Hey there beer lovers! Are you into the wonderful coffee stouts that are all the rage these days? If you get really lucky you might stumble across a bottle of Founders Kentucky Bourbon Stout or Goose Island Bourbon County. To this day, I’ve still never tasted a KBS (though I have had the GI beer). Simply put, I refuse to stand in line for beer, which is pretty much what you have to do to get one of these.

That said, don’t cry for me Argentina. I didn’t have to wait in line to get a great coffee stout with notes of whiskey. No, I just bellied up to the bar at Taco Mac and ordered up a mug of Boulder Irish Blessing Oak-Aged Coffee Stout. I was amazed at how good this beer was, and it was served in a full 20-ounce mug.

From the website:

Irish Blessing is a dark Stout brewed with an abundance of black and chocolate malts for a bittersweet chocolate finish. We collaborated with our friends and local roasters at OZO Coffee in Boulder to determine the perfect roast to complement our stout, choosing their OZO Blend to use in the brew adding earthy, roasted coffee flavors to the beer. We then age Irish Blessing on Jameson Irish Whiskey soaked in oak, imparting the finishing touches of whiskey and wood. Slainte! 

Ingredients from the website:

Malts  →  Pale Malt, Caramel Malt, Black Malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley and Rolled Oats

Hops  →  Nugget, Willamette

Plus  →  OZO Blend Coffee

Boulder Irish Blessing Oak-Aged Coffee Stout has an alcohol content of 6.8% by volume with 40 IBUs. I paid just $5.75 for a full mug pour, which I found to be a great bargain. I was expecting an 11-ounce glass. Boulder Irish Blessing Oak-Aged Coffee Stout is a draft-only specialty.

My mug of Boulder Irish Blessing Oak-Aged Coffee Stout arrived a jet-black color with a thick creamy tan head and a Whoa! Get a whiff of that! Big hit of Black coffee and coffee grinds in the nose. Taking a sip, I get a full rich mouthfeel, vibrant coffee and roast, a hint of toffee, a touch of woody oak, and a soft whisper of boozy whiskey in the finish.

This beer impressed me in so many ways, full in body, depth of flavor, and complexity, I could sip it all night long. $5.75 for a full mug of this wonderful brew? You just hit the jackpot tiger!

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

Home