Judge’s Review: 86 Rating – Interrogation by Scofflaw Brewing Co.

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By Michael Bury

Judges Rating: 86
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 36
Mouthfeel: 8
Overall Impression: 17

Interrogation by Scofflaw Brewing Co., which is being evaluated as a Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer (2021 BJCP Guidelines, Category 30A), pours an opaque dark brown color with a relatively small tan head that doesn’t persist.
A moderately strong espresso coffee character opens the aroma. Underlying that is toasty, caramel malt with a bit of earthy hops. Cleanly fermented with no real esters perceived.
The delicateness of the coffee is best exemplified in the flavor with nuts, toast and a bit of cinnamon that complement the toast and caramel of the malt nicely. Hops are largely in the background with subtle earthy notes and a restrained hop bitterness. The finish is well attenuated but a bit on the sweet side presumably due to lactose; it is based on a sweet stout base after all. The coffee lingers well into the aftertaste.
Overall, Interrogation is a good beer that really showcases the coffee well with no typical green pepper side notes present. However, the sweet stout leaves a bit of room for improvement in the areas where a fuller body and deeper malt complexity would have been appreciated, while increasing the intensity of the roasted malt.