Beer Review: Strongman Coffee Milk Stout

Photo courtesy of Kevin Gibson

A sweet and creamy seasonal that’s perfect for fall.

Most of us in the southern states have been enjoying Hi-Wire Brewing’s products for some time now, given it’s one of the better known breweries in the southeast’s epicenter of beer, Asheville, N.C.

So even though it was a warm summer day, and I usually am more inclined to crave stouts in cooler weather, I was pretty excited when a friend handed off a six-pack of Hi-Wire’s Strongman Coffee Stout. And no, I wasn’t about to save it for autumn.

While I’d tried several of the brewery’s core beers, I’d not yet had the seasonal Strongman, which according to the brewery’s website was inspired by head brewer Luke Holgate‘s “cafe con leche-fueled travels in Key West.” OK, then. And it’s also notable that the beer is brewed using a special coffee blend by Dynamite Roasting Co. of Black Mountain, N.C.

As I poured the jet black beer from the can, the aroma filled my nostrils instantly. We’re talking big-time coffee, like a morning roast when you can’t quite seem to wake up for the day. Throw in subtle tones of creamy vanilla, and the beer was already making me happy.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Gibson

And then I took my first sip. While the flavor profile of Strongman isn’t quite as powerful as its aroma, it’s just as complex and pleasing as I expected. I’ll put it this way, when I finished drinking the first one, I drank two more in the next hour and a half. Yeah, I liked it that much, with the roasty goodness and the light sweetness trailing just behind.

When I revisited the beer a couple of weeks later to write this review, I was just as knocked out. I took greater notice of the softness the lactose offers the body of this one. At the same time, I also found the beer to have a less viscous mouthfeel than I had expected. It actually finished extremely clean and dry, like an Irish stout – so if you’re a Guinness lover, give this one a try. (In fact, as much as I like Guinness, the next time I have one it will probably just make me crave Strongman.)

Heck, even as I type this, my mind and palate are all too aware there are two more cans waiting for me in the fridge. They won’t last long. Oh, and please don’t tell my Guinness- and coffee-loving girlfriend about them, because I’m pretty sure I’m not going to share. One can only sacrifice so much for a relationship, right?

Hi-Wire suggests Strongman as a brunch beer, and even though I’m not a big brunch guy, I fully agree. And yes I will be seeking out more of this beer come autumn. Maybe sooner.