We have been using coffee in beer for years. What began with Bomb! eventually made an appearance in Okie and Noir. Roast and chocolate and dark flavors dominated these beers. They were what most people would expect from a coffee beer. While loving these beers we also knew we could do a lot more with coffee. We knew there was an array of flavors in coffee and beer that would be great together. We wanted to take a different approach.

Prison Rodeo is that approach to coffee and beer. We started with a beer (maybe it was an IPA) full of juicy and citrus hops. It was about as far as we could get from a stout. We needed a coffee to stand up to and compliment the hops. We needed a coffee that was just as fruity and refreshing. Our friends at Spaceship Earth Coffee sourced multiple samples for us to pick from. After cupping numerous coffees this natural-process Ethiopia Sidamo Guji really stood out. We could tell the coffee was going to add another dimension to the beer.

We were careful to add just enough coffee to amplify but not dominate the beer. In the glass the beer is full of those bright, delicate fruit aromas before fading into a slight but noticeable roast aroma.