Stoutello

Stoutello from Knee Deep Brewing is being evaluated as a Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer (Category 30A) from the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines.

Stoutello pours a deep black color and is opaque with great clarity at the edge of the glass. The big, tan mousse-like head seems to last forever, and the overall appearance is very inviting.

The aroma greets you with big bittersweet cocoa powder followed closely by dark roast coffee, roast malt and roasted cocoa beans with a hit of hazelnut syrup, a bit Nutella-like. There is no hop aroma or fermentation character noted on the nose. The flavor follows with prominent hazelnut syrup, roast cocoa beans and a bit of burnt malt in the aftertaste; not as complex as the aroma. High hop bitterness emerges and sticks around as it moves into the medium-dry finish, growing as it lingers and stealing the show. The hazelnut also increases as the beer passes through the aftertaste. As with the aroma, there is no hop flavor or fermentation character. The body is a touch thin and unexpected with the addition of lactose.

An enjoyable beer with a giant hit from the roast malt, cocoa nibs and hazelnut This one would pair well with a coffee-crusted pork loin or ribs with stout BBQ sauce.