Morning Glory is an espresso stout that hits the perfect balance between coffee and chocolate, sweetness and bitterness that makes for an eminently drinkable beer that goes down dangerously easy. The beer pours with a dark brown color and a good amount of tannish head which is slow to dissipate. The initial nose of Morning Glory is reminiscent of dark chocolate. The inclusion of Mt. Hood and Cascade Hops into this stout acts as a palette refresher, making each quaff of Morning Glory new and fresh. As the stout gets into the sweet spot of 45-50 degrees, there is a good transformation of the dominant flavors.
The more malt and hop-forward sides of Morning Glory fade to allow for a bit of alcohol burn and peppery spices to reach the fore. Morning Glory’s blend of malts (Roasted, wheat, smoked, crystal, and chocolate) give the brew considerable backbone. The robustness of this beer stays consistent from the initial sip to the final pull. While the beer tastes delectable taken directly from the bottle, I feel as if pouring into an open-ended glass (we used a pint glass but a 12 ounce goblet would be perfect) allows for the beer to express itself equally well at all points rather than walloping imbibers on the initial drink. Fordham & Dominion’s Morning Glory Espresso Stout would do well paired with stew, burgers, BBQ, wings, or any other sort of fare with a strong flavor profile; it washes down heat and savory elements without any sort of struggle.
Check out our coverage of Candi for more information about another Fordham & Dominion effort. The brewery’s website is a great place to find the facts about their year-round and seasonal offerings.
Rating: 9.3/10
Morning Glory Espresso Stout / Fordham & Dominion Brewing / 9.0% ABV / 35 IBU / http://www.fordhamanddominion.com