Ithaca Excelsior! Kaffinator Double Espresso Bock

Brewed by Ithaca Beer Company
Style: Doppelbock
Ithaca, New York USA

Date: 12/16/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

clear dark brown, wispy beige head, bits of lace, sweet dark caramel malt aroma offset by a coffee character, big roasted coffee flavor, a touch of ashy character, dark caramel sweetness tries to come in for balanc but falls short, bitter dark roast finish,

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 9/20
Rating: 2.5/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

(750ml bottle) Pours a cloudy nut brown body with a spare beige head. Aroma of roasted nuts, burnt dark caramel, light coffee, and some sulfur. Flavor of diluted coffee, maple syrup, caramel malt, light cocoa, and brown sugar.

750ml bottle shared courtesy of TomDecapolis. Bottle labeled, Released June 07, Bottle # 284. I love bottles that are labeled with bottle #s, but don’t tell you how many were actually bottled (284 or 300 or 20,000,000?). But I digress. Poured a dark brown color with a small sized tan head. Aromas of coffee grounds, nutty, caramel, and chocolate. I love coffee beers and the coffee was definitely there in the aromas. Tastes of coffee (there, but not as strong as the aromas), vanilla, caramel, and mocha.

Bottle... March 08 Tampa Bay Tasting... Clear, very dark, old copper lager with a small, creamy, khaki head. Good retention. Cocoa, spent coffee grounds and a mild lactic acid note form the aroma. Medium-bodied with modest carbonation. Moderately sweet chocolate with good coffee. Lightly acrid with reticent bitterness. Medium-bodied with modest carbonation. Mocha finish. A big THANKS to Quake1028 for providing the bottle!

Bottle sampled on 9/14/07: Pours a barely transparent dark mahogany with a nicely-lacing dark tan head. Aroma of sweet biscuity milk chocolate and espresso beans. Body starts with nice viscosity and sweet dark caramel and chocolate with good coffee balance. Finishes earthy and doughy sweet with nice complexity.

750 ml bottle #662. Big thanks to beastiefan2k and Ms. beastiefan2k for scoring this one for me. Dark brown, ruby highlights and a thick tan head. Perfectly translucent and very inviting. Aroma is lovely, milk chocolate, cold coffee and a deep rich maltiness. Soft clean caramelly malts. As it warms, it starts to get a bit of vegetal character. Lots of coffee and light toasted malts. Light astringency on the back. Too much coffee for my tastes, but what is there is decent.

Bottle: Pours a dark brownish black color, nice light head and lacing. Nose of coffee and alcohol, light vegetal notes and charcoal/cocoa roast; some astringency. The flavor is sweet and tarry, a bit smoky and lots of coffee. Lots of caramel and grass. Unbalanced but full bodied, a aleish and some cherry notes in the tail. Thanks Indiana_Red for sharing!

Another winner from jah noth, botle 750. The pour is deep brown with 1-finger khaki head. Aroma is scotch/dark malty, with figs, brown sugar, and chocoff notes. The taste is scotch malty, with slight rauch hints, and mid-palate figgy fruit, chocoff, and brown sugar. Medium in palate heft and with a uniqueness that I’ve come to expect from Ithaca, this one is very nice.