Founders Brewing 'KBS' Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chocolate Coffee Stout. 12.3% abv. Black color, dense, with thin mocha head that fast falls to a sustaining collar and scattered surface. Moderate retention, decent lacing. Nose of bourbon, charred oak, dark chocolate, vanilla. The bourbon aroma steps forward as the temp rises.

Front taste is bittersweet chocolate, black coffee, plum, with vanilla and wood notes on the back end. Aftertaste is tall bourbon, bitter cocoa, raisins, molasses, with a dry finish. Full body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, round, creamy, sticky, viscous, astringent, boozy.

Two of my recent reviews were also Founders beers, with one being a surprisingly solid experimental wood-aged red, while the other turned out to be one of the worst beers I’ve had in years. Comparing notes with other beer enthusiasts, it would appear that Founders is one of those breweries that is bold and fearless to a fault, so daring that it affects their batting average. They’re hit-and-miss, particularly with their novelty offering. However, I went into today’s review unafraid, as it’s not only one of their classics, but one of THE classics of modern craft beer, a benchmark of its category.

Simply put, this is an extraordinary, big, rich, full beer, a true BBA stout, with a boozy aroma and flavor profile supported by chocolate and coffee, wrapped with a mouthfeel you can sink your teeth into. This is a sipping beer. A dessert beer. It’s meant to be a an occasional decadent treat with a complex taste, and it delivers on its promise.

Consistently ranked as one of the best beers in the world, this beer now has battalions of competitors who have met or exceeded its high standard. That being said, even in this day of bourbon-barrel aging mania, in a time when every brewery is experimenting with a barrel program, and mostly succeeding, KBS is still a knockout and a standout, still one of the best, with quality and craftsmanship evident in every sip and sniff. I’m sure you’ve had this famous brew before, but regardless, I highly encourage you to seek it out and let it warm you inside-out during a cold winter. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight."

[source: foundersbrewing.com]

Brewery Rex 'Cosmic Latte' Golden Stout. 7.8% abv. Yellow-gold color. Slightly hazy. Thin white head, small-bead carb. Good retention, excellent lacing. Nose of stone fruit, white coffee, pale malt, bright cocoa notes. Coffee aroma steps forward as the temp rises.

Front taste is light berry, brewed coffee, bittersweet chocolate, sweet cream, vanilla, with a sweet finish. Roasted malt emerges in time. Aftertaste is milk chocolate, floral hops, ground coffee. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, silky, sticky, foamy.

This is a lovely, unique beer, one that challenged me to pinpoint with its myriad of flavors. The predominate taste was milk chocolate throughout, with light coffee notes underneath all across. The lead flavors, coupled with the creamy texture and lactose expression, bring to mind a gourmet milkshake made with chocolate, ground coffee, and a few red berries added to the blender. Calling it a stout feel like a reach, but it's definitely an experimental beer, one that scores points with me. A wonderful taste that was a pleasure to enjoy. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Our 7.8% Golden Stout is brewed with 20% lactose and three different types of flaked grain to create a silky smooth, full-mouth feel. After fermentation, we added TCHO Ecuador cocoa nibs, vanilla bean and Kenya Nyeri coffee beans from our friends at Bangarang Coffee Roasters."
[source: breweryrex.com]

Ballast Point 'Mocha Marlin' Porter. 6% abv. 42 IBU. Black in color with two fingers of thick foamy tan head. Outstanding retention and superb lace. Nose of ground coffee, vanilla, cocoa powder, herbal notes. 

Front taste is roasted malt, bittersweet dark chocolate, black coffee, bitter dark fruit on the back end. Aftertaste is bitter cocoa, vanilla, herbal hops, black coffee underneath, dry finish. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is thick, creamy, carby, clingy, resin.

This is an excellent chocolate porter. The chocolate tastes fresh-shaved off a high-cacao dark chocolate brick, complemented well by a strong black coffee expression. Contrary to what the label says, I would describe it as a chocolate porter with coffee rather than a coffee porter with chocolate. 

The dark cocoa flavors are dominant throughout, with the black coffee taste faintly underneath, emerging fully only in the aftertaste. A ribbon of vanilla underlines the entire beer from nose to finish, with herbal hops merging as the temperature rises. An excellent chocolate beer that is supported by coffee. I suspect the coffee bean count is not as high as most would expect, including the brewers, but it's a fine brew regardless. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Coffee and chocolate come together in this brew. Our Black Marlin Porter is the perfect beer for a mocha mashup. The addition of coffee and cocoa plays perfectly off the roasty, chocolaty flavors of this English porter, while a hint of vanilla smooths it all out. It’s full-bodied, but not too sweet; try it for breakfast…or dessert."
[source: ballastpoint.com]

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Evil Twin Brewing 'Wet Dream' Brown Ale  Brewed with Coffee. 6% abv. Ruby-brown color. Two fingers of foamy tan head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of ground coffee beans, bright spice, cracked allspice, hot pepper. 

