Ithaca Beer Company’s Eleven is part of their Excelsior line of specialty beers. Eleven was brewed in honor of their eleventh anniversary. It is aged over roasted coffee. It is probably technically a Milk Stout as they add lactose to the beer which should give it a slightly sweet and smooth flavor. I decided to have it for “dessert” while watching a movie. Here’s what I thought of it:
Ithaca Eleven is a tasty beer but it had a bit less flavor than I was hoping for. It poured OK and had a decent aroma of dark roasted coffee. There was a slight sweetness to the beer as well. The taste was not what I was expecting. The aroma hinted at a full bodied beer but the beer felt a little thin. It was still good but not what I was expecting based on the smell. The aftertaste left a little bit of acidity in the mouth. Overall it’s a good, but not great beer. If you can find some try it out, especially if you like Coffee Stouts.
Here’s the score:
1. Appearance- 7 points (out of 10)
2. Smell- 7 points (out of 10)
3. Taste- 16 points (out of 20)
4. Drinkability- 8 points (out of 10)
Total 38 (out of 50) Points- 4 Mugs
ABV 7.5%
Approximate Calories: 452-508 (750ml)
I had this over the holidays, and enjoyed it…but for the $12 or so I paid for it, it was a let down. I would say it is worth trying but not worth going nuts trying to track it down.
Now their Old Habit, on the other hand, is a terrific beer that I can justify spending the extra cash on!
Hey Chris,
I enjoyed the Eleven but it wasn’t fantastic. I got mine for “free” from my Brother (although I sent him a case of various beers in return) so I didn’t have to worry about the price. I’ll ask my Brother about the Old Habit!