Left Hand Bittersweet Nitro Imperial Coffee Milk Stout

It's been a spell since i've had anything from Colorado's Left Hand Brewing, so i picked up a 4-pack of their Bittersweet Nitro Imperial Coffee Milk Stout.  And i'm glad i did.  The 8.9% ABV brew pours black with a beautiful off white head that bubbles forever as nitros are wont to do.  Aromas of coffee, vanilla, cream, and roasted malt abound.  The flavor is heavy on coffee and cream with some notes of caramel in the mix as well, finishing smooth and very balanced between the bitter and the sweet.  This beer is wonderful.

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Boulder Nitro Shake Chocolate Porter

I've been back from Denver for a couple of weeks now, and thinking how i need to get back there someday...maybe next time without the kids...to make my way to more breweries and drink way, way more beer.  Anyway, while catching some lunch at the Ale House in downtown Denver, i tried the delicious Shake Chocolate Porter on nitro from Boulder Beer.  The 5.9% ABV brew poured a dark, blackish brown with a foamy white head (as nitros are wont to do) and smelled of malts, chocolate, and coffee.  The flavor was a velvety mix of chocolate and coffee with some hints of caramel and a great blend of sweet and bitter.  I must have this again someday.

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Nitro Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin beer season is in full bloom, with a smattering of offerings available from many a brewer.  Breckenridge Brewery's Nitro Pumpkin Spice Latte pairs all of the wonderful pumpkin spice flavors with a coffee stout, essentially making an alcoholic version of that seasonal coffee so many people freak out about.  And they do a pretty good job of it.  Pouring a thick and velvety black with a foamy white head (hooray nitrogen!), the stout looks fantastic and smells of roasted malts, coffee beans, and hints of nutmeg, clove, and pumpkin.  The beer is very smooth and easy to drink, subtle notes of the aforementioned nutmeg, clove, and pumpkin, as well as some hints of vanilla meshing wonderfully with the malt and coffee flavors.  All in all, it's a very drinkable beer, and at 5.5% ABV, feel free to have a few...just don't drive later you dummies.

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Cigar City Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale

I thought is should do one more beer from Tampa Bay's Cigar City Brewing, a wonderful brewery and taproom i visited last week.  It may be a little out of season, but their Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale (on nitro no less) was as amazing a pumpkin brew as i've ever had.  Creamy and thick and 9.4% ABV, the beer was a beautiful dark brownish amber with a tremendous frothy head.  It was probably one of the prettiest beers i've ever seen.  Aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg spices were prevalent and not overpowering on the tongue.  Combined with some strong alcohol notes, the Good Gourd should not be nearly as smooth as it is.  I would love to have another.

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