Hug Machine
Mirror Twin Brewing

Teaming up with local homebrewers are nothing new for the Mirror Twin team, and this rendition of stout comes with the local Lexington Smokin' Aces coffee roasters, generous coconut additions and a bold can-do spirit.

Hug Machine pours with a dark brown color that flirts with the opaqueness of black. As a dainty swirl of coffee-like creme mounts on the stout, its scent draws in the nose with robust fresh ground coffee, toasted coconut and an overall green and grassy twinge. Sweet on the palate, the roasted malts lead with caramel, cream, toffee and toast.

The sweetness gradually fades and the roast remains. Fresh brewed coffee brings a walnut, soilish, cocoa character while the dark grains back up similar flavors in a milder, more natural stout manner. Nutty and creamy, a hint of pecan and praline take an edge off of the char of grain and the burnt spurs of coffee. A mild bitterness of hops bring a light spruce, grass and leafiness along with a touch of green bean.

Full bodied and sitting weightily on the tongue, the lightly carbonated stout accentuates the lingering sweetness left behind that balances a roast derived astringency of both coffee and roasted grain. A long trail of mounds candy and a bitter char remains in aftertaste.