Laurelwood Organic Portland Roast Espresso Stout

Brewed by Laurelwood Public House & Brewery
Style: Stout
Portland, Oregon USA

Serve in English pint

(22oz bomber thanks to bu11zeye) clear ruby brown with a few soapy tan bubbles. Nose of espresso, chocolate, cream. Taste of watery/thin coffee, and perhaps even a bit of stale coffee, chocolate (but again watery), thin body. Wish it had been a bit more flavorful and thick in body. The base beer here is nice.

In short: A Espresso stout that doesn’t overdo the coffee thing. Good session beer.
How: Bottle 22oz. Consumed moderately fresh, approximately 3 months after purchase. Bottle sent to me by after4ever, thanks a lot Tom.
The look: Black body topped by a medium beige head
In long: Nose is has the usual suspects of black coffee and notes of chocolate but also something that I’d describe as sweaty sports locker. Taste is basic creamy black malts, some chocolate cake, some mocha, some coffee, earthy notes. The beer is halfway between creamy and roasted. Unlike most beer called “Espresso Stout” I thought the coffee flavor was far from being overwhelming, it was almost discreet. This was a very sessionnable beer, something I rarely say about espresso stouts. Highly drinkabile but also very straightforward. I liked this beer very much but I also feel like I’ve had a beer just like this one many many times before, meaning I probably drink too much. I never thought I’d be someone who would one day decide to cut down on my drinking and exercise more. And I was right.

(22oz bottle) Pours a deep mahogany body with a small beige head. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, and pepper. Flavor of roasted malt, coffee, vanilla, and minerals with a dry finish.

Bottle from bu11zeye. Dark brown pour with an off-white head. Aroma is fantastic. Dirty coffee, earth, and faint chocolate. Taste is a let down. A little bit of coffee, vegetables, roasted, and dirt.

Bottle courtesy bu11zeye. Pours a dark brown color with a reddish color when held to the light. Beige ring of head. Aroma is a nice mix of chocolate, coffee beans, roasted malts. Nice aroma. Flavor is dark roast, coffee notes, beans and some easy malts. Nice finish. Nice but lacking so much coffee.

Traded bottle. Yah, it was okay but nothing special. Fairly light in mouthfeel and flavor. Some nice roasted coffee but not much else holding it together.

22oz from Northwest Liquid Gold. Initially a fairly deep dark brown pour, with a modest head. But once the brew settles in it looks a bit like an adjunct stout crossed with rust water. Nose of mild carob and day-old coffee. Body is a bit too thin, not surprisingly given the other impressions. And the taste is dominated by grainy, dry, faded coffee. Alas, it appears this brew isn’t the freshest. Too many other good coffee stouts out there to seek this one out again.

Black color/ light tan sheen. Chocolate malt, medium roast coffee, earthy kelp aromas. medium bodied. Tasty, rich deep roast malt, sugared up black coffee, mocha chocolate flavors.