation, and a full rich bitter malt and coffee finish that
is lightly dry.

Overall----excellence!

Cheers

At the Barrel House in a stemless Teku
Black color with a thin mocha head.
Fine notes of vanilla and coffee. Finishes with some coffee bitter.