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David Sapsis's picture

Judge's Review: 93 Rating - BRAMS Chocolate Coffee Stout by BRAMS

January, 2022

BRAMS Chocolate Coffee Stout

BRAMS Chocolate Coffee Stout

California
United States
BRAMS Chocolate Coffee Stout, BRAMS
Beverage Profile
ABV: 
4.7%

 

 


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Judges Rating: 
93
Aroma: 
22 / 24
Appearance: 
6 / 6
Flavor: 
37 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
9 / 10
Overall Impression: 
19 / 20

BRAMS Chocolate Coffee Stout by BRAMS was judged under 2015 BJCP Guidelines, style 30A: Spice, Herb or Vegetable Beer.

The beer is served at 48oF  in a small,12-ounce wide-mouthed stout glass after a very vigorous pour. Upon inspection with a focused light, it reveals a super-deep ruby-red color with brilliant clarity that invalidates its otherwise apparent opacity. The foam is medium-tan and of mixed-size bubbles with a whipped cream texture. A super-pretty beer. 

The nose is rich with dark unsweetened chocolate along with a clear and pronounced dark roasted (blackish) coffee bean note. Along with some mineral dryness, the aroma is both rich and very dry with only a light creamy malt sweetness peeking through. No hop or ethanol aromas are detected; simply dry, and complexly roasty overall with some roasted malt and roasted barley angles mixing with the coffee bean.

The beer starts out hugely roasty and coffee bean-flavored with a middle hit of light bitterness before the mid-palate emergence of a strong cocoa/dark chocolate fruitiness  takes hold. The finish is quite dry, but lasting and long with light bitter chocolate and almost perfect residual malt sweetness lingering deep into the aftertaste. Body is quite light for the style -- nowhere as light as an Irish stout but still pretty thin. Texture has a light creaminess and low-level stringency simply from all the black and roasted stuff used in its making. 

This is a well-made, drinkable stout that is not obviously sweet, and not distinctly dry either, but showcases both dark cocoa/chocolate and dark roasted coffee bean (Italian roast?) flavors that are rich but not overwhelming. It's a drinkable beer with a whole lot of flavor but not not a lot of weight. The coffee may be too strong for some, but those who drink espresso will appreciate its fresh and rich dark bean flavors. I think the beer would go well with rich pub food, and if you enjoy onion rings, I would start there.