Speedway Stout Variant #2 - Mostra Coffee & Coconut by AleSmith Brewing Co. is an Imperial Stout (BJCP category 20C), but due to the additions of coffee & coconut it falls into Spice, Herb & Vegetable Beer (BJCP category 30A).

This beer pours pitch black with a mousy tan head that clings to the glass with legs. The aroma is complex with roasted coffee and cocoa, followed by caramel/toffee with some toasted coconut and herbal hops in the finish. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I imagine this is close to what a coconut caramel macchiato would smell like. The flavor is similar, but the coconut is a little more pronounced while it lasts before the roasted notes of black coffee and cocoa nibs overpower it. There is also a medium caramel character and dark fruits (raisins, black cherry) that get stronger as I continue to drink, but they are still secondary to the roast. The body is medium-full and the fairly dry finish and light alcohol warmth helps cut the body, making it more drinkable than would expect for a beer this size. It’s a really enjoyable beer, but the fleeting coconut notes would have you second-guess whether they were really there. Not that it particularly detracts from the beer, but it may be disappointing to those looking for more prominent coconut since the other notes are bolder.