Trade War
Bend Brewing Company

A very available, affordably priced, superior stout. Perfect ‘niche’ between regular’ stout and imperial. This is a go-to winter brew for me, living on the cold/dry side of Oregon.
Makes me wish that Guinness Export Stout was easier to find.
Bend Brewing TRADE WAR offers a Great Balance of cocoa, coffee and burnt notes. Just enough hops to let you know they’re present.
Sips unbelievably smooth.
My favorite brew from Bend Brewing (now that Baltic Cherry Porter seems to be far far in the rear view mirror).
If you see this one - grab it!…and remember, as we swirl into a ‘real’ TRADE WAR, this is a tariff-free made in the USA brew.

 

 

draught
IBU: 31
Lacey and sustaining, light brown head. Opaque, nearly black version of brown. Restrained, roasted grain aroma. A little light, medium dark roasted grain , without an edge, for the flavor.

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a half finger brown head with great retention and nice lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, cocoa and a little coffee and molasses. Flavor is semi-dry dark toasted malt with light char, dark and bakers chocolate, a touch of coffee and caramel. Lightly charred malt and chocolate, long lingering, finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. This is an excellent tasting export stout. It's perhaps a little more chocolatey than the style calls for, but the flavor is totally winning. A touch dry as expected for the style with a great, integrated malt, coffee and chocolate character. My favorite of this style in the past few years. Looks, smells and tastes great. Nicely done.

Wife picked up a four pack for me today and I just tried one. It poured a very dark black which absorbs all light. The frothy head is a dark tan, coffee and cream color. The aroma of coffee and chocolate exploded as I cracked it open. Very strong and quite inviting on the nose. As it settled toasty malts and a slight hoppy scent became present. The taste was full of dark malt flavor, coffee, chocolate, and burnt caramel all blended quite nicely with a mild hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium with a nice light carbonation. Great beer, I'd say the wife made a good choice!

Coffee

2 month old tall can poured into a mug. The color is exceedingly black and opaque, as expected, but the head is amazingly strong and the retention is exceptional: 10 minutes after the pour I still have a half inch head of dark brown coffee colored foam. The nose is tough to trace, maybe some coffee there. The taste is decadent chocolate, coffee mocha, roasted bark and malt, and toffee sweetness. The finish has a sneaky chocolate milk esque attack that slides in and lingers a bit after the flavor evolution. The mouthfeel is slick and full, rich and oily.

This is a totally different take on an export stout than some others I have had, more liquid chocolate cake esque instead of heavy roasted smokiness. Really good dessert or campfire beer.

Pours black with four fingers of tan head. Rings of lace show as the level drops.
Smell is dark malts with some bitter hops.
Taste is dark malts with some bitter hops
Mouthfeel is medium with good carbonation. Finish is mildly dry with a balanced finish.
Overall a tasty Stout easy drinking. From a 16 ounce can. 7.5% abv. 31 IBUs.
Canned on 02-13-2020.

 

 

 

Can from Whole Foods.

Black with a dark brown head with good retention and lacing this looks great. The nose is classic for the style, with plenty of licorice with some anise to go with the dark chocolate, creamy roasted malt ,buckwheat honey and toasted dark wheat bread. The palate opens with a blend of mild hop bitterness and a moderate grainy bitterness. Dark chocolate , dark caramel, sticky toffee, a little flan, are all present, though the sweetness is in check. Licorice and anise with a little roast are present on the mid palate before a long, graceful finish with dark chocolate with minimal sweetness. Medium in body and softly carbonated, this feels great on the palate. Very tasty.

On tap at Bend Brewing Company during Friday's art walk downtown Bend. Very good stout. Very good. Really enjoyed this offering. Our first beer after coming down from Crater Lake. Quite smokey, slightly sweet, lasts long on the tongue. Great beer here!

 

16 oz. can purchased from Lifesource Natural Grocer, Salem OR.
$3.79
Great looking beer...black body with a gorgeous thick creamy beige head.
Aromas of roasted grain, chocolate and medum roast coffee. Some lactiose.
Taste is similar to the aroma but with a more creamy aspect..coffee, chocolate and a bit of earthy ash. Nice.
Nice good thick mouth feel , yet well and finely carbonated.
A nice stout indeed.