By Pete Maskiell - Coffee beer, that exciting combination of craft beer and artisan coffee, has been percolating for decades, but no one blends those distinct flavors quite like Georgetown Brewing does. Still feeling skeptical about the pairing? May we introduce (or remind you) our first collaboration, the Gusto Crema Coffee Ale, won the gold medal in the coffee beer category at the 2016 Great American Brewing Festival. This is seriously good stuff!

In keeping with the momentum of the success of the Gusto Crema Coffee Ale, the brewers at Georgetown Brewing wanted to create a breakfast stout using a coffee that complements the malty, oaty fullness of a stout. So, we invited them to our Seattle roastery to meet with our experts: Pete Maskiell and Stefano Bizzarri. Pete’s knowledge of the roast profiles of the blends, and Stefano’s experience in various extraction methods, made this dynamic duo the perfect team to present the best coffee options to Georgetown, ensuring our second collaboration would be as successful as the first.

We tested two concentrated cold brew extractions from our Bizzarri Blend and Arco Etrusco Blend  with a small batch of stout base, and found the Arco Etrusco Blend was the unanimous favorite. The robustness of the roast character complemented the stout perfectly, for a balanced yet definitive coffee flavor that isn’t overwhelming.

Georgetown Brewing has elaborated on the flavor profile in tiers, based on your level of interest in beer and the brewing process:

•  FOR NORMAL PEOPLE Darn Tasty Coffee Stout

• FOR BEER LOVERS

We partnered up with Caffè Umbria again for a second coffee ale, this time brewing a stout using 150lbs of their dark roast, Arco Etrusco. The result is brew with intense fresh roasted coffee aroma, and full flavored coffee character, caramel sweetness and a rich malt finish. Using cold brew coffee gives the beer a smoother flavor and mouthfeel, avoiding any harshness and acidity. Contains wheat.

• FOR BEER GEEKS

• Malts - 2 Row Pale, Munich, C-60, Victory, Chocolate, Midnight Wheat
• Hops - Summit
• Yeast - English Ale Yeast
• ABV - 6.6%
• Best By - 90 days from packaging
• Other - Oats

No matter your level of interest in the process, we’re sure you’ll love the taste! Try it out only in taprooms, or to-go in growlers.