Written by @brewcollarguys

Brewery: Dancing Gnome

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Beer: Sua Da – Vietamese Coffee Milk Stout

ABV = 5.7%

Glassware: Coffee Mug 🙂

Even since they released Delineate their Summer Porter on draft I have been hoping they would can one of their stouts or porters. Don't get me wrong – I love the IPAs and DIPAs but when you make great stouts I need some in my fridge. Whenever they released Sua Da, I was actually out of town but I mobilized anybody who was willing and able to go down and snag me an allotment.

The name “Sua Da” is inspired from the actual Vietnamese iced coffee of the same namesake. The grain bill on this one screams coffee stout: Marris Otter, Roasted Barley, Chocolate Malt, Chocolate Wheat, Carafa Special III, and Lactose. The roasted Barley and Chocolate Malt add great flavors and aromas. As with any stout, hardly any hops were used just some mild Magnum additions. Now lets talk mouthfeel, one of the most critical components of a stout. The heavy handed addition of lactose sugar leads to a smooth and silky mouthfeel while still retaining some body. It gets even better the beer was conditioned onto of 20 pounds of Pittsburgh sourced roasted coffee. Specifically the Louis the XIV mocha Java blend from Kiva Han Roasters.

If you havent noticed by now reading through the ingredients, this coffee milk stout is eerily reminiscent of a cup of cold brewed coffee. The roasted grains, coffee conditioning, and addition of lactose sugar matches the name and style of Vietnamese coffee. I would highly suggest snagging some of this on draft or a growler fill. At 5.7% it is a perfect nighttime summer beer around the camp fire of hanging on the porch.