Buck Wild Brewing Coffee Stout

Gluten Free Coffee Stout by Buck Wild Brewing

California-Brewed Gluten Free Coffee Stout

If you’ve been following this blog for any amount if time, you’ve probably figured out by now that I am a huge fan of stouts. Which is why I’m thrilled to be bringing you a review for the Buck Wild Brewing Coffee Stout, brewed in a dedicated gluten free facility in Oakland California.

This gluten free Coffee Stout is packaged in 12 ounce cans and sold in 4-packs. It’s brewed in a grain base of millet, rice, and buckwheat, has a 6.8% ABV, and 35 IBU. This Nitro Stout is brewed with Bicycle Coffee cold brew. Bicycle Coffee Company was founded in Oakland in 2009 where they roast high-quality coffee and deliver it locally by bicycle. This is a rotating beer in Buck Wild Brewing’s lineup.

The Buck Wild Stout features Willamette, Pacifica, and Centennial hops–and although I did not see it published on the can…their website reveals that this beer contains rolled oats as well. This is important to note for those who cannot tolerate oats. Be careful.

This isn’t the first beer I’ve reviewed of Buck Wild Brewing (it’s actually the 5th!) so be sure to read until the end to see a link list of other 100% gluten free offerings from this California brewery. For now, here’s the beer pour video of the Buck Wild Coffee Stout.

The Taste Test

Buck Wild Coffee Stout

This is a fun beer to pour. It’s a Nitro so I poured vigorously into the middle of the glass and the head appeared as if by magic when I was done pouring. It almost appeared to form in slow motion, erupting from the sea of black that is the stout itself. The Buck Wild Brewing Coffee Stout has a silky midnight black color that is completely opaque, letting absolutely no light through the glass.

The head is a thing of beauty and it goes through several transformations from the beginning of the pour. As it rests beside me, it’s now become a fine mousse-like foam. Finer than espresso foam and so creamy that I’m tempted to try to draw some shapes in it. The aroma is a coffee bomb. In fact, it smells more like coffee than beer.

The taste reveals even more complexity than the scent. This is a rich full-bodied beer, but it doesn’t drink very heavy somehow. The carbonation is on the light end, and the bitterness is medium-low on the coffee stout spectrum. You can detect the 6.8% ABV on the tongue. There’s a light sweetness to it, but it tastes more like honey than molasses.

When this gluten free Coffee Stout hits your lips, the first thing you notice is the thick silky head. It almost clouds the flavor profile at first, the way a latte can when you take the first sip and get mostly foam. Next you receive a clean hit of malt and coffee at the same time, and then you begin to notice the hops as the beer moves over the palate. There’s a brightness to this brew that it is certainly not getting from the coffee or the texture/body–so I’m thinking the hop flavors have played a part in that. The Stout finishes chocolatey–like a mocha.

This is certainly a coffee forward beer. But the bitterness doesn’t build much. The malt roast doesn’t taste super dark during the tasting, but seems to linger a bit more on the palate after the swallow. Buck Wild’s Coffee Stout isn’t particularly sweet, but it is decadent. I’m halfway through the glass now and the head still exists and the beer continues to be completely opaque. I’m not going to lie, it’s a sexy glass. (Much like the Buck Wild taproom…have you seen it?! Classy date night spot, for sure.)

I think the most surprising part of this gluten free stout is that with as much coffee as it has in both the aroma and the flavor–it’s just not very bitter. So those of you who shy away from stouts because of their high IBU tendencies need to give this one a try. It makes for an excellent dessert beer, and I honestly think it would be delicious alongside a food dessert. It’s not so rich or so flavor-dense that it must be enjoyed on its own. I think it would pair very well with a nutty-chocolate treat. Or a coconut ice cream!

As I mentioned earlier, there are several other Buck Wild Brewing beers that you should absolutely know about. Here’s a quick list of some recent reviews so that you know what to look out for in stores and online…

• Buck Wild Brewing West Coast IPA
• Buck Wild Brewing Kölsch (my favorite!)
• Buck Wild Brewing Amber Ale
• Buck Wild Brewing Pale Ale

If you’ve tried this gluten free Coffee Stout and have any tasting notes to share, please drop them in the comment field below. I’d love to hear which Buck Wild beer is your favorite!

P.S. Like what I do for the gluten free beer community? Consider buying me a beer for my efforts! ;)