Three Heads Brewing Java Sutra
I picked up this bottle of Three Heads Brewing Java Sutra, as well as a bottle of the company’s The Kind (which I neglected to take notes on) the other day on the way home from work. Any time I see products from a new-to-me brewery, I’m obviously going to pick it up, but the prospect of trying out another coffee porter was almost too much to handle.
Now, I’ve had some tasty beers of this style over the years and while, Java Sutra isn’t the best of the bunch it’s mellow character and smooth coffee flavor probably make it the most approachable of the bunch. The beer weighs in at 6.5% ABV and drinks smoothly.
Appearance
The beer pours a dark, dark brown with a dense mocha head that fell to a thin surface cover.
Aroma
the nose contains all that you would expect from the style of beer: roasted dark malt, coffee, light chocolate and a late bit of grassy hops.
Taste
Java Sutra isn’t any overly complicated beer. It’s a solid example of the style with a good roast malt and dark coffee blend — complete with that bitter finish that most strong coffees can carry. The light hop presence in the finish helps accentuate that bitterness a degree. But beyond that, the beer is rather subdued. It’s well balanced and easy drinking, but not as robust as others in the genre.
Overall
All in all, the beer isn’t too bad. It’s what I would describe as “middle of the road.” It’s an adventurous style to explore but not so daring that it may cause potential drinkers to shy away. It’s smooth with good coffe flavor, but I would personally prefer a bit more of a robust and earthy quality to it.
Rating:4.25/5