Beer of the Week

The beer: Brewtus

Brewed by: Monocacy Brewing Company, Frederick, Maryland

Description (from Untappd): "From the shadows of a dark and opulent curtain spring the robust aromas of locally roasted coffee and hardy malt. Deep-seated hop bitterness rallies with these conspirators, delivering a well-balanced thrust of assertive flavor to a bland tyrant. Raise a glass in celebration of liberating taste. 'Et tu, Brewte?'”

Would I buy it again? Yeah, yeah, another beer from Frederick. I swear, this is the last one. There's a good reason I forgot I had Brewtus laying around — it's not very good. I mean, it is what it says: a strong coffee stout. In that regard, Brewtus is very successful. But as a beverage to enjoy? Well, it tastes like a black coffee in beer form. There is not a lot of relief from the bitterness here, and it's not even hoppy bitterness. This is a beer you have to wrestle with to get down, and while it has its place, a warm spring evening is not a great occasion for it. Even so, I probably wouldn't buy this again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Mexican Coffee Stout

The brewery: Cape May Brewing Company, Cape May, New Jersey

Description (from the website): "Our Mexican Coffee Stout has a satisfyingly complex grain bill comprised of seven different malts, yielding a rich and layered profile with a silky-smooth mouthfeel and a firm cocoa-like bitterness. Conditioned on fresh, locally roasted Mexican Chiapas coffee, cinnamon, guajillo peppers, and vanilla, Mexican Coffee Stout lands perfectly balanced amongst the coffee, spice, and rich stout base."

Would I buy it again? This is a coffee stout with a difference, as you can really taste the cinnamon and the peppers as you drink. Not in an unpleasant way, this beer isn't spicy in the "I need a glass of water" sort of way, just pleasantly and warmly spiced. It contrasts very well with the thick coffee flavor. There's no bitterness either, it's just a genuinely good beer to drink, and memorable too. I'd definitely buy this again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Son of a Baptist Coffee Stout

Brewed by: Epic Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, Utah

Description (from the website): "Son of a Baptist is an 8% ABV imperial stout. It is not barrel aged like its father, Big Bad Baptist; instead its flavor profile was designed to highlight the complex and unique flavors of small batch coffees. Instead of sourcing a coffee that would play well in a beer we sought out creative and innovative roasters, then asked them which beans they’re passionate about. Each resulting release of Son of a Baptist is widely different, depending on the coffee selected. Some are fruity and sweet with notes of jam and chocolate, others are rich and earthy with a big roasted finish. Each limited release will return to the Roaster’s home market where the beer and the coffee can be sampled side by side."

Would I buy it again?: I probably would, but not for a while. This may come as a big surprise, but a thick coffee stout isn't exactly the best beer to drink in the summer. But in the winter, sure, I'd get it again. I like coffee stouts, and this was a good one.

Beer of the Week

The beer: JavaHead Stout

Brewed by: Tröegs Brewing Company, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "JavaHead is like a day at Tröegs; it’s hard to tell where the coffee ends and the beer begins. This creamy oatmeal stout is infused with locally roasted, cold steeped coffee through our HopBack vessel releasing subtle hints of cocoa, roasted nuts and dark mocha."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, but that has less to do with my enjoyment of this particular beer and more to do with the fact that I visit the Tröegs brewery on occasion and I limit the number of Troegenators I let myself get. It's a good beer, and in isolation, I'd get it more often. But Tröegs has better beers, at least in my opinion.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Espressway Cold Brew Coffee Stout

Brewed by: Two Roads Brewing Company, Stratford, Connecticut

Description (from the website): "In a process unique to Two Roads, we mixed a locally-roasted Ethiopian/Sumatra blend of beans with a rich oatmeal stout under pressure [like espresso but without the steam] using our German-built 'Brewnik' device. The mixture is steeped for several days resulting in a true, cold-brewed coffee stout. Hop on the Two Roads Espressway!"

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. If you're a coffee drinker, than I'm sure this beer would be right up your alley. You can definitely taste the coffee. However, I am not a coffee drinker, and while I think this beer was pretty well done, it was a bit too bitter and thick for my taste.