Flying Dog Wild Dog Coffee Stout

Here's one I included in our StoutFest, October 30 & 31. I was surprised to find it available in kegs, as it seems to be only available that way, no bottles, yet, or in cask, as these were the only serving styles for the 9 other reviews posted on BeerAdvocate.com, when I entered my own notes, a few weeks ago. (No, the keg hasn't been on that long, it was removed for the second round of Belg-a-Rama, and has just gone back on, to finish it off.)
(I just discovered that bottles are on their way, soon.)

I was surprised, too, to see the lackluster ratings, but not so much when I consider the fickle tastes of the beer geek-erati. If it's not overloaded with the flavor in question, it generally gets knocked down a bit. If it's not in your face and intense, what good is it? I beg to differ.
One reviewer says "coffee is there, but not smacking me in the face like I thought." Why do flavors need to punish us? Can't they just be there and be enjoyed? Another calls the body "deathly thin", and I wonder what he was drinking, because that's not how I'd describe it.
Perhaps the problem is that these were all done from reviews at bars, restaurants, and festivals, where there are so many distractions, and so many variables in quality of presentation. At least I'm not alone, and there are higher ratings than mine.

So here it is, Flying Dog Wild Dog Coffee Stout. (Notice how it doesn't even appear on the website.) 8% alcohol by volume.

Dark and sooty, black as coffee grounds, with a big roasty tan head, that softly settles.

Definite coffee nose, but soft, quiet, and none too bitter. Keeping even pace with chocolate and roasted malt.

Enters the palate sweetly and seductively, lush chocolate malt, caramel and toffee, overtaken eventually by bittersweet espresso tones. Excellent blend, great balance. Definitely not for anyone demanding an excessive amount of coffee flavor, very subtly integrated. Plenty of coffee flavor, with a trickle of coffee riding along, up and back over and out the palate.

Medium to full body, excellent coffee stout, mighty tasty. Alcohol well hidden.

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 12-09-2010 02:07:26