Try?
As I type this,
it’s early on a Saturday morning, and I’m sipping gently on a hot cup of
coffee. It’s a cloudy, windy day today, as the northern fringes of tropical
storm fay extend over Atlanta. And as I sip my roasty, slightly acidic cup
of Community Coffee, made rich with cream (but unadulterated by sugar, if
you please) I’m thinking of…beer.
Those of you who regularly read my musings should not be surprised. But really, I’m thinking of beer as I sip my cup of Joe because of a particular beer I drank last night, Lakefront Fuel Café Coffee Stout. This is one of my favorite brews from Milwaukee’s Lakefront brewery, and it’s a rare treat that should not be missed.
When you think about it, coffee and beer are not all that dissimilar. While it’s true that beer is fermented and coffee is not, it’s also a fact that dark beers (especially stouts like the one under consideration today) are made with roasted barley. And that roasted barley adds a flavor not unlike that of roasted coffee beans.
Fuel Café Stout, of course, takes the comparison a step further, and is actually a marriage of beer and coffee. That’s because Lakefront uses real coffee from the local Fuel Café in Milwaukee’s Riverwest section to make their stout. And the results, as you’ll see if you try this tasty little brew, are very agreeable.
Fuel Café Coffee Stout pours to a jet black color with a creamy tan head formation and a rich dark coffee and fruit nose. This is a very appetizing looking beer indeed, and when I sip I get a veritable explosion of flavors. First up is the chocolate, deep, dark, and delicious in all its bittersweet glory. The coffee is up next, concentrated and roasty, slightly oily and acidic, and reminiscent of espresso and chicory. The grassy hops lend credence to the latter suggestion, and they dry the beer nicely in the finish, adding a hint of green olive to boot.
Fuel Café makes a great dessert beer, and that should come as no surprise. It’s dark, dry roasty flavors will pair as well with a slice of cheesecake or pumpkin pie as a cup of joe. But it’s also a wonderful beer by itself, as a nightcap with a book or movie at bedtime.
Those of you who regularly read my musings should not be surprised. But really, I’m thinking of beer as I sip my cup of Joe because of a particular beer I drank last night, Lakefront Fuel Café Coffee Stout. This is one of my favorite brews from Milwaukee’s Lakefront brewery, and it’s a rare treat that should not be missed.
When you think about it, coffee and beer are not all that dissimilar. While it’s true that beer is fermented and coffee is not, it’s also a fact that dark beers (especially stouts like the one under consideration today) are made with roasted barley. And that roasted barley adds a flavor not unlike that of roasted coffee beans.
Fuel Café Stout, of course, takes the comparison a step further, and is actually a marriage of beer and coffee. That’s because Lakefront uses real coffee from the local Fuel Café in Milwaukee’s Riverwest section to make their stout. And the results, as you’ll see if you try this tasty little brew, are very agreeable.
Fuel Café Coffee Stout pours to a jet black color with a creamy tan head formation and a rich dark coffee and fruit nose. This is a very appetizing looking beer indeed, and when I sip I get a veritable explosion of flavors. First up is the chocolate, deep, dark, and delicious in all its bittersweet glory. The coffee is up next, concentrated and roasty, slightly oily and acidic, and reminiscent of espresso and chicory. The grassy hops lend credence to the latter suggestion, and they dry the beer nicely in the finish, adding a hint of green olive to boot.
Fuel Café makes a great dessert beer, and that should come as no surprise. It’s dark, dry roasty flavors will pair as well with a slice of cheesecake or pumpkin pie as a cup of joe. But it’s also a wonderful beer by itself, as a nightcap with a book or movie at bedtime.
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
