Two Brothers Off The Cuff

Two Brothers Brewing Co.   Warrenville, IL

Notes:

Spicy Cocoa Stout

22oz Bottle

7.2% ABV

28 IBU

Appearance:  Pours a dense black with a nice layer of mocha colored head…really straight forward looking stout…head does thin a bit after a few minutes…(3.75/5)

Smell:  Very similar aroma to their Northwinds Imperial Stout…milk chocolate, roasted malts, sweetness (raisin, fig), creaminess and toffee…no surprise, this is very malt driven with subtle hops presence and a touch of alcohol heat…there’s also a warming spiciness to it…it’s nice, but I feel like it could be more and is too reminiscent of Northwinds for me (which is one of my favorite brews right now)…roasted coffee bitterness comes out more as it warms…(3.8/5)

Taste:  Roasted malts galore…there is a noticeable smokiness in the initial flavor bringing a more “Imperial” taste…while the beer is on the palate, there is really only a rich, roasted malt taste that dominates leaving most of the flavor to come in the after taste…milk chocolate, some slight coffee bitterness (very mild) and creaminess all hit the palate after I swallow…a good amount of warming spices also come out bringing that expected spiciness that really adds a bit of kick to the robustness brought by all those roasted malts…solid…(4.25/5)

Mouthfeel:  Light to medium body, it feels light for the color and style…carbonation is light to medium fluffs up bringing roasted malt and warming spices to the palate…wet, rich and mildly smooth, this brew hits the palate and works well through the after taste…overall though, it feels a bit light…(3.75/5)

Overall:  This is a solid brew, full of flavor and vigor and life…it seems like Two Brothers may have added a few ingredients to their already successful Northwinds Imperial Stout and re-released it as a Off the Cuff …this new formula comes closer to a more robust RIS, though the mouthfeel is still a bit watery to be considered exemplary…as it stands, this is a solid brew with great flavor and an easy drinkability that makes it perfect for sitting on the couch with a good book or say that new episode of Parks and Rec…easy to recommend, pick one of these up at your nearest craft beer store and enjoy!  (4/5)

Score:

(3.95/5)