Highland Black Mocha Stout

When I posted recently about local winners at the GABF I also mentioned that Black Mocha Stout from Highland Brewing in Asheville, NC had been awarded a Silver medal in the American Stout category. This award peaked my interest as I had a couple bottles of this beer waiting to be tasted. Now, I figure it is only fair to report back on the experience since Colleen and I enjoyed them earlier this week.

Black Mocha Stout pours nearly black, just showing some dark red at the edges. There's a thin, short-lived tan head. The aroma is dark chocolate and coffee with a faint bit of citrus hops in the background. Our bottles had been refrigerated and the aromas weren't apparent until the beer had warmed a bit. The flavor is dark cocoa and pleasantly bitter. I detected a sweeter, milky chocolate in the background as the beer warmed. The dark, roasted malt flavor lingers in the aftertaste. There's a moderate carbonation level and the mouthfeel is on the thin side.

Highland Black Mocha Stout proved to be a nice compliment to a cool Fall evening. At 5.60% ABV it would be easy have a few of these in a sitting. Alas, the fridge is bare.