Delicious dark beer at the Roadhouse (and in cans, too)!
The 2026 brew of 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.
If you aren’t already familiar with this great local stout, the folks at Mothfire Brewing here in town have turned the Coffee Company’s Roadhouse Joe coffee blend into an amazing, full-bodied dark beer! 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.
The coffee’s flavor comes through loud and clear in the stout, but without dominating the whole drink; it clearly hints 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 percent 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, which 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, and the coffee notes are gently complemented by the dark-roasted barley and malt. I love the smooth, mouth-filling bitterness and the clean, caramelly, ultra-creamy finish. I’ll add that it makes a great addition to marinades for short ribs or beef stews, too.
