Boozy Beer

Whew. I always manage to forget just how strong a 10% abv beer is. I always figure heck, it's a regular beer, maybe two. Except then I down a bomber and begin to feel tipsy.

Now, it might be that my college alcohol tolerance is gone, but damn if it isn't strong. I find most breweries doing a lot more strong beers, but thats mostly a function of going after higher end beers. I'm not entirely sure why they have a higher alcohol content, but I'm not in a position to complain.

The latest in these escapades was Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. Not that dark as stouts go, it pours with an impressive and frothy head. The smell is very boozy, with the obvious notes of coffee.

The taste really just expands on this. A rich, boozy flavor, infused with the taste of coffee, sweet to drink but with a little bit of a bitter aftertaste. There's also an earthy taste, one that reminded me of dogfish head's chicory stout, but which I can't quite place. It might just be bitter coffee grounds, or the herb flavors of roasted chicory, but it's quite distinct.

A tasty beer, and a hell of a coffee stout, I was tempted to add a little milk or creamer, but I didn't want to sully this unique beer. The bottle says brewed with real coffee, and I damn well believe them. Easily one of the stronger coffee stouts I've had, but certainly not for ametuers. I feel like this might make a great apertif, but even just sipping it was a little strong.

More to come!

-The Unabashed Ungourmet