Mothfire Brewing Up Some Really Good Roho Joe Stout

Excerpt from Ari’s Top 5 enews

Delicious dark beer at the Roadhouse (and in cans, too)!

A close-up photo of a line of RoHo Joe Stout cans.

The new season’s first batch brew of Mothfire’s RoHo Joe Stout just showed up at the Roadhouse last week. And, I’m happy to say, it’s tasting better than ever! You can find it on draft at the Roadhouse and in cans at the Deli, Creamery, Miss Kim, and Plum Markets.

Over the last few months, the folks at Mothfire Brewing here in town have been turning the Coffee Company’s Roadhouse Joe coffee blend into an amazing full-bodied stout! Almost everyone I’ve talked to who tastes it is adamant about its excellence. Kudos to the crew at Mothfire for their skill in making it happen, and compliments to the Coffee Company for having such well-roasted coffee for them to work with!

When you sip the stout, the coffee’s flavor comes through loud and clear, though without dominating the whole drink; it hints clearly of coffee, and yet it’s something else altogether. Noah Kaplan, from Mothfire shares,

We focus on collaboration, creativity, and quality craftsmanship. We also focus on using local ingredients and building on local culture. When we wanted to create a coffee stout we immediately thought of Zingerman’s! Led by our head brewer, Alexis Jorgensen, we worked on the recipe while sitting outside on the picnic tables at Roadhouse.

The base of this brew starts out like all our beers, with 100% Michigan-farmed and malted base malts. For this stout, we selected a Pale 2-Row base malt from Great Lakes Malting Company in Traverse City, Michigan. Next, we layer in the specialty malts … Chocolate Wheat for notes of cocoa and coffee—it also contributes an incredible rich darkness. Black malt and roasted barley to deepen the roast with slight bitterness, Caramel 120 Lovibond for pronounced caramel, burnt sugar, raisin, and prune flavors; and finally, flaked oats for enhanced body and a round mouthfeel.

To my taste, the Roho Joe Stout has a subtle hint of vanilla, a soft touch of sweetness, and all the grain-forward fullness you’d expect from a quality stout. Its flavor is particularly rich and well-rounded. The coffee notes come through clearly but don’t dominate—they’re gently complemented by the dark roasted barley and malt. I love the smooth, mouth-filling bitterness, and the caramelly, clean, and ultra-creamy finish.

Stop by the Roadhouse soon, grab a pint, and make a toast to a good 2025 to come!

> SHOP ROHO JOE STOUT!