Beer of the Weekend #255: Coffee Stout

The beer of the weekend represents the last one-beer six-pack I bought at New Glarus: Coffee Stout, brewed by the New Glarus Brewing Company of New Glarus, Wisconsin.


Needless to say, a week of debilitating heat is not the time to drink stout, but I am not going to let this stuff sit around until it is in season again. Coffee Stout is only available January through April, so I hope this batch was brewed in the later months of its release.

Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. Typical New Glarus batch codes, but no freshness dates.

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is opaque black; no light came through when I held it to my lamp. Two fingers of thick, tan head dissipated slowly to leave trails along the glass, spots of foam, and a thick ring around the edge.

Smell: Very nice roasted character, which is not overpowering. The roasted coffee presence is well balanced by dark chocolate and caramel, and there is a light smokiness about it.

Taste: Mostly mirrors the aroma. Lots of roasted coffee, though it is perfectly balanced by dark chocolate and caramel. It also exhibits the smokiness from the smell, and there may also be a little plum or other dark fruit in there as well.

Drinkability: High quality stout, no doubt. As the first pint emptied, I think I got over my qualm about the mouthfeel.

Fun facts about Coffee Stout:

-Style: New Glarus calls it “Coffee Stout” (duh), while BA classifies it as “American Stout.”

-Price: $8/sixer at the New Glarus brewery.

-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF. However, as New Glarus recommends in the nerdy description (see below), it can be served at room temperature.

-Alcohol content: 6.3 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: The beer’s New Glarus has these food suggestions: “Flourless Chocolate Cake, Pork Roast, Venison.” For cheeses it recommends, “Hard Aged Gouda, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Gruyere.”

-Nerdy description from the beer’s webpage:

Hearty and satisfying, our Coffee Stout is the ultimate full-bodied brew. Wisconsin water, roasted malts, and imported hops are the natural ingredients we use to brew this bier. Then cold pressed organic coffee from Just Coffee Co-op is infused into the brew.

Expect this bier to pour a deep creamy head over an ebony rich body. Notice the powerful malt bouquet balanced by a spectrum of extravagant flavor. Served at room temperature this Wisconsin Coffee Stout is guaranteed to warm even the coldest heart.

The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.

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