River Rat Brewery My Morning Stout
What the brewers say
“Start your day off the River Rat way with notes of cacao nibs, oats, Madagascar vanilla, and a jolt from our exclusive blend of Jittery Joe's coffee. Goes nicely with a walk of shame and a Denver omelet.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Dark caramel up front, with a low level of raisin evident on the first whiff. The roasted character lends Special B character with some plum. Hints of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, toast, burnt toffee. Low, earthy hops aroma, and as it warms, the yeast character becomes more evident.”
Flavor: “The flavor comes through as chocolate milk, with some plum esters and flavor. The milky creaminess is evident and provides an interesting contrast. There are hints of coffee, sweet chocolate, cacao nibs, and toffee, as well as burnt roast notes and artificial sweetener. The body is on the thin side, yet the malt lingers into the finish.”
Overall: “Overall, this is an interesting beer that confused me to some degree. The fruity esters up front were evident in the flavor, but gave way to the chocolate. It has a thin body with burnt toffee evident in the finish and lacked the malty complexity to round it out. Still, it was a rich, sweet chocolate drink that had a decadent quality that was enjoyable.”