Double Shot - Sumatra Mandheling

Double Shot - Sumatra Mandheling, Tree House Brewing Company, Monson, MA
(Stout, Rated 99)

Dark, chocolaty brown pour with a thin toffee-colored head. Huge coffee aromas on the nose with wafts of chocolate. Equally huge flavor profile. Chocolate-covered coffee beans, roasted mocha java espresso, milk chocolate, and a bit of sticky molasses. Mouthfeel is rich and creamy. Complex and absolutely delicious!

Mean Old Tom

Mean Old Tom, Maine Beer Company, Freeport, ME
(Stout, Rated 99)

Maine Beer Company has quickly become one of my favorite breweries. Each and every beer I sample from them is fantastic. This stout pours a deep, chocolate-black color with a small mocha-colored head. Aroma of burnt, roasted malts, cocoa, and faint vanilla. Flavor is roasted chocolate, vanilla sweetness, and burnt coffee. Silky mouthfeel. Very, very nice beer!

Bell's Cherry Stout

Cherry Stout, Bells Brewery, Galesburg, MI
(Stout, Rated 91)

Nearly black pour with a thin, mocha head. Aromas of tart cherries, malts, and chocolate sweetness. Tart cherries dominates the taste throughout. Hints of chocolate and malt round out this fantastic stout. Cherry flavor is amazing.

Redband Stout

Redband Stout, Great River Brewery, Davenport, IA
(Stout, Rated 96)

A worker at the liquor store recommended this one. Pours a very dark brown. Aroma is dominant with coffee. Taste is mostly coffee with a hint of vanilla sweetness and malts. Very smooth and light for a coffee stout, but the coffee flavor lingers. Commercial description says this one is made with Indonesian and Ethiopian coffee beans. Probably a great introductory beer for coffee lovers.

That's What I'm Talkin' 'Bout Organic Rolled Out Stout

That's What I'm Talkin' 'Bout Organic Rolled Out Stout, Pearl Street Brewery, La Crosse, WI 

Pitch black pour. Coffee aroma with roasted malts. Taste is sweet coffee with dark roasted malts and a light bitterness. Little bit of smokiness. Easy drinker.

Beers of Sixpoint

Sixpoint has only been in Wisconsin for one year, having been first distributed in March 2012. They have quickly become one of my favorite breweries. Their motto is "Beer is Culture." While many craft breweries make up their own rules when it comes to developing their portfolio, Sixpoint seems to smash rules altogether. Sixpoint's beer recipes are distinct and unique. I also love the characteristic can labels. Let me introduce you to some of the Beers of Sixpoint...



Resin

Resin, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Imperial/Double IPA, Rated 97)

This is the beer that started it all for me with Sixpoint. As one who thoroughly enjoys IPAs, especially the imperial variety, this is one fine example. Nice, slightly hazy copper-colored pour. Aroma is of big hops, piney, with a citrus tone. Hop flavor explodes in your mouth. Nice piney, citrus bitterness and a sticky resin feel. Bitterness lingers on your tongue.

This being my first Sixpoint, let me share with you the picture of my #FIRSTSIXPOINT that I submitted to Sixpoint's website...

"Sixpoint's Resin Gives You Wings!" at the Calatrava - Milwaukee Art Museum 

Sweet Action

Sweet Action, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Cream Ale)

Hazy, gold pout with a nice, white frothy head. Aroma has herbs, hops, and a faint sweetness. Taste is a blend of mild hops and malts giving it an earthy quality. Has a very slight carbonation that tingles and then smooths out to a creamy finish.

3 Beans

3Beans, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Imperial/Strong Porter, Rated 97)

Dark brown pour. Strong roasted coffee aroma with chocolate notes and malts. Flavor is rich with coffee and chocolate. Malty with a sweetness. Taste that lingers. Amazing beer!

Bengali Tiger

Bengali Tiger, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(IPA, Rated 94)

This IPA pours a hazy, golden, orange. Great aroma of citrus fruits and sweet pine. Taste is a complex mix of citrus hop bitterness, malty caramel sweetness, and floral notes. Flavors explode in your mouth going from bitter to sweet to bitter with a clean finish. Excellent IPA!

The Crisp

The Crisp, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Bohemian Pilsener) 

Hazy, orange pour with a small, white head. Aroma is a little grainy, bread, and some spice. Flavor is grainy, sweet bread, with an herbal bitterness. "The Crisp" is a perfect description of this beer. Probably one of my least favorite styles of beer, but if I'm going to reach for a pilsener, I'm reaching for The Crisp.

