Arbor Brewing Espresso Love
Espresso Love Breakfast Stout (no doubt trying to cash in on another MI brewerys fine product) pours a very murky looking dark brown that resembles a cloudy brown ale more than a stout. There is no head to speak of and it looks to be a bit on the flat side. The slight traces of foam on the top of the liquid are a medium tan in color. Surprisingly, this beer does leave some mediocre lace as I drink it. The aroma is a definite improvement over the appearance. It smells of dark roast coffee, chocolate and a dash of caramel. The more I sniff it, the more I am impressed at the mocha notes I am picking up. The coffee plays a bit more of a dominant role in the flavor, with that rich chocolaty character pushed much farther back. I would say that the flavor is fairly one dimensional and the brew comes across mainly as a slightly carbonated cold coffee with some malty beer like character. The mouthfeel is pretty unimpressive. Medium bodied with a weak carbonation that leads to a slightly fizzy and acidic finish. Astringent coffee is the main aftertaste. This is a pretty weak offering and possibly the worst coffee beer I have had. While I did find some things to enjoy in this brew, it is not one that I will be rushing out to purchase anytime soon. I will stick to FBS thank you very much.