Schlafly Beer/The Saint Louis Brewery Coffee Stout

“Natural hazelnut coffee with brown roasted malt notes push up against low grainy cereal aromas. The bitter roast amplifies the bitterness created by the earthy and pine-like hops, with hints of coffee in the background. The finish is drying, further accentuating bitterness.”

__Aroma:__ “Orange, grapefruit, lemon, and pine. Grassy, herbal. Some pineapple, mango and a touch of vanilla-like sweetness. The malt is subtle—light and vaguely sweet.” __Flavor:__ Nice sweetness up front. Some notes of grapefruit, a little orange, slight lemon. A little pine. Well balanced with significant bitterness to cut the lightly toasted sweetness. Light body, clean semisweet malt. __Overall:__ A pretty standard West Coast IPA. Nice citrus notes with some pine and tropical fruit. The balance with the bitterness worked well, but it could use a touch of malt complexity. Clean and crisp, and very sessionable for a beer of evident strength.

**Aroma:** “Lactose sweetness, hints of coffee and chocolate. Light-to-moderate hops aroma—earthy, spicy. Some intense dark malt flavors, ranging from black licorice to intense roast. Mild cold-brewed coffee notes. Reminiscent of freshly ground coffee beans.” **Flavor:** “Strong notes of roasted malt and coffee with a touch of caramel malt sweetness. Coffee comes through a bit too bitter and lingering in the finish, but not unpleasant. Tastes of a sweet iced coffee. Light lactose sweetness with light roast and low-moderate hops bitterness—surprisingly high for the style. Finish is spicy, crisp, and lightly bitter.” **Overall:** “Enjoyable, but a little sharp for a milk stout. A nice display of coffee flavor, but the base beer doesn’t entirely hold up against it. Could use a bit more sweetness to support, but any coffee aficionado will like this one.”