When the February weather turns cold and icy, dark beer lovers rejoice. February sees the return of Stout Month at each of the five Mountain Sun locations in Boulder, Denver, and Longmont. This Boulder-born brewery offers a rotating tap of over 25 stouts brewed in house as well as over 25 guest stouts, each day offering a new mix of stouts on tap.

For the in-house brews, I found myself most excited about the Addition Imperial Coffee Stout. Coming in at a high 9.5% ABV, I took my time enjoying this heavy, smooth beer. The Nederland roasted coffee used in the brewing process imbues this beverage with the strong aroma of espresso each time you go to take a sip. And while the warm coffee flavor is the star, the residual sweetness of chocolate, caramel, and fruit round out the taste for a shining finish.

Ska Brewing Company’s Autumnal Molé Stout (5.8% ABV) stood out among the guest stouts on tap for it’s unique take on the stout. This dark beer is brewed with cocoa nibs, spices, and three types of chiles—Ancho, Guajilo, and Hatch Green—and the chile scent and flavor are front and center without overwhelming the palate. They give the stout an interesting Mexican/New Mexican style bent by keeping the spice in check and blending seamlessly with a hint of cocoa.

Obviously there are a large number of stouts that weren’t on tap when I visited the Pearl St. Mall location. A few that I am most looking forward to trying later this month are:

  1. Mountain Sun’s 48 Smooth Chai Stout (4.1% ABV) promises to be a slightly sweet milk stout   fermented with lactose and then spiced with a unique blend of chai spices.
  2. Oskar Blues brings us the Shiso Heavy Stout (8.4% ABV), layered with roasted chocolate, crystal malts, and oatmeal. They infuse it with Sweet Choalaca and Japanese Shiso to give it a spicy, rich chocolate flavor.
  3. Boulder’s own Wild Woods Brewery brings a modified version of their Smores Stout to Stout Month. The Double Chocolate Smores Stout (5.0% ABV) indulges in additional organic cocoa nib powder to deliver maximum chocolate deliciousness.

 

Cheers!

Krista Davis
Krista is a native of Nebraska who left all that corn behind for the Rocky Mountain lifestyle. She graduated from the University of Denver with BAs in English and Anthropology and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing from CU. In the ceaseless search for inspiration, her passions for writing and culture led her to another great love: Colorado microbreweries. When she’s not trying the new IPA on tap, Krista can be found hiking Chautauqua, running the Boulder Creek Path, or curled up with a good book
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