Beer-a-Day #290
This robust dark brew has been created in conjunction with Crescent Moon to coffee to come up with a special five bean blend to bring out the depth of the beer. Originally produced to celebrate our 10th anniversary, this has now become our late-winter seasonal. Note the aromas of toffee, licorice and coffee roastiness. Then take a sip–there’s a malty richness on the palate followed by chocolate, coffee, spices and perhaps even some licorice character from the Mount Rainier hops. The beer finishes with a subtle black cherry/berry character from rare Ethiopian Sidamo beans. Oh yeah, it also packs a royal kick at 8% alcohol.
I love coffee, but I just can’t drink it like I used to. Decaffeinated coffee is a poor substitute. Perhaps this will make up for the lack.
Looks very much like coffee. So much so that if there had been steam coming off of it I would have been fooled. Head drops quickly. Aroma has, as I expected, a lot of coffee in it, but there is a nice underlying roasty porter in there too. Taste is hearty and a bit unusual (must be the licorice they mentioned). As I get through it, though, it’s really starting to grow on me.
