Toward the end of last year, Double Mountain Brewery released Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout, a so-called “blonde stout” brewed with cocoa nibs and coffee in collaboration with Ranger Chocolate and 10-Speed Coffee Roasters. (I’m always a bit skeptical of the blonde/white stout sub-style.) It’s a bit of a change of pace from previous seasons when the brewery would release its Chocolate Stout (also with Ranger).

Double Mountain sent me a bottle to review, and here’s a bit of the beer description from the press release:

What sets this brew apart is the meticulous selection of ingredients. In lieu of roasted barley, cocoa nibs and coffee were added at the end and after fermentation. Brewed with precision, this beer features specially chosen beans from 10-Speed Coffee Roasters in Mosier. These beans infuse the beer with the bold and satisfying essence of coffee, making it a perfect choice for coffee lovers and beer enthusiasts alike.

But the magic doesn’t end with coffee. Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout also boasts the inclusion of cocoa nibs sourced from Ranger Chocolate in Portland. This collaboration adds an alluring cocoa complexity to the brew, creating the sweet illusion of a traditional stout while retaining a mesmerizing golden hue.

Sweet Nothings is 5.8% alcohol by volume with 17 IBUs.

Appearance: Kind of a golden-tan color and a little murky; “dirty blonde” perhaps. Off-white head was fizzy/rocky and it didn’t last.

Smell: Coffee is the dominant aroma I’m getting, with some nuttiness and hints of cacao nibs—not chocolatey per se, but more raw like a cocoa butter. Some vanilla, almost like a flavored coffee.

Taste: It’s got a big roasted character, with light roast coffee beans and a fruity note that’s perhaps cascara (husk of the coffee cherries/fruit) with some light stone fruit though it’s indistinct. Some dark(ish) chocolate which with the roastiness gives a bit of bitterness. Berry-fruity coffee, most definitely coffee-forward.

Mouthfeel: Kind of medium-light bodied, spritzy carbonation, with residual roastiness into the finish.

Overall: Lots of coffee here, but if I close my eyes I can kind of believe it’s a “stout” — or at least a coffee ale.