Fuel Cafe Stout (Lakefront Brewery)

Yet another coffee beer. I really like the combo of a dark beer and coffee. Whoever came up with that idea is a genius. In fact, I wonder who was the first to brew a commercially available coffee flavored beer? Anyways...

According to the label, Fuel Cafe is a "stout brewed with coffee" and "especially for Fuel Cafe". I checked out the Fuel Cafe site to see if they did indeed serve this beer at their establishment. I didn't see it on the menu but I am sure its in their coolers.

This beer pours very dark and inky. It rushes into the glass like a fresh brewed cup of dark roasted coffee. Well, that might be a little much but if you squint and use your imagination you can just about get that. The head is a big, fluffy and a nice pretty tan (coffee?) color.  In the glass this stuff looks pitch black. I like it.

The smell is really, really good. Its fresh coffee, roasty malts and some bitterness. It honestly smells like a glass of iced black coffee. 

The first sip has some acidity, dark roasted malt bitterness, some espresso notes and a small amount of citrus in the end. Its a very smooth drinking beer. It feels a bit light for the style, I like coffee stouts with a lot of malt backbone. This one is just missing a little more of the malt that would make it a more balanced beer. Nonetheless it is NOT a bad beer. Its quite good actually and I wouldn't dream of pouring it out. I look forward to trying Lakefront's other beers available here in Maine.

I promise you that Lakefront Brewery is NOT related in any way to that big brewery in Milwaukee. I am sure they get that question a lot more now that these fictitious marketing company names are springing up for beers brewed by the big guys. Lakefront has actually been around for more than 20 years and they're brewing up some good beers that have recently managed to find their way all the way out here to Maine!

BEER FACTS

Name: Fuel Cafe Stout

Style: Stout (coffee flavored)

Brewery: Lakefront Brewery

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 5.9%

IBUs: ?