Coffee Stout

Tasted on a Sunday morning quite simply because it's been just all too productive and we needed a reward. I tasted this while Tim was tasting the Redbridge Sorghum beer. Don't judge.

Appearance: One of the first things we noticed is this beer pours very clear for a stout. There is some sediment that settled on the bottom of the bottle, but for a stout, this seems to be mostly filtered. Dark brown color with a reddish hue. Foamy tan head on pour that quickly dissipated. From the looks of it, there is very active carbonation because the bubbles are constantly breaking the surface.

Aroma: Robust aroma of roasted coffee beans complemented by the sweetness of biscuity malt sugars. Scent of the coffee does not come across as burnt from this batch. Hints of dark chocolate and some nuttiness but most of the profile is dominated by the coffee beans.

Taste: Woah. Talk about a shot of expresso. Upon the first sips, the palate is overwhelmed by the strong flavor of roasted black coffee. After some time, the flavor profile develops to reveal hints of caramel and dark chocolate sweetness that follows in an effort to balance out the bitterness from the roasted malts. Still, the coffee flavor is a bit overdone and it gets quite bitter at the finish from some sort of earthy/woody hops.
Mouthfeel: Medium body and moderate carbonation. There is an aftertaste that hangs in the back of the mouth and throat as a result from the coffee bitterness.
Overall Impression: The name is not misleading; Schlafly definitely gives you what you're asking for. Not a stout to have right before you go to bed especially if you are easily affected by caffeine; it just seems right for the late morning. I (Jen) am a huge fan of stouts but this one goes a little overboard on the coffee flavor for my liking.

Jen: 79/100
Tim: 81/100