Cold Brew Coffee Barrel Noir
Almanac Beer Company in Alameda, California, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Regular|
Score
7.89
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Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Sample at Local Option. Hazy brown-black color with a medium thin tan head that dissipates steadily to a film. Stringy lacing. Aroma of bourbon, coffee, vanilla and malt. Full-bodied with flavors of oaky bourbon, roasted coffee, chocolate malt and vanilla. The finish is sweet with a bourbon and vanilla mocha aftertaste. Good beer all around.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Draught at Lulu’s, 8/4/16.
Medium-sized tan head tops a dark cocoa-ebony body of indeterminable clarity. Seems pretty thick...retention is good.
Strong whiskey in the nose but it’s "soft" I suppose you might say, despite its richness and allows the malt and coffee room to maneuver. Fudge, chocolatey roast and rich nougat-like notes balance the spicy, whiskey "dry" notes and there is light vinousness as well. A touch of alcohol but doesnt seem hot (no glue, sharpness, fusels, etc...). Not a ton of finesse but yet nor is it an overdone mess.
In the mouth, fudge-laden base malts mix with dry roast and chocolatey, earthy coffee as spicy, liquorous whiskey notes add brightness and dry, woody notes. It’s sumptuous and chewy but not underattenuated or too thick. Decent balance though I will admit to wanting a little more dryness and slightly less whiskey. But given the ingredients, size, etc...this could have been a disaster. Instead it’s clean, with a huge malt depth and fun flavors.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
On tap at Real, Wild & Woody Beer Festival, pours black with a small tan head. Aroma brings out cold brew coffee that dominates, not much else here. Flavour is sweet, with loads of coffee upfront dominating. A little boozy but it works. Nice stuff.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Draft pour to a schooner at Elliott Bay pizza. Love cold brew. Near black pour with a tan ring head. Big chocolate cream, coffee aroma. Bitter bite coffee up front, with a smooth finish. Late bourbon impression rounds this out nicely. It’s always refreshing to get in on the non sour offerings from these guys. They know what they are doing. Very nice imperial.