As winter is turning towards spring I am trying the some of the stouts remaining in my beer fridge. Soon it will not be cold enough to thoroughly enjoy a stout, as it warms you up on a cold night. Tonight I am trying a stout from a brewery I have never sampled a beer from. I am curious and excited to see their take on a stout style that I enjoy. The brewery is located in the Northeast of the United States. The New England Area for a better explanation.
Two Roads Brewing Company
The brewery is Two Roads Brewing Company, they are located in Stratford, Connecticut. Two Roads was founded in 2012, by four friends who always wanted to start a craft brewery. Two Roads is not just a logo on the label and the brewery, it's their philosophy. Life seems to always offer up two ways to go. Happens to that they prefer to take the one less taken and have some fun along the way. The Road Less Traveled is their philosophy for the beers and is on every beer.
Espressway Coffee Steeped Oatmeal Stout by Two Roads Brewing Company
Now onto tonight's beer. I am trying the Espressway from Two Roads Brewing Company. Espressway is a Coffee Steeped Oatmeal Stout. In other words, it's Cold Brew Coffee Stout. I am curious to try this brew since, I recently had a conversation with a brewer who told me to use cold brew if I add coffee into my brews. I am fascinated to see the different take on the addition of coffee into the beer. From the conversation, I had with a brewer he told me that it takes away acidity in the beer that would have been added because of the beans added into the process. Espressway has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.5%. Two Roads adds a mixture of locally roasted Ethiopian/Sumatra blend of beans under pressure, to create an espresso like mixture without steam. The mixtures is steeped for several days.
Appearance of Espressway
Let's dive into the aroma and the appearance. Appearance of Espressway as you pour it you notice the deep rich black colored appearance to the beer. As if it was just freshly roasted black coffee. The next thing I noticed was the foam/head of the beer. After you pour the beer there is a thin layer of a deep brown tint foam around the top of the beer. The rich dark chocolate colored head quickly dissipates and leaves a thin ring of foam around the edge of glass. The aroma of Espressway is tricky in a good way. The first note that I picked up on the aroma was the roasted malt aroma. The roasted malt aroma note is rich and is very noticeable aromatically. The second note I picked up on is the coffee aroma, which is strong considering the coffee beans blended in the mixture. It is a complex and rich coffee aroma, as I figured it would be. Another aroma note I notice not as strong is the chocolate or cocoa nibs aroma. The chocolate/cocoa nibs aroma matches the dark chocolate tint of the foam. The last note I picked up on is a hint of vanilla.
Taste is next up on the agenda. I took my first sip and I was hooked. For me, I am not a big coffee fan, but the complexity of the coffee beans added into the stout were not overpowering to a point that I could not enjoy the stout. The roasted malt notes the are noticeable in the aroma is the first thing, I noticed in the taste of the beer. There is a bitter note in the beer the coincides with the roasted malt note that pairs well with it. It is not a bitter note from hops, it is a bitter chocolate note. The coffee notes comes after the roasted and bitter notes. The coffee note does not linger. But you can tell that it is like an espresso, which comes through in the body of the beer. It is smooth and creamy mouthfeel. The end note I get is a subtle hop unique not that is not bitter, which is blended into the linger roasted notes left on the tip of the tongue. The beer finishes with a dry finish.
Check out Espressway by Two Roads Brewing Company
Overall, I think this Coffee Oatmeal Stout was a good stout. To me I almost wish the oatmeal side asserted itself a little more for my liking. The coffee side takes more of the presences in the beer. That in no way means that I did not enjoy the beer. I did really like the beer. If you are a coffee or espresso enthusiast this is a must try. If you enjoy coffee stouts than you need to add this stout to your list to try. The name of this brew is paired well with the taste of the stout.
Check out Two Roads Brewing Company on their website and social media:
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