8 Wired Brewing Company C4 Double Coffee Brown Ale American Brown Ale at 8% ABV (C$11.30 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 500 ml, best before 14-Dec-2016, reviewed 10-Feb-2016)
Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of fluffy light beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: coffee, caramel, light vanilla, bready yeast, floral and peppery hops. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, lively to moderate carbonation, medium duration bitter and light tart finish. (3/5)
Again with the unexpected tartness in a coffee beer? I don’t know what they’re doing in New Zealand, but presumably it’s not an age issue, since they (Hallelujah! Finally!) put a BB date on the bottle. There is a small amount of hop profile present here, but it’s largely washed out by the coffee. Once again, I’m not all that thrilled with the coffee, though – it’s coming through as watered down and acrid, instead of smooth and rich (like e.g. Brunch Weasel). Somewhat surprisingly, it’s a bit better balanced than their coffee stout, but it’s still not what I would consider their best work. (13/20)
6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
