Bent River Brewing Company - Uncommon Stout

Bent River brews this oatmeal stout with coffee, dramatically augmenting the coffee-like overtones often present in beers like stouts and porters which are built with a large amount of roasted malt. Sometimes brewers can miss the mark and go a little too crazy with the coffee, but Bent River really hit the mark here well. Uncommon Stout pours a very dark brown with a very sizeable head that retains well. Unsurprisingly, big coffee notes dominate the aroma, bolstered by some underlying brown sugar, caramel, and a touch of cocoa powder. The coffee's not shy on the palate either; in fact, there's nothing shy about this brew at all. Expect big roasty notes from the coffee and the black patent malt and roasted barley, while accompanying tobacco and leather notes add complexity here, as well. We found the bitterness assertive without being bombastic (other coffee stouts can screw up here, with too much coffee adding an excess of acrid notes and acidity), and it's equally driven by the hop contribution and the roasted malts & coffee. There's enough residual sweetness for balance, while the oatmeal gives a smooth suppleness. Pair with barbequed beef brisket—or go the dessert route with coffee ice cream drizzled with chocolate. Cheers!

Starting his own microbrewery had always been a dream of Tim Koster, owner of Koski's Home Brew Fixens in the Historic District of Moline, IL. One day in 1996, homebrewer and Koski's customer Darron Morris asked Tim what it would take to start up a microbrewery. The two summoned the courage to turn their dreams into reality, and Bent River Brewing Company was born in 1997. With the help of several investors, they were able to purchase the remainder of the 1922 Italian Renaissance-style building that housed the homebrew store, and then transform it into a brewpub. The company received an award for their renovation of the building by the Moline Preservation Society. The brewpub features a full menu and plenty of beers on tap, and remains a popular watering hole for the local fans of good craft beer.

In 2012, Bent River Brewing Company added a second location in order to address their need for increased production capacity. Located in Rock Island, this new package brewery houses a new bottling line and shipping center, allowing the company to efficiently brew and distribute their beer throughout the area. The location also features a tasting room where you can sample any of Bent River's seven year-round beers as well as their rotating seasonals.

For more information, visit them at www.bentriverbrewing.com, or call 309-797-2722.