Drink This Now: Noble Stout at Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company

Noble Stout at Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company. // Photo by Sarah Sipple

Rochester’s Original Coffee Stout was nominated by readers as a finalist for “Best Stout” in our Best of KC 2023 contest.

A newer release, the Noble Stout, is a coffee stout with an 8.3% ABV. In the brewing process, Rochester uses their “Original” coffee blend, chipotle peppers, Madagascar vanilla beans, and cacao. The result is a mild stout with a luscious texture.

Coffee is the primary flavor, with beer essence taking a backseat to the notes of chocolate and hickory. With a color between burnt church coffee and black forest cake, the stout is velvety and easily drinkable. This is not a stout that makes you feel like you’ve drunk a loaf of bread after one glass. It’s possible that it’s *too* drinkable–it goes down easy like a cold brew.

Rochester is a great spot for beer newbies. Without being bland or flavorless, many of the brews are gentle and pleasant versions of common beer styles. Flights of tasters are available to sample new-to-you beers. Two other stouts are on rotation lately—an imperial stout and a Russian imperial stout—plus sours, IPAs, cream ales, and more.

Pair this with a house-made donut for a decadent afternoon treat, or meet friends after work and pair this relatively light stout with an Italian sandwich for a hearty meal. Folks who are caffeine-sensitive can rest easy knowing that the caffeine content is negligible in coffee stouts.

Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company is located at 2129 Washington St., Kansas City, MO 64108, and 100 S Main St., Parkville, MO 64152.