Coffee and beer are a match made in heaven. Over the years, we’ve teamed up with incredible roasters, brewers, and friends to explore just how versatile coffee can be in brewing from cocktail-inspired stouts to zesty sours.
This International Coffee Day, we’re taking a walk down memory lane with 10 of our favourite coffee creations. Some you might have tried, some you might have missed, but all of them showcase the magic that happens when coffee meets beer.
1. Maple Crema Imperial Breakfast Stout
Brewed with our Chicago pals at Mikerphone Brewing, this decadent imperial breakfast stout was layered with mountains of maple syrup, brown sugar, and a rich blend of Brazilian and Colombian coffee beans.
2. Vault City x Coffee Collective – Coffee Lemonade
When life gives you lemons, make coffee lemonade… and then turn it into a Vault City sour.
Fresh lemon juice and zest met the smooth, full-bodied character of Kieni, a Kenyan coffee sourced and roasted by our friends at Coffee Collective. We added coffee through both a bulk grinder and a hop rocket, pulling deep flavours without overwhelming the beer.
The result was a refreshing blend of soft coffee notes — blackcurrant, blackberry, and rhubarb — lifted by the zesty brightness of sweet lemonade. The idea came from Nina at Coffee Collective, who told us about a friend making their own coffee lemonade. It immediately struck us as something worth exploring in beer form.
3. Vault City x Coffee Collective – Espresso Martini
The second in our Coffee Collective duo, this time at the opposite end of the spectrum.
This full-bodied imperial stout took inspiration from the iconic cocktail, combining rich coffee character with velvety sweetness. A layered malt bill of Carafa® Special 3, chocolate wheat, oats, and Crystal T50™ created depth and balance.
Infused with Reshad, an Ethiopian coffee, it offered aromas of milk chocolate and light fruit, followed by flavours of dark chocolate and a smooth, balanced bitterness.
From fresh lemons to rich espresso, this duo was all about exploring the spectrum of flavour coffee can bring to beer.
4. Kärleksmums – Swedish Cake-Inspired Imperial Stout
A collab with Nerdbrewing, this vegan pastry stout took inspiration from Kärleksmums, one of Sweden’s most loved cakes. Packed with chocolate, coffee, coconut, and vanilla, it brought the rich flavours of mocha and pastry straight into the glass.
5. Gingerbread Latte Imperial Stout
Chocolate malt, oats, and vanilla created a luscious base, while brown sugar and subtle coffee notes melded with warming cinnamon and ginger. A proper winter warmer.
6. 7 Years Stout (Cacao, Maple, Coffee, Coconut, Vanilla, Cinnamon & Caramel)
Brewed to celebrate our 7th birthday, this was a decadent layer cake of flavours: cacao nibs, maple syrup, coffee, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and caramel. A luxuriously smooth, full-bodied treat for a big milestone.
7. Overnight Oats (Banana, Blackberry, Goji Berry, Maple, Coffee)
Sweet banana, tart goji berry, and juicy blackberry all fought for the spotlight in this golden oat-based breakfast beer, while maple and roasted coffee played subtle but important supporting roles.
8. Coconut Crema Imperial Stout
Inspired by Italian affogato, this vanilla-laden stout brought roasted coffee, sweet Tonka beans, and smooth coconut together for a creamy, dessert-like finish.
9. Vanilla Crema Imperial Stout – Vault City x Hard Lines
One half of our Crema Imperial Stout duo, brewed in collaboration with our pals at Hard Lines Coffee in Cardiff. Known for their playful branding and serious approach to sourcing and roasting, Hard Lines helped us craft a velvety stout layered with pale and chocolate malt, wheat, oats, Carafa® Special III, and Melanoidin malt. Chocolate, biscuit, and roasted coffee all shone through.
10. Salted Caramel Crema Imperial Stout – Vault City x Hard Lines
The other half of the duo showcased Hard Lines’ Peru Seasonal Coffee, chosen for its complex notes of red fruits, toffee, and toasted biscuit. Balanced with layers of brown sugar, Belgian dark syrup, sea salt, and East Kent Goldings hops, this was a sweet-and-salty caramel dream.
Raise a coffee cup!
From cocktail classics to breakfast-inspired brews, coffee has taken us on some unforgettable journeys in the brewhouse. While not all of these beers are still around, they’ve each left their mark — and who knows, maybe some will make a comeback one day.
On International Coffee Day, we’re raising a glass to every bean, brewer, and roaster (coffee maker or otherwise) that’s been part of the ride.