The Mocha Dolce Nitro Stout is the brainchild of the Firestone Walker Brewing Company, which is based in Paso Robles, California. A stout beer is a very dark beer, often made of roasted malts (such as barley), which gives normal stouts (such as Guinness) their characteristic roasted coffee like flavor and hints of chocolate of caramel. Then there’s the minimal carbonation; the majority of its bubbles are nitrogen gas. This removes the carbonic bite from carbonation, with the nitrogen bubbles not affecting flavor and aiding the beer’s creamy mouthfeel. Though, the Firestone stout is a little special.
“We enhanced our classic nitro stout and took it to the next level with the addition of premium vanilla beans, whole-roasted coffee beans and cacao nibs—all of which meld perfectly with the beer’s rich, chocolaty character. Meanwhile, a touch of lactose brings a mellow sweetness. The result is Mocha Dolce Nitro Stout, a smooth, creamy beer that tastes like your favorite latte.”
-Brewmaster Matt Brynildson
There’s one more secret ingredient that gives this beer its hint of spice: a fellow hop, Tettnager, which imparts a mellow spiciness to the beer, kind of like a spiced latte. In case you didn’t notice, this is a nitro beer, so it requires a bit of a special pour if you wish to maximize your experience (I poured it like I poured every beer the first few times, shame on me, I guess). This is a seasonal beer (Winter/Fall), so if you want a taste, do it soon!