A Highland Brewing Company perennial favorite, Thunderstruck Coffee Porter, is back this October with two coffee infusions. The lightly caffeinated, cool weather beverage is a collaboration between Highland and Dynamite Roasting Company. After an August 12th tour of Dynamite Roasting and a primer on coffee tasting basics, the Highland brewing team got down to business and participated in a “cupping” to determine what roasts and varietals Highland wanted to include in this year’s recipe. The cupping practice, guided by Dynamite owner Andy Gibbon, involves a multi-step process of steeping, smelling and audible slurping (the louder the better) to fully realize the coffees’ characteristics. “There are some really cool parallels in the sensory evaluation of coffee and beer. I’m now able to experience my second favorite beverage with the same amount of depth that I enjoy a good beer,” said Brewmaster Hollie Stephenson. After sampling several varietals, the fully amped group settled on a dark roast Mexican blend for the brew house addition, and a lighter Honduran blend for the post fermentation addition.
Read More »