Brian Burt
A couple months ago I had the pleasure of reviewing the No Label Brewing Co’s Perpetual Peace. The wee-heavy aged in bourbon barrels was part of the brewery’s Off Label Brew Series, which is a limited production set of beers on the experimental side of things.
The latest of the three beers in the series is the Boomstick, which is what the brewery is calling a double black rye coffee IPA. Partnering with Boomtown Coffee for their coffee needs, the name is an obvious play off of Boomtown while the label’s1 artwork shows a shotgun and shotshells.
A double black rye coffee IPA is an interesting concept I can’t remember seeing before, where instead you usually see coffee added into stouts or porters instead. Having enjoyed the previous Off Label release so much, I eagerly crack open the bottle and pour the completely opaque beer into my glass. It’s such a dark brown color that I would almost call it black, and with it a medium brown half an inch of head builds up on top. It dissipates slowly, ending up just a bit of a ring around the edge of the glass. As I bring the glass to my nose I’m not exactly sure what to expect, but I’m greeted with exactly what I should have expected – an interesting mix of hops and coffee up front with a touch of roasted malts and caramel in the background.
The taste continues the uniqueness, with big coffee notes alongside hoppy bitterness taking over my tastebuds. Malty chocolates follow with the hops, creating a flavor profile that’s almost like bitter dark chocolate covered coffee beans. The mouthfeel is nice, medium to heavy with a good amount of carbonation. On the finish is more bitter chocolate, dark roasted coffee notes and a slight malty sweetness.
