Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee Stout

Well, today we stay with the coffee stout, but move up-state a little to Amherst, WI where Central Waters is located. The roasted notes of coffee and the roasty, chocolatey, winey, full bodied warmth of the stout seem to go perfectly together. So while the occasional brewery might combine coffee with, say, a Mexican lager, the usual course is to combine coffee with a stout and many breweries make their reputation on just such a combination.

Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee Stout

Appearance: A thick tan head from an aggressive pour that settles to a brown crema; a dark, deep black body
Aroma: A very muted coffee and roasted malt smell; not a huge aroma at all
Flavor: coffee bitterness is immediately obvious, but there's some background dark chocolatey-ness to it as well, it is followed by a fast-paced alcohol and hop finish – where Bear Republic's Big Bear Stout sets the standard for hoppy beer with an amazing cascade hit, Central Waters has a nice, big, powerful hop finish that's nowhere near a hop-bomb but is thankfully not brash cascade hops.
Body: Smooth, thick and creamy like a mocha shake
Drinkability: Very nice; where Lakefront's was a great rotational beer to get you through the winter; this is one to pull out on those nights when you just crave a big flavorful stout
Summary: The hops were somewhat surprising and really help to compound and accentuate the coffee and chocolate bitterness, bringing out both of those flavors in a more pronounced manner than the malt bill alone would accomplish; it is a nice, big thick beer, which while pairing nicely flavor-wise, doesn't really make for a light meal when paired with a hearty, spicy beef chili.