Front taste of black coffee, bitter herb, citrus peel, woody-nutty botanical notes. Aftertaste is bitter citrus rind, earthy hops, dank herbal resin, baking chocolate sustain. Thin-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, round, carby, dry finish.

This is a very good beer with a couple of nitpicks that hold it back from greatness. The promised coffee is delivered well in the wonderful aroma and initial taste, but soon drops off transitioning into the aftertaste. The spice profile is bright in the nose but greatly subdued in the taste. The complexity of the nose is not reflected by the overall taste. I kept wanting to smell the beer, more so than actually drink it. That's a balance issue. The body is a little thin for my taste within the category.

All that being said, it's still a very good beer with a unique smell and taste, one that's more ambitious than its final product. Mildly recommended

From the brewery:

"A beautiful brown ale boosted with gourmet espresso beans provide a delightful blend of citrus and spice aroma - the result is amazing, lusty, and incoherent- yes, it's your wildest desires in a can."

[source: can]

AleSmith Brewing 'Speedway Stout' Imperial Stout with Coffee. 12% abv. 70 IBU. Black in color. Finger of rich mocha head. Excellent retention with superb lace. Nose of dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, hot spice, astringent. Front taste of bittersweet dark chocolate, black coffee, molasses, bitter herbal hops. Aftertaste of bitter cocoa, strong ground coffee, alcohol. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, milky, creamy, dry finish.

This is an extraordinary stout, a big beer that tastes and feels big. The coffee is roasty, strong, and ever-present, from the aroma to final sip. Bitter bakers' chocolate underlines the coffee and dark malty flavors. 

The boozy tone creates bright notes that come across as hot and spicy. This is not for those new to dark beer, but it's a treasure for lovers of stouts and porters. A modern benchmark of its category that tests its definition. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Speedway Stout’s ominous, pitch-black appearance has become a hallmark of this modern-day classic. Chocolate and roasted malts dominate the flavor, supported by notes of dark fruit, toffee, and caramel. A healthy dose of locally-roasted coffee from Ryan Bros. Coffee, Inc. added to each batch brings out the beer’s dark chocolate flavors and enhances its drinkability. Despite its intensity, Speedway Stout’s fine carbonation and creamy mouthfeel make it very smooth and surprisingly easy to drink. This beer ages very well and will continue to mature for many years to come."

[source: alesmith.com]

Stone Brewing 'Mocha IPA' Double IPA. 9% abv. 80 IBU. Amber cola color. Finger of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of fresh ground coffee, sweet dark chocolate, earthy. Front taste of cocoa powder, fruity hops, bright spice on the back end. Aftertaste of molasses, bittersweet chocolate, botanical notes. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, resiny, slightly sticky.

This is an outstanding and unique beer. The aroma promises fresh coffee and ample chocolate, and the flavor still delivers more than you expect. Under the rich mocha profile is a bed of herbal and floral hops that layers the taste with each sip. A superbly crafted beer that has a ton of tall flavor from beginning to end. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A style-defying double IPA with cacao and coffee. IPA with mocha indulgence. Clearly, style lines have been crossed. Is it half-IPA, half-stout? Not quite. It’s definitely all IPA, but it’s also the best of both styles, making this love child of a beer simply just a beautiful, pleasure-seeking meld of imperial IPA and mocha indulgence. How did we come up with this inexplicably delicious creation? Well, that doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it exists and that it’s here for you now, thanks to our deliberate disregard for brewing norms. Some things are not meant to be known, just enjoyed...thoroughly... 

"Liberty Station Brewing Manager Kris Ketcham was inspired by two beers to create this wonderful IPA. Aleman / Two Brothers / Stone DayMan Coffee IPA and Stochasticity Project Master of Disguise golden stout triggered an inspiration in Kris to brew an IPA with both coffee and cocoa influence. When he first brewed this in 2015, it was an instant smash hit. And now we’ve found a great home for it!"

[source: stonebrewing.com]

Humboldt Brewing 'Black Xantus' Imperial Stout. 11% abv. 60 IBU. Black in color. Two fingers of thick mocha head. Sustaining head gradually recedes to a reliable collar. Outstanding retention and lacing. Nose of port, bourbon, ground coffee, bitter dark fruit. 

