Nighthawks
Like Minds Brewing Company

Bottled summer 2016; drank 8/7/16 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque dark brown appearance.

A violent pour yielded a minimal khaki head; almost no lace.

Light roast coffee bean, caramel & raw oat notes in the nose.

Creamy medium thick mouthfeel.

Light roast coffee bean & mild oat flavors up front; smooth caramel notes on the finish.

Coffee forward; simple & effective. An impressive stout that can be enjoyed year round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12.7oz bottle, no date. Pours transparent reddish brown with a large sized light khaki head. No noticeable nitro head or bubbles. Smells of lightly roasted malt, earthy/fruity hops, and spice with some subtle coffee and oatmeal. The taste follows exactly with roasted malt, hops, spice, coffee, and oatmeal. Light bitterness and tartness. Below average body and above average carbonation for the style. Overall, I'm getting some uncharacteristic flavors of fruit and tart in this one. It's also not very well labeled as "a nitro oatmeal coffee stout" since it doesn't have much oatmeal or coffee and isn't on nitro. At least the artwork is cool.

 

 

 

 

Man this brewery is great at coming up with ingredients that should make a great beer. One of the biggest letdowns of the year. No coffee present. The oatmeal would have been a great addition to the mouthfeel. Everything non-existent.

375ml
$4.39
Steve's Liquor ( Mineral Point) - Madison, WI

Like Minds Nighthawks is black as night. There's not even a hint of light around the edges of the snifter. The foam was fairly easy to rouse on the pour. It's somewhat soda looking, especially the foam. After lingering for a few seconds it falls to a chunky ring and a couple islands that leave behind patchy lacing. Good looking beer.

The nose is welcoming if a little unexpected. The roast is moderate plus with tendril of smoke. The unexpected quality is a fairly bold anise note that runs start to finish. The coffee is subtle with a touch of spice and a dark roast. There is none of the berry notes like found in larger stouts, instead it takes on notes of baking spices: nutmeg, baker's chocolate, earthy cinnamon. It has a comforting nose. I like it, though the coffee is the least noticeable of all aspects.

The flavor follows the nose pretty closely. A moderate roast runs from front to back before segueing into a softly nutty finish, hazelnut to be exact. Coffee is surprisingly light with a roast on the darker side and a soft spiciness. Those baking spices, again, play a big role in this beer and they're very ell integrated. The anise is bold again and one of the main flavor components. This is a good beer that I would have liked to see the coffee shine through a bit more.

The mouthfeel is the one weak point on this beer. It's moderate in body, maybe a touch lighter, and that's where the problem lies. It's not all that bad but I expect a little more weight, a little more plushness coming from a 7%+ oatmeal stout. Carbonation feels soft upfront but becomes a little prickly on the swallow. With the light body this beer is supremely easy drinking.

Mighthwks is a good beer from Like Minds. The roast is at a good level while the anise and spice notes are welcomed and comforting. The body takes away a bit and I could use a touch more coffee but with that said, it's still good. I may or may not buy one again but I'm glad I got to give it a try.

Taste: dry bitter baker's chocolate and coffee beans, malty, but a hint of saltiness that not soy sauce but has a sour or herbal note. Dark roasted malt with some hint of coffee nose.
Black, opaque, with big tan head, delicate lace. Medium/full body but not heavy. Must try again, this time on tap.