Twisted Pine Big Shot Espresso Stout

Santa Clause brought me this jazzy looking beer, just in time for January’s unfaltering misery and gray skies. I figured a combination of heavy beer and jolting espresso flavors might temporarily lift me out of Colorado’s all-gray funk. Sure enough, Twisted Pine’s Big Shot Espresso Stout packed such a flavor whallop I couldn’t help but see the world in shades of brown and cream instead of the usual life sucking grays of winter. As befits an espresso beer, the thin head is very espresso like in its dark cream head and ink black body. The aroma is likewise rich, but curiously sweet, cool and refreshing. Actually, I am reminded of subterranean caves and old mine shafts with their wet and earthy and very encompassing scents. Sprinkled on time of this soily base are the faint but adoring smells of very dark chocolate, whole milk, cinnamon, sugar-in-the-raw, and fresh espresso. The Big Shot Espresso Stout is straight up rich and sweet - an intense treat. If the idea of a decadently sugar smelling beer is off-putting, fear not, for this brew’s flavor is much milder than the aroma. The bitter half of dark chocolate meets with the taste of diluted espresso, with a semi-burnt flavor. This might be one of the few times I write such things, but I found this beer’s bitterness very appealing and almost addicting. It seems like there should be a sweeter profile to match the dark astringency of this beer, but even without an extra spoonful of sugar, the medicine goes down, and with gusto. After the beer is gone, the chalice cleaned and the bottle disposed of, I begin to have second thoughts about the beer. For all the flavors, the mouthfeel might have been a bit too thin, and as the beer warmed the chocolate may have become too dark and bitter. But it is unfair to lay these criticisms on the drink after I finished it, so I’ll temper these remarks and say simply that it is an intense drink to be sure, and practically a requisite try for anybody who is both a beer and coffee enthusiast.

^Coffee junky. Thanks miketd: This poured dark brown with amber highlights. An espresso-lovers beer, this actually is reminiscent of freshly brewed espresso with generous amount of crema moreso than roasted coffee beans. Undertones of buttery, rich vanilla, and roasted malts throughout. Finishes off dry and roasted, and not sweet. w00t!

A cold pour produces a thick blackish sludge w/ a two finger head. Good head retention and the creamy lacing sticks to the end. Strong aromas of full on espresso. Full nectar w/ good carbonation crates a soft fiberous texture. Dry w/ big roasted espresso flavors that climb through the sludge like a creature emerging from a watery tomb. Secondary flavors of dark cocoa, leather, and a pinch of chipotle pepper to finish w/ superb bittering. A beautiful specimen.

Pours black with tan head. Aroma of coffee beans. Taste of roasted malt and loads of coffee. Thin mouthfeel. Pretty much coffee and not much else going on with this one.

tap at the brewpub - Pours black with a thin tan head. It smells like espresso beans. It tastes like espresso beans (and dark roast malt of course). Good! I needed some caffeine! It’s medium bodied and pretty tasty.