Firestone Walker Mocha Merlin 6Pk

Firestone Walker Mocha Merlin 6Pk is a 5.5% ABV oatmeal milk stout brewed with real coffee and cocoa nibs, sold in a six-pack of 12 oz cans. Earning a 90-point score on BeerAdvocate across nearly 600 ratings, this stout became one of Firestone Walker's most celebrated seasonal releases before being discontinued.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%  |  Origin: Paso Robles, California  |  Style: Oatmeal Milk Stout  |  Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Firestone Walker Brewing Company, founded in 1996 in Paso Robles on California's Central Coast, built Mocha Merlin on the foundation of its acclaimed Velvet Merlin oatmeal stout. The base recipe was modified into a milk stout by incorporating lactose, which adds body and a subtle sweetness that bridges the coffee and cocoa additions. The Colombia La Granadilla coffee blend, sourced from HoneyCo Coffee Roasters, is added directly into the fermentation tank in a technique analogous to dry hopping, while Ghana-sourced cocoa nibs are secured in mesh bags and steeped into the finished beer — a dual-addition process that preserves the aromatics of both ingredients without harsh extraction.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark roasted coffee dominates the nose immediately, followed by layers of roasted malt and milk chocolate. A faint suggestion of cream lingers underneath, making the aroma closer to a fresh cup of mocha than a typical stout.

Taste: Toasted malt leads on the entry, giving way to a surge of dark roasted coffee at mid-palate. Milk chocolate emerges alongside vanilla and grain, and the lactose provides a rounded, slightly sweet body that knits the coffee and cocoa together into a cohesive mocha character. Bitterness is notably restrained — this drinks smooth rather than acrid.

Finish: Medium in length with a closing bite of roasted grain and lingering coffee. The velvety mouthfeel from the oats and lactose carries through to the end, leaving a clean, mocha-like impression.

How to Drink Mocha Merlin

Mocha Merlin is best served at cellar temperature, around 50–55°F, which allows the coffee and cocoa aromatics to fully express themselves; pouring into a tulip glass or snifter concentrates the nose. For a beer float, pour Mocha Merlin over a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream — the lactose base and chocolate notes create a natural dessert pairing. It also works well in an Espresso Stout Martini riff, shaken with coffee liqueur and a shot of espresso for a layered, effervescent take on the classic. A Black Velvet variation — equal parts Mocha Merlin and dry sparkling wine — produces an unexpectedly elegant contrast of roast and acidity.

Best For

• Cold-weather evening sessions when rich, warming flavors hit hardest
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who collects discontinued or limited releases
• Dessert course pairing at a dinner party alongside chocolate or coffee-based dishes
• Introducing someone to coffee stouts with a smooth, approachable example

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Mocha Merlin taste like? Mocha Merlin delivers a prominent dark roasted coffee flavor layered with milk chocolate, toasted malt, and a touch of vanilla, all carried on a smooth, creamy body from the oats and lactose. The bitterness is mild, making it taste more like a rich iced mocha than a harsh, roasty stout.

How does Mocha Merlin compare to Founders Breakfast Stout? Both are coffee-forward stouts that score in the 90-point range on BeerAdvocate, but Mocha Merlin uses lactose for a rounder, sweeter body, while Founders Breakfast Stout incorporates chocolate and Sumatra and Kona coffee with oats for a drier, more bitter profile. Mocha Merlin leans closer to a true mocha flavor, whereas Breakfast Stout emphasizes roast intensity and a more pronounced hop backbone.

Is Mocha Merlin good for beginners? Yes — the lactose softens the roasted bitterness typical of stouts, and the familiar mocha flavor profile makes it one of the more approachable entries in the coffee stout category. Its 5.5% ABV also keeps it sessionable compared to many imperial stouts.

Where is Mocha Merlin made? Mocha Merlin was brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Company at their facility in Paso Robles, California, on the state's Central Coast. The coffee was sourced from HoneyCo Coffee Roasters' Colombia La Granadilla blend, and the cocoa nibs came from Ghana.

What foods pair well with Mocha Merlin? Chocolate lava cake mirrors the beer's cocoa and coffee notes for a decadent dessert pairing. Smoked brisket benefits from the stout's roasty malt cutting through the meat's richness. A cheese plate featuring aged Gouda or Gruyère finds balance with the beer's sweetness. Mole-sauced dishes echo the chocolate and roast flavors, and vanilla bean crème brûlée contrasts the coffee bitterness with caramelized sugar.

What sizes does Mocha Merlin come in? Mocha Merlin was primarily available in six-packs of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format for this release.

Is Mocha Merlin worth the price? Mocha Merlin positioned as a mid-range craft stout, priced competitively with other specialty coffee stouts from established breweries. Its 90-point BeerAdvocate rating and now-discontinued status add collectible value, making remaining stock increasingly sought after among craft beer enthusiasts.

Why Mocha Merlin?

What set Mocha Merlin apart from the crowded coffee stout field was its production technique: adding HoneyCo's single-origin Colombian coffee directly into the fermenter preserved volatile aromatics that boil-kettle additions destroy, while steeping Ghana cocoa nibs in mesh bags allowed controlled extraction without astringency. The lactose-enriched milk stout base gave those additions a creamy canvas that reviewers consistently described as tasting like premium mocha ice cream rather than a typical roasty stout. Now discontinued by Firestone Walker, remaining six-packs represent the final opportunity to experience one of the Central Coast's most distinctive stout recipes — a beer that earned its 90-point BeerAdvocate score through genuine ingredient quality and thoughtful brewing technique.