Shannon Irish Coffee Cream Ale by Shannon Brewing Co. was judged a Cream Ale with lactose, aged on fresh coffee beans, judged as BJCP Category 30A, Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer.
This beer's aroma is dominated by a mild roast coffee character, with light sweetness underneath. It is clean overall. It pours an attractive chestnut color that is mostly clear, with very little head. The flavor is also of mild roast coffee, with a noticeable nuttiness. It tastes lightly sweet, moderately bitter and has a drying, roasted finish. This beer has a medium body, medium carbonation and is fairly crisp. It is a very nice change of pace to drink a coffee-based beer that is not dark. Still, coffee being coffee, this characteristic overtakes the base style, leaving few nuances to appreciate. It is a tasty and skillfully brewed beer nonetheless.