I continue to be impressed with the beer scene in Asheville, North Carolina. For the city’s size, they have a considerable number of breweries: two microbrewers and two brewpubs. Sure, that’s not a lot when compared to cities like, say, Portland, Oregon, or Seattle, Washington. But it’s pretty impressive, I think for a population of about 225,000 per the last US Census.

One of these breweries is the Highland Brewing Company. They’ve been around for about ten years now, and they seem to be getting better all the time. The brewing equipment, originally cobbled together from used dairy tanks, is a testament to the company’s ingenuity.

Highland is still a relatively small company, and there beer doesn’t get much further than North and South Carolina and parts of Tennessee. I have seen a few of their brews in Georgia, though only on draft. Highland bottles as well in both 22-ounce bombers and 12 ounce six-packs.

Highland Black Mocha Stout has not been a beer I’ve seen in Atlanta, but I did manage to pick some up on my recent foray to Asheville. The brewery calls it their most robust beer, having a very malty body with a large, roasted chocolate flavor. It is black in color with a very clean finish and a moderate hop flavor. Highland Mocha Stout has 25 IBUs and 5.3% alcohol by volume.

But what do I think?

 

Highland Black Mocha Stout pours to a light black color with a creamy tan head and chocolaty coffee nose. The color is not entirely opaque: hold the beer up to the light and it will appear a very dark brown color. The head formation is akin to that on a pint of nitro-poured Guinness, and a fine layer of Brussels lace clings to my glass.

Then I sip. The beer is medium in texture, and that may be its one flaw, I think. It could do with just a bit more body and mouthfeel. Still, it’s a great brew indeed, and it is infused with rich mocha flavor. Mocha, of course, is coffee and chocolate or cocoa.

And both of those flavors are here, imparted from the deeply roasted malts used to brew the beer. That roasted barley and malt flavor imparts a harsh bitterness to this brew that some might find off-putting, but that I enjoy immensely. There’s just a touch of licorice, too, and a wonderfully roasty finish. An intense beer all around.

Highland Black Mocha Stout gets four and a half stars from me, with a half star deducted for body. The beer is really, really good, and it alone might be worth taking a trip to Asheville for.

Update 1/7/2016: So of course I've enjoyed the wonderful Highland Black Mocha Stout many times since I penned the above review almost ten years ago, but tonight I'm enjoying a delicious mug at Taco Mac here in Canton. It's chock full of roasty creamy chocolaty coffee grassy hoppy goodness, and the very reasonable price of just $5.25 can't be better spent. I still find it a tad thinner in body than I'd like, but only a tad. A beer and a brewery that I truly love.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

(G)=Growler

 

 

 



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