Name: Memory Care
Brewer: Tired Hands Brewing Co. (United States)
Style: Mixed-Style Beer (Base Style: Imperial Stout)
ABV: 12.3%
Review Year: 2020
Memory Care is a “Salted Chocolate & Lavender Coffee Stout” concocted by Tired Hands Brewing Co. (Pennsylvania). This “Coffee Stout” was brewed with dark specialty and caramel malts, together with a generous helping of flaked oats and a pinch of sea salt. Cacao, fresh lavender, and Rwandan coffee beans roasted by Awake Minds Coffee, which is the in-house roastery of Tired hands, were also used to condition this beer.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Mixed-Style Beer (34B), combining Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer (30A) and Oatmeal Stout (16B) with Imperial Stout (20C) as the base style in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website. Note that salt is an addition.
TASTING NOTES
Opaque ruby brown; flat head. Luscious chocolate on the nose with mint and hazelnut accents. Lavender was more evident as the beer settled. Full-bodied with carbonation slightly below medium; syrupy. Dark fruity coffee, which is a standout, blended harmoniously with sweet chocolate; the sweetness of which was notable but not overpowering. Very light cherries and caramel complemented, while a hint of saltwater/ brine contrasted. Cacao maltiness, with faint black peppers and grapes, composed the aftertaste.
THE VERDICT
Memory Care is a very unique and enjoyable “Coffee Stout” that delivered on almost all the ingredients declared. As mentioned, the coffee manifested evidently as a flavor– ultimately complementing the dark malts used in this beer. Meanwhile, flaked oats were not explicit relative to the other ingredients, suggesting that these may have been used to enhance the body of the beer and/or were simply overpowered. Cacao was supportive of the coffee while lavender and salt made this beer quite memorable. In our opinion, a slightly less syrupy consistency would improve further this beer. Overall, Memory Care is a well-executed concept.
Related Reviews:
Tired Hands “Cryptic Envelopment” Imperial Stout
Tired Hands x Anchorage “Alien Church” New England IPA
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