Beer of the Weekend #1,012: Tip the Calf

Jam and I held down the fort last Friday while The Foxy Lady, Coop, and Sis went to The Librarian’s house for a Final Four watch party. After putting him to bed, what did I do before spending the night alone with a 14-month old baby? Drink Tip the Calf, a “a cocoa/espresso-infused Milk Stout” brewed by the SingleSpeed Brewing Company of Waterloo, Iowa.

Though I was a little wired, both from the beer and Hawkeye win, we both slept really well.

Serving type: 12-ounce can. “CANNED ON 12/30/22 08:35” is printed on the bottom. Kudos to SingleSpeed if the last numbers are the hour and minute time stamp.

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is ruddy black and it is not opaque. A finger of buttery, tan, bubbly head leaves a skim and collar.

Smell: Dark goodness. Roasted malt imparts coffee and dark chocolate. There are hints of caramel and vanilla. There is a hint of milk as well, but roasted bitterness dominates.

Taste: Like a latte. Or Americano. I can’t remember which is which. (Though coffee has always intrigued me, I have not acquired the taste for it yet. I prefer Irish breakfast tea in the morning.) There are flavors of coffee, chocolate, and milk. This is a coffee I would drink! It is nice and smooth, and the bitterness lingers on the taste buds.

Fun facts about Tip the Calf:

• Style: SingleSpeed calls it “a sessionable take on a cocoa/espresso-infused Milk Stout.”

• Price: Unsure. It was part of my seasonal 12-pack.

• Alcohol content: 4.5% ABV.

• Tip the Calf is based on its mother (?) beer, Tip the Cow.

• According to the SingleSpeed website, Tip the Calf won gold at the 2020 GABF and bronze at the 2021 festival, both in the session beer or non-alcoholic beer. It deserved both!

The Quiet Man’s grade: A.