16 November 2011

Espresso Rich Coffee Beer (Selfridges) [By @SpectreUK]


I’ve been dreading this beer ever since Cinabar brought it back from somewhere obscure, whilst sporting a sadistic grin from ear to ear. This Espresso Rich Coffee Beer is brewed by the Dark Star Brewing Company, in Sussex. It was voted National Champion Specialty Beer 2009. 4.2% volume and packaged in a dark foreboding looking 500ml bottle, this is a dark brown, almost black coloured beer, made from roasted barley malt, challenger hops, and brewed with freshly ground Arabica coffee beans, which are native to the mountains of Yemen.

On opening, this beer smells of strong coffee. I could really taste coffee with every mouthful. After the initial overpowering coffee hit there is a strong bitterness from the beer. The beer’s bitterness works with the bitter coffee flavour to make this drink even bitterer than seems reasonable. The beer left a bitter aftertaste of coffee in my mouth. I felt like eating something sweet whilst drinking this beer to try to counter the bitterness. I’m not a coffee person, as I’m far too English, so therefore I am a tea person. However, I am a beer person, but I was not converted to this beer like I was in the past to chocolate beer. Cinabar is a coffee person and she didn’t like this beer. Cinabar is not a beer person. Although that doesn’t justify that you have to be a coffee and a beer person to enjoy this Espresso Coffee Beer, I still reckon you have to like really strong bitter coffee to fully enjoy it. If you like strong coffee and super bitter tasting beers then go for it; however, I’m a wuss and will stick with my chocolate beer.
By Spectre

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