Friday, October 6, 2017

A Hardywood Coffee Stout Afternoon

I occasionally get to work from home, which typically means I start early and finish early. And that means I might get to enjoy an early beer. This week those conditions aligned. We also happened to have a friend visiting so it was an excellent time to break out a special libation.

Rummaging through the cellar I found a bottle of Hardywood Sidamo Coffee Stout. I am not sure when we acquired the bottle, but it was likely at least two years old.

Perfect for sharing

This Russian Imperial Stout is brewed with locally roasted Ethiopia Sidamo coffee. As soon as I poured I was hit by the aroma of rich roasted coffee. It even looked amazing in the glass; the deep black beer is topped by a short-lived tan head. As I passed the glasses out to Colleen and "Checkered Flag" they both commented immediately on the aroma.

Roasted malt was the predominate flavor. It was backed by coffee and a hint of vanilla and bitter chocolate. The mouthfeel was creamy and smooth. This is definitely an easy sipping beer and I sipped up my share in short time.

This was a most excellent beer and a fitting treat for an afternoon of relaxation. The 9.3% ABV undoubtedly contributing to another rare, but enjoyable pleasure — the afternoon nap.

2 comments:

  1. I'll confess that while I like stout, or at least some stouts, both Russian Imperial Stout and Coffee stout are amongst my most disliked brews.

    I once ordered a Russian Imperial Stout while killing time at the Salt Lake City airport. . . I figured it was 3% ABV like Guinness, more or less. Ack. Too bitter and too strong.

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    Replies
    1. I am not much on "standard" stouts. (Guinness is only good in Ireland IMHO.) However, a strong imperial stout, especially when aged in bourbon barrels, is delightful on a cool night in front of a fire.

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