Coffee beer is probably the last thing you think of when imagining coffee beverages. Maybe a stout or porter comes to mind, dark beers made from roasted malts that tend to have a coffee-ish flavor, regardless of whether or not coffee beans are added. Though, adding coffee beans really makes for an authentic coffee experience. In addition, these beers can also be creamy. This property often comes from hops, plants resembling fleshy pinecones whose flavors are infinitely varied, and lactose, a sugar derived from milk that does not get fermented in beer, thus adding sweetness. Of course, chocolate may also be added, alongside virtually anything else.
In the case of Stone Brewery, based in San Diego, CA, their beer, Stone Xocoveza actually contains chocolate, coffee, lactose, and spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. As for Guinness, an Ireland beer company, their Over The Moon beer has notes or hints of chocolate and coffee, though it probably only emulates those flavors with special malts. Nevertheless, who woukd ever guess that coffee related goods and beer can go well together?
