A staple in Revolution Brewing’s Deep Wood Series, Cafe Deth is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial oatmeal stout that is brewed with English specialty malts, flaked and malted oats, and an aggressive amount of Chicago’s own Dark Matter Coffee to create a heavy, rich, chocolaty profile and silky mouthfeel that cloaks its considerable strength. This beer clocks in at 14.8% ABV, so if you’re not seeing things out of the corner of your eye moving around in the shadow, you definitely will be after drinking this one.
THEBASICS
style: Barrel-Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout
abv: 14.8%
ibu: 35
color: Black
stemware: Tulip
TASTINGNOTES
This beer pours obsidian black and is topped with a healthy, foamy dark tan head that has great retention.
The aroma is hearty and roasty, packed with notes of caramel, chocolate, nuts, and roasted malts.
The flavor follows the nose, though this beer is surprisingly thinner than I reckoned it would be considering a) the style, and b) its appearance. When it poured out of the can, it poured so slowly – like oil. But it’s a medium-bodied beer, with a bit of carbonation and a syrupy mouthfeel. The base flavors of roasted malts and caramel serve as the backbone for MiddleCoast’s variant, which was brewed with natural macadamia and chocolate flavors. Those flavors do come through; the nuttiness actually comes through more than the chocolate, which was surprising, again, considering the style.
FINALTHOUGHTS
I’m eager to try as many Black Is Beautiful beer variants as I can get my hands on, and MiddleCoast Brewing Company‘s was an exceptional starting point.
Overall, the beer is a bit thinner than I prefer imperial stouts to be, but the flavors of roasted malts, chocolate, and nuts made for a tasty dessert beer – particularly on a rainy, gloomy mid-October day in the Midwest.
What were your thoughts of this one? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome! Contact me, or enter a comment below.
Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.