Fuel Cafe: Coffee Flavored Stout

Tasted following a morning working in the yard planting Organic Seed Saver's Swiss Chard and Golden Zucchini. Enjoyed with an omlette made from yeilds of the yard.

Appearance: A very dark brown pour, with the look of molasses. Blackish brown in the glass with an opaque consistency. There isn't much of a head to speak of. Small bubbles reveal themselves just before reaching the top. Otherwise clarity is at 0%. a bubble fountain can be seen from the top in the center of the glass, but fueling no head. No lacing.

Aroma: A robust dark roasted coffee malt aroma is apparent right from the beginning. Nothing burnt, but with a mild sweetness to back it up. This beer seems to maintain a far more subtle coffee aroma than other's I've tried which either have a soured acidic flavor or just are burnt and over roasted. Some chocolate is present too.

Taste: A bit of tartness is tasted in the beginning, but the fore taste remains relatively uneventful aside for the carbonated feel on the tongue. Then the acidic coffee flavor enters with not too much malt to balance. Some caramel enters to help offset the flavor, but it isn't enough. The beer finishes dry and almost with a soapy roasted aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is medium to high, but the body is somewhat light and almost watery. Carbonation bites the top and back sides of the tongue. Finish is dry.

Overall Impression: Initially I was excited about this beer because it had a very mellow, but malt sweet aroma, but the taste was insufficient as it characterized a tart coffee flavor which means the coffee was made prior and then added to the beer. Still it maintains a refreshing element from the lighter body and higher carbonation. Though not particularly impressive.

74/100