Righteous Ale

Righteous Ale, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Specialty Grain, Rated 94)

Dark hazy, brown pour with a nice little off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel, sweet bread. Tasty is malty with rye, and a nice slight hop tingle that lasts but doesn't overpower. The rye is apparent throughout. Just a touch of sweetness at the finish.

Brownstone

Brownstone, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Brown Ale, Rated 90)

Pours brown with a medium head. Pleasant malty aroma with nuts, sweetness of caramel, and an earthy hop character. Taste is malty, nutty, with a bit of a bitterness at the end. Has a nice fizzy, carbonated finish. Nicely balanced brown ale.

Diesel

Diesel, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Stout, Rated 92)

I remember sitting down with the WI Sixpoint rep and some others at Sugar Maple last Fall. I had asked him when Sixpoint was going to come out with a stout. He told me that something was in the works. Low and behold, Sixpoint presents Diesel. Its a dark, nearly pitch black pour with a good off-white head. Good roasted aroma of chocolate and malts with a faint hop presence. Taste is roasted coffee up front with some sweet chocolate and a light hop finish. Very smooth! Very drinkable!

Secret Stache Stout

Secret Stache Stout, Finch's Beer Company, Chicago, IL
(Stout, Rated 97)

For me, dark beers are in order this time of year and this one is an extremely dark brown stout with a coffee-colored head. Aroma is mild and has notes of milk chocolate and roasted coffee. Taste is very smooth and creamy with vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and some roasted malts. It has a finish that is sweet and lasts. Amazing stout!

Diesel

Diesel, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Stout, Rated 92)

Characterized as a stout, but like everything else Sixpoint does, this beer doesn't follow labels. Definitely part stout, part black IPA, and completely amazing. Nice dark, rich pour with a tan head. Roasted malt aroma with faint piney hops. Taste starts on the bitter side, smooths out with some chocolate and coffee notes, and finishes with more hop goodness.

I discovered Sixpoint Brewery less than a year ago and they have quickly become one of my favorite breweries. I love that every beer they make breaks molds and bucks trends.

Twelve Breakfast Beers

Last December (2011) I did my first themed beer list, 12 Beers of Christmas. Since then, I've been wanting to do another themed list and had come up with a couple ideas. Deciding on a themed list can be both fun and frustrating, especially if you are concentrating on limited release seasonals. I was fortunate to be able to pull together twelve Christmas beers. This time around, my theme is 'breakfast beers'. What's my criteria? The beer had to either have the word 'breakfast' or some variation of 'coffee' in the name and/or be brewed with coffee. I could have included oatmeal beers, but decided there were enough coffee beers out there that I could put together a good list. I love coffee and I love beer, so it works.  I also wanted to make sure I had twelve. For this 'breakfast beers' list, I had more than enough options. Before I introduce my '12 Breakfast Beers' (in random order), please let me state that I am not saying that these beers are intended to be consumed at breakfast nor do I condone drinking beer at breakfast time on workdays. Please drink responsibly.

The Twelve Breakfast Beers

Fuel Cafe

Fuel Cafe, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI

A sweet stout that combines roasted malts and Milwaukee's reknown FUEL CAFE coffee. Strong coffee aroma and smooth, sweet taste.

Milk Stout

Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO

(Sweet Stout, Rated 96)

A really great sweet stout. Notes of chocolate, coffee, and toasted malts. The milk sugar adds a well rounded sweetness.

Fast fact: Milk Stout is Left Hand Brewing Company's best selling beer. The fact that a stout is a brewery's best selling beer is quite impressive!

2X Stout

2X Stout, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY

(Sweet Stout, Rated 95)

Sweet stouts are also called milk stouts or cream stouts because of the added lactose which adds sweetness and body to the beer. Not as much of the coffee aromas as in others. More like cold coffee with a bit of chocolate and cream. Very smooth drinker.

Polish Moon

Polish Moon, Milwaukee Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI

Very dark sweet stout with roasted malts and coffee flavors.

Luna Coffee Stout

Luna Coffee Stout, Hinterland Brewery, Green Bay, WI

(Stout, Rated 93)

A stout as opposed to sweet stouts, this one lacks the added lactose. The nose detects dark coffee and malts. The taste is smooth with lots of coffee flavor. Ever have really strong black coffee? Take that and add malts and a bit of chocolate to it.

Oscura

Oscura, Furthermore Brewing, Black River Falls, WI

(American Dark Lager, Rated 93)

Seems most beers brewed with coffee are stouts, this one is an American Dark Lager. A pleasant surprise to find this one from Furthermore. The aroma is of freshly brewed coffee grounds that have cooled. Not as heavy on the palate as stouts can be. Light and airy with notes of toasted oats and sweet creamy coffee.