Front taste of dark sweet malt, red wine berries, burnt brown sugar, wood notes and bourbon ribbon underneath throughout. Aftertaste is sweet black coffee, bittersweet berries, treacle, hot and dry finish. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, boozy, thick, syrupy, clingy, astringent sustain.

This is an extraordinary beer, a decadent barrel-aged beast that manages to be sweet, savory, and boozy all at once. The bourbon is certainly there throughout, as are heavy wine and coffee flavors, all thick and sweet with a vapory dry finish. I've been craving BBA's lately, and this is certainly a keeper. This big beer makes me want to have another, and to explore the rest of the lineup from Humboldt. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Our Imperial Stout is infused with fair-trade, organic coffee from a local roaster, Jobella, and aged for 6 months in a combination of Bourbon, retired Firestone Union and wine barrels. Black Xantus packs a powerful punch. Hungry? This brew would go great with dessert… or as dessert."

[source: humboldtbrewingco.com]

Stone Brewing 'Americano Stout' Imperial Stout. 8.7% abv. 65 IBU. Black in color. Finger of small- bead bubbly tan head. Excellent retention with thick ribbons of lace. Nose of bright freshly ground coffee, vanilla, cocoa powder. As the temp rises, aromas of bright herb and fruity coffee beans emerge.

Front taste of bittersweet dark chocolate, strong black coffee, earthy spice notes, bitter herb on the back end. Aftertaste of bitter herbal hops, sweet black coffee, dark fruit notes, resin sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, foamy, slightly astringent on the exit.

This is an outstanding beer, and a sterling example of its category. This is what a coffee stout should be. The coffee flavor is tall, bright, and fresh, as if the beans were roasted and ground mere moments before being added to an already excellent imperial stout.  The aroma is luxuriously coffee, evolving as the temp rises, becoming pungent fruity whole coffee beans.

This beer immediately brought to mind the first time I had Tioga-Sequoia 'Rush Hour' on tap, a local beer that incorporated fresh roasted coffee within 20 minutes. "The coffee was still warm from the roast when they added it to the beer," I was told. And man, did it taste like it. It took me by surprise and blew my mind. Stone says they achieve the same fresh bright notes by letting their blend of hops "invigorate" the coffee. The approach works. This beer grabbed my attention and made me think "Whoa, this is good." I love it when a beer does that. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A decidedly American imperial stout with espresso. The coffee notes in Stone Americano Stout are bold, rich and full of American swagger. For each 120-barrel batch, we incorporated over 250 lbs. of artisanal espresso-roast beans into the mash and added in Columbus, Chinook, Amarillo and Cascade hops to invigorate the coffee taste with a slight citrus and resin hop presence. When it came time to selecting our coffee, we chose the same local roasters who contributed to our sought-after 2013 Stone ESPRESSO Imperial Russian Stout. Their fantastic beans helped us achieve this dark, hoppy and wonderfully aromatic espresso stout.

[source: stonebrewing.com]

"Brewed with some serious beans. The coffee notes in Stone Americano Stout are bold, rich, and full of American swagger. We incorporated a mother lode of artisanal espresso beans into the mash and added in Columbus, Chinook, Amarillo and Cascade hops to invigorate the coffee taste with a slight citrus and resin hop presence. Coffee roasting, like artisanal brewing, has risen to be a true art form in recent decades. Techniques that blend art, science and ingenuity have allowed roasters to create coffees that offer incredible depth, complexity and nuance. When it came time to selecting our coffee,we chose San Diego roasters Ryan Bros. Coffee. These are the same guys who contributed their art to our sought-after 2013 Stone Espresso Imperial Russian Stout. Their fantastic espresso helped us achieve the perfect match to our beer, one that's certain to satisfy your coffee fixation. Rest assured... not a single decaf bean was used in the process."

[source: bottle]

Maui Brewing 'Doppel Shot' Double Bock. 8.2% abv. 40 IBU. Amber-orange color. Finger of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of bright coffee, herbal spice. Front taste of fresh light roast coffee, bitter herb, sweet malt. Aftertaste of ground coffee, bitter botanical resin, grassy grain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, clingy.

This is a very good coffee beer, one that stands out in its golden color and fresh herbal taste. The spice is bright to the point that it brings pepper beers to mind. There is a sweet mellow malt taste underneath the ever-present tall coffee and mild herb. I wouldn't classify this as a doppelbock, rather as a specialty beer that merges bock and coffee. It's a refreshing and satisfying beer, particularly if you love coffee brew. Well recommended.

From the company:

"Not your everyday Doppelbock! This unique Doppelbock was brewed to showcase the fresh roasted Yellow Caturra MauiGrown coffee from Ka’anapali, Maui. This beer is rich in pale malt character and brings slight sweetness to compliment the smooth character of the coffee. The darker color comes from the heavy coffee addition."

