Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Anchorage, AK
Available: AK, OR, WA
This award-winning porter is named for the Arctic Rhino coffee blend developed by a well-known Anchorage coffee roaster and infused into this beer.
ABV: 5.0
ABW: 3.98
Color: N/A
Bitterness: 20
Original gravity: N/A
Well balanced, with nice drinkability for such a full-flavored beer. Molasses, cocoa powder, burnt licorice root, baker’s chocolate, fig cake and chocolate-covered coffee beans, Grainy, roasted malt, ground espresso finish.
Being of the sort who likes to balance his stimulants and depressants, I’m fond of a good coffee beer now and then, especially when its crafted so the coffee, or the hops, or the alcohol, doesn’t overwhelm the other elements. Like in this ebony beauty. Rich coffee on the nose, but also notes of sweet mocha and dates, and an equal balance of dark chocolaty malt, dark raisin and black plum and, naturally, espresso-ish coffee on the palate. Sure, the java is obvious on the first sniff and sip, but by the time you finish your glass, you may have even forgotten this is a coffee beer, so well integrated are all the flavors.
John Hansell is an equal-opportunity drinker. He writes about beer, wine and spirits. He is the creator, publisher and editor of Malt Advocate, a magazine for the whisky enthusiast.
Once described as “beerdom's Brillat-Savarin,” Stephen Beaumont is the author of five books and countless articles on beer, spirits, food, travel, and how it all goes together.
