Calfé (Coffee Milk Stout)
Slightly sweet and full-bodied with hints of complex roasted malts and chocolate, Calfé (6% | 25 IBU) delivers a kick to the corral. This Coffee Milk Stout is infused with java roasted locally by the team at Cincinnati’s Deeper Roots Coffee.
Reviews are done by Jim Matt, our Chief Science Officer, who is also a veteran FoBAB judge, GABF judge, and BJCP Master judge.
Malts: Maris Otter, Crystal Dark, Chocolate, Flaked Barley, Flaked Oats, Roasted Barley, Carafa III, Lactose
Hops: Bravo, Cascade
Calfé was our first canned stout! Walk us through this beer’s journey to our seasonal lineup.
Calfé has its roots in Bertha, a milk stout that we have brewed for a few years. Coffee beers have become popular, and the season is ripe for a beer like this.
What are the notable characteristics of this beer?
Full-bodied, lightly roasty, hints of chocolate, and (of course), coffee!
What are your go-to Coffee Milk Stouts?
Stone makes a good one, also Arabicadabra from Bells.
Appearance: Very dark brown/black, opaque. Thick dark tan head with excellent retention.
Aroma: Medium coffee, medium-low chocolate and roast notes, light hint of caramel. Very low hop aroma, low fruity esters.
Taste: Very malt forward with a supporting cast of coffee, chocolate, toffee and lightly roasty undertones. Low fruitiness, medium-low bitterness. Finishes slightly sweet without being cloying. Medium low bitterness, low hop flavor.
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body, medium low carbonation, creamy and smooth.
Overall: Like a beer version of a Vietnamese coffee…definitely a beer first with a light coffee addition to support and not overwhelm the beer. Quintessentially balanced!
What foods would pair well with Calfé?
The obvious would be a Tiramisu, the not-so-obvious, Vietnamese Pho or Filipino style beef stew (Kaldereta).
Ideal glassware for Calfé?
Tulip/snifter glass or Imperial Pint.