[source: mauibrewingco.com]

The glass was not "beer clean" as noted by the bubbles along the side. Fortunately, it didn't seem to hinder the abundant head and retention, a good sign of the craftsmanship of the beer.

Coronado Brewing 'Blue Ridge Coffee Stout'. 5.4% abv. 27 IBU. Black in color. Finger of thick creamy head. Good retention, superb lace. Nose of ground coffee. Front taste of roasted coffee, dark malt, dark chocolate. Aftertaste is smoke, black coffee, cocoa. Thin-medium body. Mouthfeel is carby, bitter sting on the back end.

This is a nice coffee beer. The aroma and taste have plenty of coffee flavor, along with notes of chocolate and some smoke. Compared to non-coffee dry stouts, this beer offers more flavor and character. However, compared to other coffee beers, the flavors here do not impress. The coffee in the aroma does not smell fresh ground, and the taste does not bring to mind a newly poured cup of joe.

Perhaps I'm spoiled by other notable coffee beers, such those from Kona Brewing, Tioga-Sequoia Brewing, and House of Pendragon. Next to those beers, this one is merely adequate, but still yummy. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"Just as the iconic Coronado Bay Bridge connects our island home to the mainland, this java-tinged dry stout, brewed using dark roasted coffee beans from a local San Diego artisanal roaster, provides a bridge uniting craft beer drinkers with CBC’s rich, flavorful SoCal brewing traditions."

[source: coronadobrewingcompany.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'High West-ified' Imperial Coffee Stout 2015. 12% abv. Black in color. Two+ fingers of thick mocha-colored head, rich like melted ice cream. Superb retention and outstanding lacing. Nose of rich chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla, notes of oak on the back. Front taste is complex with flavors of bourbon, oak, black coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit, plum. Aftertaste is strong bourbon, espresso, bittersweet chocolate on the sustain. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, creamy, sticky back end.

This is an extraordinary beer. The promised bourbon aging taste is clear and present from nose to finish, as is fresh coffee, roasted chocolate, and dark fruit notes. The flavor profile is definitely barrel-aged as opposed to simply tasting like bourbon was added. My friend bought me this at Lagunitas a week before release. By now it should be out on store shelves and I suggest you buy a bottle or two before they're all gone. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Up until this brew, none of Lagunitas’ barrel-aged adventures ever made it to shelves. They’ve been super-limited draft-only releases. This time we’ve made enough to actually bottle some … The 100% barrel-aged 2015 High West-ified Coffee Stout. Ale brewed with Coffee from our friends at Petaluma Coffee & Tea, then aged in Rye Whiskey barrels from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, Utah … barrels that held High West’s Double Rye and American Prairie Bourbon, to be exact. Cheers!"

[source: lagunitas.com]

"Nectar from the source, from cast-against-type Utah. Latent heat of evaporation causes apparitions to rise up the column. They rise and condense and coolly run off. Oak barrels, just wood, made Magic by a higher power, filled to the bung for a time are then drained. Potential energy. The desire to fall. The barrels rolled wear downslope out of north central Utah, outta 6,780 ft. County of Summit, into the Basin, past the temptations of Wendover, across basin through range, escaping the Great Humboldt Sink, climb the Cretateous subduction's saw-faced batholitic intrusion, down the Smartville Ophiolite through the gentle Coast Range onto delta, landing gently in Petaluma, where we just plain filled them with beer. That's all there is to it."

[source: bottle]

This photo was taken by my friend at a Petaluma campground near Lagunitas brewery moments after he bought it. He managed to buy several bottles a week before it would be released. Lucky me got one.

House of Pendragon 'Overzealous' Double Espresso Oatmeal Stout. 6.5% abv. 42 IBU. Black in color. Finger of creamy tan head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of roasted malt, ample fresh ground coffee. Front taste of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit on the back. Aftertaste of coffee, bittersweet chocolate, earthy, faint nutty. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is silky, creamy, rich, warm.

This is a wonderful coffee beer, a bigger, bolder version of their excellent 'Zealous'. The espresso tastes very fresh and compliments the roasted malt. The oatmeal serves the beer well, adding a big body and smooth mouthfeel, making a bold yet easy-drinking beer. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Many of you have had Zealous in the past. Zealous is an Oatmeal Stout that has been aged with coffee. We have recently teamed up with the Sierra Nut House acquire all our coffee for our beers. Sierra Nut House is well known for their Dried fruits and Nuts, but also roasts their own coffee beans locally here in Fresno. We found after tasting many blends that the Espresso roast was perfect for Zealous. Cheers!"