Perkulator Coffee Dopplebock

Perkulator Coffee Dopplebock, Dark Horse Brewing Company, Marshall, MI

(Doppelbock, Rated 91)

Caramel and coffee aromas waft the nose. A nice balance of hops and malts infused with coffee finish.

Java Stout

Java Stout, Bells Brewery, Kalamazoo, MI

(Stout, Rated 99)

Stout meets coffee. A very smooth stout with rich chocolate and roasted malt flavors. Nice coffee aroma. The chocolate adds a sweetness to the palate.

Breakfast Stout

Breakfast Stout, Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI

(Imperial Stout, Rated 100)

Founders makes some amazing beer and this imperial stout is one of their best. This coming from a guy who took a while to get into stouts. Imperial stouts normally have more alcohol content than stouts or sweet stouts, but you really can't tell with this beer. An intense fresh coffee aroma. The taste is a blend of roasted bitterness and sweet chocolate that is silky smooth. A great breakfast beer!

Peruvian Morning Imperial Stout

Peruvian Morning Imperial Stout, Central Waters Brewing Company, Amherst, WI

(Imperial Stout, Rated 99)

Another amazing beer! This imperial stout is infused with Peruvian coffee and aged in bourbon barrels. Aroma is of coffee, chocolate, and bourbon. Coffee and toasted malts are apparent in the flavor and your throat is warmed by the bourbon.

Espresso Amber Ale

Espresso Amber Ale, Peak Organic Brewing Company, Portland, ME

(Amber Ale, Rated 92)

A robust amber ale brewed with fair trade espresso. Sweet caramel, coffee aroma matches well with the sweet malty flavors. Very balanced with mild carbonation.

Mokah

Mokah, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY

(Imperial Stout, Rated 99)

I never expected each beer to be better than the last, but that's what it's turning out to be. Amazing imperial stout! Yeah, it's called Mokah and the theme is breakfast, but this incredibly smooth imperial stout is what the brewers got when they combined two of their signature Blackwater Series Imperial Stouts (Choklat and Jahva). Chocolate aroma is strong through the nose with hints of coffee. Flavor is amazing (I know I've said that a few times already) blend of creamy chocolate, malts, and roasted coffee. Reminds me of malted milk balls with an alcohol kicker (10.9% abv).



Well, that was twelve, but I said that there were plenty of options for this breakfast category. So here are four bonus beers...



Cappuccino Stout

Cappuccino Stout, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA

(Stout, Rated 96)

I love this brewery and everything they produce! No surprise that I'd love their stout too. Nice coffee and caramel malt aroma. Lots of coffee flavor in this one. Strong coffee malts and hints of chocolate. The coffee flavor lasts.

Mikkeller Koppi Tomahawk x Guji Natural Coffee IPA

Mikkeller Koppi Tomahawk x Guji Natural Coffee IPA, Mikkeller De Proef Brouwerij,
Lochtisti-Hijfte, Belgium

(IPA, Rated 96)

For breakfast beers so far, there have been amber ale, American dark lager, doppelbock, imperial stouts, stouts, and sweet stouts...why not an IPA?  As one who really enjoys a good hoppy IPA, the name alone gave this breakfast beer promise in this themed series. Alas I was disappointed. The hops were the best part of this beer. The aroma was all hops. The taste was of hops and more hops. Where's the coffee?! This is one very good IPA however.

Beer Geek Breakfast

Beer Geek Breakfast, Mikkeller De Proef Brouwerij, Lochtisti-Hijfte, Belgium

(Stout, Rated 100)

This amazing stout is more oatmeal with a touch of coffee. Light coffee and malts on the nose. A definite smoky roasted malt flavor with notes of oatmeal, chocolate, and coffee. The smokiness almost makes me think I taste a little bacon...but maybe I'm just wishing it really was breakfast time. 

Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, Kiuchi Brewery, Ibaraki, Japan

(Stout, Rated 99)

I was quite surprised by this stout from Japan. Slightly bitter chocolate aroma. Caramel, chocolate, roasted malts and a pretty intense coffee flavor. Kampai!


Even before I decided to do this themed beer list, it had taken me a little while to really get into stouts and really enjoy them. All it really took was for me to have one of the finer, higher quality, stouts to get me going. (I kind of feel like Guinness is a poor man's stout) I did find the other coffee flavored styles to be very interesting though. If I was forced to pick a favorite from this list, I believe I'd have to go with Southern Tier's Mokah. This was fun. Now on to my next themed list. Considering it's nearly Summer out, perhaps a themed list around Summertime or fruit beer.  Stay tuned...

Double Chocolate Stout

Double Chocolate Stout, Youngs, London, England 

(Stout, Rated 96)