I found out about this beer a few months back from STLHops, and I knew I had to try it. St. Louis Brewery/Schlafly, makes a very good coffee stout (review coming soon), and I think it has a lot to do with the Kaldi’s coffee they use (and the cold steeping process for extracting the coffee flavors). I had never thought of a coffee-raspberry combination before, but once I had heard of it, I knew that it sounded pretty good.
Also, about a year and a half ago, I won a local homebrewing competition with my chocolate raspberry imperial stout, and thought this would be pretty comparable. So, when it came out, I called my mom in St. Louis and asked if she could buy a bottle for me.
Numbers: 7% ABV
Appearance & Aroma: It had a very thin, creamy, tan head and was black in color. It was pretty dark, but there were some ruby colors you could see in it when it was held up to the light. There was a good roasted coffee aroma to it.
Taste & Feel: The body was light medium, and it had a creamy mouthfeel, with a slight carbonation bite up front. There was a slightly sweet raspberry flavor with a roasted coffee and chocolate-like flavor prominent in the middle. The raspberry flavor comes through in the finish, overtaking the complex chocolate roasty coffee flavor which fade into the background.
Food Pairing: I couldn’t help but think of a chocolate lava cake when I was drinking this beer. However, it would probably go well with almost any rich chocolate dessert.
Overall Impression: The raspberry flavor was very good and smooth, and there was just the right amount of tartness. The body could be a little more viscous, but it was a very good beer – especially to enjoy with a loved one. I wish I had another bottle for this upcoming Valentines Day.
My Rating: 
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