Brewdog: Coffee and Chocolate Stout (Scotland: Imperial Stout: 9.5% ABV)
Visual: Black, large caramel to cocoa hued head. Lots of froth to the head but few discernable bubbles.
Nose: Slightly cloying. Bitter cocoa. Mellow coffee. Vanilla. Creamy yet bitter. Cloying milk. Lots of milky coffee.
Body: Milky coffee. Cream cheese and chives. Bitter and heavy. Charred barbecue notes.
Finish: Bitter coffee that slowly rises to serious bitterness. Sour dough bagels. Vanilla. Chocolate cake.
Conclusion: If I had to use one word to describe this it would be “Heavy”. The aroma is thick and you have to get your nose right into the glass to appreciate the elements beyond the cloying.
The body is thick, rich as heck and laden with coffee into a finish that kicks bitterness at you via coffee ladle. It’s rich, think and no nonsense. For true world greatness it would need an actual touch of subtlety but as sheer assault goes it is pretty impressive. The body is impressively smooth and the coffee gives a similar bitterness to Speedway Stout.
Like Speedway I think it needs a touch more range, but also it is flavorsome as hell. Frankly, when the near comparison is Speedway you can’t really complain.
A heavy drink that does what it says on the tin, don’t look for more than that and it is a joy. Look for subtlety and disappointment is near guaranteed. That statement should let you know if you need to run screaming or drink it straight from the tap.
A good beer any which way.
Background: This thing is a precursor to the Prototype beer Cocoa Psycho. So a prototype of a prototype. I will be reviewing the Cocoa Psycho when I get my hands on it in bottle, but got to try it at a recent Brewdog Bristol event and it is similar, if smoother in flavor to add to the texture. Also at the same event I got to meet and chat with James and Zarah from Brewdog which was cool. Anyway I am not an unbiased actor on Brewdog beers. Oh this stout was made with chocolate and coffee. If you hadn’t guessed.
