If You Love Cartel's Coffee, Wait Until You Try The Beer

By Heather Hoch Thu., Mar. 7 2013 at 10:00 AM

Heather Hoch

Right now, Cartel offers two brews made twice daily in the "coffee lab": a desert pale ale and a brown ale brewed with (surprise) Cartel coffee. The desert pale ale is named thusly because it is brewed like a typical American pale ale and then finished off with agave at the end of brewing. This takes some of the bitterness out that is characteristic of pale ales.

The Desert Pale Ale's 110 IBUs ensure that it is, in fact, a pale ale, although it is a tad lighter and more citrusy in flavor. Its 5.5 percent ABV will be closer to a solid 6 percent in the coming months, Johnson said. But if you're looking for something a little higher in alcohol content right now, go for the Coffee Brown.

Heather Hoch

It was stupid of us to question whether they'd brew a coffee beer at Cartel -- what we didn't expect was an ale. Coffee notes are common in porters and stouts, so to get an nut brown ale that's strong in coffee flavor was exciting. Johnson says they went for an ale to let the coffee shine, instead of being merely another aspect of the beer -- and it does! The Coffee Brown is definitely our favorite of the two. After all, why go to Cartel for a brew if you're not going to get a coffee beer?

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest.

Location Info

Venue

Map

Cartel Coffee Lab

225 W. University Drive, Tempe, AZ

Category: Restaurant

4 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

We Recommend

Concerned_Food_Fan

110 IBUs is like Imperial IPA territory. I am suprised the coffee beer was an ale, though, instead of a porter (ale) or a stout (ale)...or maybe as opposed to all of those coffee lagers out there?

Fred_Schuster

Ollllo was spot on with his comments but he failed to mention the 110 IBU's and it is a Pale Ale comment? Someone should look up beer style guidelines, both the writer and the brewer. 110 IBU's would throw it out of the Pale Ale category. Zach Fowle to the rescue please so an honest and knowledgeable review can be done.

Francisco Cortez

Tried it at the airport. It was OK!

Marcie Lynn

https://www.facebook.com/events/158265647662791/

Marcie Lynn

INDOOR CHARITY BEER FESTIVAL! $25 bucks for 20 pours! ALL for Charity Every Kid Counts 501c3 SAT March 9th 1pm event starts! get your pre Sale Tickets ONLINE Now http://www.flaniganentertainment.com/FlaniganEntertainment/ticket.html Tickets are TAX DEDUCTIBLE! THere will be Bands Playing Food & Fun 602-505-2067 info, https://www.facebook.com/events/158265647662791/

olllllo

| It was stupid of us to question whether they'd brew a coffee beer at Cartel -- what we didn't expect was an ale. Coffee notes are common in porters and stouts, so to get an nut brown ale that's strong in coffee flavor was exciting.

There is a olde tyme notion in that statement that there are ales, porters and stouts. That thinking hasn't existed since Territorial days. Almost all porters and stouts are ales (certain Baltic Porters being the notable exception). Fate has made their own coffee American pale ale. I've had a coffee IPA which was great. It just requires some balance.

Sean

1 Like

I've only had the Coffee Brown (on tap at Fate Brewing this past weekend), and I expected it to really shine, but I was left pretty disappointed. Upfront the taste was great, the coffee definitely did shine, but after each swallow it left a strong copper taste in my mouth, as if it were full of pennies. I thought something might be off with me, but my girlfriend had the same experience, to the point where she didn't want to drink it. I didn't find it quite that bad, but the very present copper taste was off-putting, and I'm not sure that I'd want to have it again as is. Hopefully it's something they're able to workout; aside from that aftertaste, it's something I'd like to have more of.

Also, I know this is a "First Taste" article, but when the review is only of the beer, why not have the resident beer guy do the review, so we can get something a little more detailed and thought out? The additional info he might provide would be helpful, rather than someone just saying they like the beer.