Escondido, CA (Aug. 4, 2014) – Stone Brewing Company is set to release a brand new beer created by one their own talented Brew Crew members. Stone Coffee Milk Stout is set to hit shelves this month in limited 12oz 6 packs and on draft at bottle shops, bars and restaurants in markets nationwide.
Originally created as a home brew recipe by Brewery Trainer Brian Gallagher, Stone Coffee Milk Stout was brewed on the 10-barrel pilot system located at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station as a one off release. As a passionate home brewer, Gallagher decided to recreate a medal-winning recipe, a stout brewed with coffee beans. The beer went on to be a huge hit with people at Stone including Brewmaster Mitch Steele and Co-founders Greg Koch and Steve Wagner.
“Brian did a wonderful job developing this recipe and was able to artfully overcome the challenge of brewing a low-alcohol beer without it tasting too thin or watery,” explains Steele. “Because of the positive response from Team Stone and those lucky enough to taste the small-batch brew, we decided to brew it on our 120-barrel system and make it more widely available for craft beer enthusiasts across the country.”
Lactose was used to create the beers full-bodied, yet silky mouth-feel, which also lends a hand to sweetness that balances with the coffee provided by San Diego-based Ryan Bros. Coffee. Mild ale malt was used to give the beer its rich and roasty character while other specialty grains were used to produce the cocoa and licorice flavors. Magnum hops were then used to present a clean bitternss.
“I was thrilled to find out that my ‘little beer’ would go on to be part of the Stone lineup and be distributed nationally,” said Gallagher. “To make this beer stand out from others, I added coffee beans at a very early stage in the brewing process, which helped bring out the roast character from the coffee, while eliminating bitter acidity and astringency.”
Stone Coffee Milk Stout will only be available during summer and fall. To fully relish the subtle touch of coffee flavor, the beer should be enjoyed within 120 days of its kegging or bottling date, which can be found on the shoulder of the bottle.