DuClaw Brewing Company Sweet Baby Java! American Porter at 6.2% ABV | 53 IBU (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #23, 355 ml, packaged on 21-Jun-2017, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 23-Dec-2017)
Appearance: opaque near-black with only hints of clear brown around the margins, one finger of loose light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: peanut, espresso, chocolate, roasty malts. (10/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly astringent finish. (4/5)
Take Sweet Baby Jesus! and add espresso – what’s not to like? In fact, it smells awesome, but the taste is a bit of a letdown, even if only slightly and then only by comparison. The coffee is definitely present on the palate, but doesn’t feel over-extracted as is so often the case with coffee brews. I like this a fair bit better than the base SBJ! even if it could stand to be heavier, with better head retention and lacing. And now I’m wondering, if #JitteringJesus isn’t the Christmas Eve beer, what is? (17/20)
8.5/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
