I had been out of the scene for a while, but last April i was at a family party and was offered one of the many assorted items that made up my Brother In Laws beer fridge. I was in the mood for a stout and this was the first one i saw.
” An Espresso stout, looks interesting, why not?” I said to myself.
Having a little age to it (assuming at least 3 or more months given the time I was drinking it) It drank very smooth, as the coffee at pretty much mellowed out by then.
Very easy-going, nice to sip while waiting for the food to be ready. We started talking about all the new beers he had seen – and his trip to Belgium. I realized at that point that quite a lot had changed in the scene since the mid 2000′s. Mirco Brews were now Craft Beers, and there were many new ones hitting the shelves, with more and more getting picked up for distribution each month.
It also did quite an amazing job hiding the 10.5% ABV it was. I had though I had become a super lightweight or something to get buzzed drinking the first pint.
Following this bottle up with the old reliable that is 90 Minute IPA, was probably not the best of ideas. Or maybe it was, as after that party I was hooked again, and found myself waist deep in new beers to try.
Over the weekend I was in a shop checking to see if I could grab a single bottle of Punkin to try, and I happened to notice some fresh Morning Glory was on the shelf. I am usually not one to try the same things twice, but I was curious to see if it was as good as I remembered.
Fresh it has a huge roasted Espresso Nose, and taste wise I found it to be a powerful combination of Espresso and Chocolate. Almost too powerful honestly. Mouth feel was very thick. It was still as smooth as ever, and you got no hint of the ABV lurking in its darkness.
Not that I would ever call a 10.5% Double Stout a sessionable drink, but you are definitely left full and not wanting a second bottle once you finish, 12 ounces are just enough in this case. Seeing as how this is a 6 pack, I can see why he had a few left afterwards.
Still this is a superbly crafted stout, and for the price of a 6 pack, a tremendous value, and the best news is it is now available year round! If you see it around, you have to check it out!
