Barrio Brewing Company - Mocha Java Milk Stout

Hello, and welcome back to BB&B! I'm your sometimes-inebriated host, Daver, coming to you sober with my take on whatever interesting beer catches my fancy. Tonight I'm bringing to you a craft brew from a Tucson brewery and restaurant, the Barrio Brewing Company. I've been there before and sampled their brews in a very wide-ranging beer flight, but sadly this was before the blog began so I didn't take any notes...so I'll have to go back sometime for a more thorough write-up. Sigh, the sacrifices I must make.

I did have occasion to try again the Barrio Mocha Java Milk Stout, while hanging out this weekend with a friend at Old Tucson Studios. There is no bottle, Barrio's products are strictly on draft all over the city of Tucson. On first pour, it is a deep dark brown, with a tan head that isn't so much thick as it is firm. The bouquet is rich with coffee and cocoa tones, and hints of brown sugar. It's thick-bodied like you'd expect of a stout, and it's very smooth, but not that creamy like, say a Guinness. Dark chocolate tones come through the mild malted sweetness up till the finish, where it actually loses its smooth and semi-creamy texture.

Now, I have to make it clear that I liked it well enough, but neither I or my friend finished it completely satisfied. I thought it became a little powdery at the finish, easily missed while cold but the longer you drink and the warmer it gets, it became more chalky. My friend thought that it was too heavy, and that it was best served with a glass of water on the side.

It's not a bad brew, but it just didn't have enough for me to try it again. If I were you, I'd only order this in the colder months, and would not let it warm up or you might not want to finish it.  That's one down, lots to go!

Photo credits - Mocha Java Milk Stout, source: untappd.com, photographer: TheAbbabond.