Flat Earth Black Helicopter

Date: 08/09/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Great Taste

Appearance: black, big creamy beige head, layers of lace,
Aroma: rich coffee aroma,
Flavor: rich coffe flavor, lots of roasted malt, bitterness from the coffee and roast,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***/4

(draft) Brown-black body topped by brown head. Aroma is medium sweet, coffee, light roast. Taste is medium sweet, watery coffee, decent roasty bitterness, light cherry. Light-medium body, low carbonation.

Tap at Happy Gnome. Black color with a thin head. Solid aroma of coffee, chocolate and milk. Lots more of all of those in the flavor. The coffee turns slightly bitter towards the finish with some roasted malt quality, too. Something seemed just a little different (in a good way), but very hard to nail down. Maybe fruity? I’m sure it’s not meant to be overblown like Tyranena’s Brewers Gone Wild coffee beers; Flat Earth just doesn’t do that. It’s very well done.

On draught at the new Acadia Cafe location in uptown Minneapolis. Pours an opaque dark brown that is nearly black as the ace of spades with a thin and fast dissolving tan head that leaves behind a thin tan ring and no lacing. Aroma of mostly toasted coffee, light vanilla, toasted dark malt, a touch of lactose and oatmeal. Taste is medium to full bodied, very light carbonation with flavors of roasted coffee bean, some vanilla and a semi-sweet and toasted dark malt. Finish even has a touch of coffee remaining with a mild bitterness that really is memorable. Jeff’s beers are continuing to grow and becoming more in flavor and character. If you like real roasted coffee, this one is another hit!

The second best thing they have done, after their tripel. Coffee aroma and coffee flavor with a little tobacco. Almost no carbonation. Lots of roasted malt, perhaps overly roasted. I like the combination of a thick, heavy beer with low carbonation.