HeartBot
Sew Hop'd Brewery & Taproom

 

No canning date (released on 10/31/20, so presumably canned within a few days of that date); consumed on 1/26/21

Pours a jet-brown/black body with vague, pale brown accents and topped either a finger of dense, almost creamy, khaki foam; solid head retention yields a paper-thin layer of cap, a moderate, creamy collar, and a formidable spatter of thin, webby lacing lining the walls of the glass.

Aroma first presents near-overwhelming notes of freshly roasted coffee, which develop slightly nutty characteristics into lightly roasted malts over time; bittersweet chocolate contrasts a sweetening mocha over the kindle of the bouquet as hints of vanilla cream meander into the back end and a soft, malty minerality closes.

Taste opens with an even balance of chocolate malt, moderate roast, and slight hazelnut suggestions setting a foundation for freshly roasted coffee bursting through over the mid-palate; a slightly acrid malty roast results, cut into the back end by semi-sweet vanilla bean and finishing with oily coffee grounds.

Mouthfeel shows a medium-full body and mild carbonation, creamy upfront and developing slightly oily textures over the mid-palate; the initial heft lightens into the back end, where a steady semi-bitter roast contrasts the pre-established creamy textures into the finish.

Comprehensively straightforward, effectively roasty, and approachable; a perfectly acceptable and satisfying take on the style, but beyond that, it's rather basic and undistinguished.

Tasted in a Rastal Teku from a one pint can on November 27, 2020. Imperial coffee stout brewed with CTZ and Northern Brewer hops. Made with coffee from Conscious Cup Coffe Roasters and vanilla bean.