Spresso 2016 Edition
(Batch of Spresso)
Beavertown Brewery in London, Greater London, England 🏴
Stout - Imperial Regular Out of Production|
Score
8.05
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Like everyone with a soul, the first thing we think about every day is coffee, the solver of all life’s problems. Brewers are incredibly territorial, and each morning engage in the “Dance of a Thousand Filters,” a death match with only one loosely upheld rule – turn your back on brewing coffee and you will not get any coffee. Sometime this ritual can last minutes even hours while the jet black potion drips down into the waiting pot, under the gaze of a hundred waiting eyes. It has been said said (by Confucius, I believe*) that beer is food for ideas, and coffee is the fuel to make them happen. The two are something of a Ying and Yang, but share a discernable number of similar qualities, the most prominent of which being their intense and complex flavor profiles. With “Spresso” we looked to combine the best of two already incredible worlds and rituals, providing a full on espresso experience, in a hefty, well rounded Imperial Stout. We know something about beer, but when it comes to coffee, our long time friends at Caravan Coffee Roasters are the caffeinated captains of bean wizardry, and we brought them on board for the brew.
After running tests and trials, a consistent pattern of feedback emerged – “MORE COFFEE.” So, when it came to brewing this beast we ended up infusing around 80 kilograms of coffee into the beer in two parts. Part of the wort was drawn off and infused with the first 40 kilograms of ground coffee at around 92 degrees Celsius. Then a month later we infused the fermenting beer with the remaining 40 kilograms as whole beans at around 10 degrees Celsius. It finally emerged from its coffee catacomb a full on, roasty, bittersweet beast with a subtle hickory and treacle richness. The perfect marriage of the two things that get us through the day.
*We do not believe this.
After running tests and trials, a consistent pattern of feedback emerged – “MORE COFFEE.” So, when it came to brewing this beast we ended up infusing around 80 kilograms of coffee into the beer in two parts. Part of the wort was drawn off and infused with the first 40 kilograms of ground coffee at around 92 degrees Celsius. Then a month later we infused the fermenting beer with the remaining 40 kilograms as whole beans at around 10 degrees Celsius. It finally emerged from its coffee catacomb a full on, roasty, bittersweet beast with a subtle hickory and treacle richness. The perfect marriage of the two things that get us through the day.
*We do not believe this.
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8.5/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can from Red and White via Andy and Lee cheers beer bros; dark black pour with a frothy dark tan head, aroma has sweet chocolate, charred wood, earthy dark fruits, taste has rich dark fruit, intense coffee, sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, pipe tobacco, mouthfeel is slick, definitely in the top five canned impies.
Tried
from Can
on 15 Jun 2016
at 17:45
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Draft. A black beer with a dark brown head. The aroma has notes of roasted coffee, roasted malt, and chocolate. The flavor is sweet with notes of roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate, leading to a bitter finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 06 Jun 2016
at 12:03
8.2/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Draught @ CBC. Pours pitch black with a brown head, lacings. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, caramel, expresso, some dark chocolate. Flavor is rich malt, rich coffee, expresso, caramel, dark chocolate. Full body, soft carbonation, sweet finish with light warming alcohol. 140516
Tried
on 06 Jun 2016
at 10:42
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
[5/14/16] Draught sample at Copenhagen Beer Celebration 2016. Green session. Black with a tan head. Big coffee aroma with chocolate, vanilla. Sweet flavor with chocolate, espresso with sugar, vanilla. Full-bodied. Great.
Tried
on 28 May 2016
at 15:32
7.9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
14.05.2016, tap @ CBC:
Nice brown creamy mediumlasting head. Aroma is rich, masses of espresso, caramel, nuts, dark malts, vanilla, dark sugar, licorice, roasted grain, cocoa, toasted. Taste is slightly dry roasted, dark malts, roasted grain, burnt espresso, toast, nuts, burnt caramel, cocoa, bark, vanilla. Medium to longlasting bitterness, dry roasted mouthfeel. Nice, but a bit too burnt flavors.
Nice brown creamy mediumlasting head. Aroma is rich, masses of espresso, caramel, nuts, dark malts, vanilla, dark sugar, licorice, roasted grain, cocoa, toasted. Taste is slightly dry roasted, dark malts, roasted grain, burnt espresso, toast, nuts, burnt caramel, cocoa, bark, vanilla. Medium to longlasting bitterness, dry roasted mouthfeel. Nice, but a bit too burnt flavors.
Tried
from Draft
on 18 May 2016
at 07:56
7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Tap at CBC ’16. Black with a small beige head. Aroma of coffee, roast, dark chocolate, fudge and caramel. Flavour is light heavy sweet and above moderate bitter. Light full bodied with a medium thick texture and soft carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 May 2016
at 04:18
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Can at home in London - sourced from Clapton Craft. Pours deep black-brown with a thick, creamy beige head. Rich chocolate in the nose, hearty roast, baking cocoa, earthy coffee. Medium sweet flavor with moderate ashy roast, more rich bittersweet dark chocolate, some dark berries. Medium to full bodied with fine carbonation and velvety texture. Great balance on the finish, only minimal alcohol warmth, lots of layered chocolate, brownies, baking cocoa, moderate espresso, burnt marshmallows, scorched earth, mellow ash. Fantastic beer overall. Excellent depth and huge drinkability for an imperial stout. Superb.
Tried
from Can
on 28 Mar 2016
at 17:37