Tarboro Brewing Company “Cake by the Ocean”

Style: Stout
ABV: 7.0%

Any DNCE fans among our readers? How about cake fans? If you answered yes to either of these questions (and even if you didn’t), you’ll probably want to try the beer featured today. Our New Release review is on “Cake by the Ocean” this week. This stout was brewed by the folks at Tarboro Brewing Company in the nearby town of Tarboro, NC. It had been a while since we visited their taproom, and a beer advertised as a cake stout was encouragement enough to get us out there for a couple beers (we weren’t going to have just ONE beer at TBC). Check out both of our tasting notes below!

Joe’s Take

Nick and I were pretty excited to get back out to Tarboro to check out the new selections available for our consumption. We made sure to get a couple tastings in and had to try their new cake stout, “Cake by the Ocean.” With a name like that, who could refuse?

“Cake by the Ocean” was a rich and dark looking beverage that, if mimicking a cake, would most likely resemble a slice of chocolate cake with a thick chocolate ganache. The beer was a deep brown color that turned amber at the edges where the light shone through. The thin white head dissipated into a few wispy puffs of foam a few seconds after the beer was handed over by the beertender.

Giving the cake stout a few good sniffs filled my nostrils with aromas of sweet cocoa, brown sugar, vanilla, and even a hint of maraschino cherry. The aroma was complex and strong, and this led me to believe that this was going to be a sweet full-flavored beer that could be a standalone item on a dessert menu at a steakhouse.

After giving in to temptation, I took a sip of the stout and was surprised by the mouthfeel. From the appearance and aroma I was expecting a full-bodied and heavy beer. However, it seemed surprisingly light and carbonated on the tongue. There was an initial syrupy quality to the beer that faded quickly and left the palate feeling neither coated nor dried out. Instead, the beer presented itself with substance but was still light enough to let you finish out the pint with ease.

The first thing I noted on tasting “Cake by the Ocean” was a pronounced coffee like roast on the finish. Being a big fan of coffee, I thought this gave the beer a nice “coffee and dessert” kind of vibe. On subsequent sips I picked up a sweetness that was similar to the aromas released by the beer. There was a distinct cherry-like quality that came through to me as chocolate covered cherries. The sweet chocolate flavors contributed to the sensation that this was an attempt at a chocolate cake with a cherry swirl throughout. This was certainly a complex beer to taste and each sip presented a unique opportunity to attempt to isolate and identify the distinct flavors present.

Being such a flavorful and complex beer, I would say that “Cake by the Ocean” is a one and done type of brew. This beer would be best served as an after dinner treat that would help put the “icing on the cake” for any hearty savory meal. It is definitely a unique experience and I recommend you give it a try to see what flavors you can identify.

Nick’s Take

When we arrived at Tarboro Brewing Company, I was feeling pretty hungry and knew it would be wise to get some food before having a couple beers. It was my luck that TBC was hosting a food truck, El Chambis. I figured it would be better to pair my Mexican food with something other than “Cake by the Ocean,” so I grabbed a pint of “Small Town Barbecue” first. After finishing up my food and IPA, I was ready to focus on their new stout.

“Cake by the Ocean” was a rich brown color, tinged with dark red. This was really noticeable when held toward the light. I was able to quickly snap an overhead photo to capture the light tan/off-white foam that came after the pour, but it faded into obscurity rather abruptly. The only trace left was a thin bubbly ring around the edge of the glass, and some pale, wispy clouds on the surface.

Not knowing what kind of cake to expect from this stout, I went into my tasting process blindly. The initial aromas I detected were various sweet scents. I pulled some notes of fudge, cherry – more accurately, cherry syrup – and some sugary sweetness. I guessed this was a product of the lactose that was added to the brew. The overall sweet characteristics of the aroma should be no surprise for a beer that touts cake, and it was making me eager to give it a taste.

When I took my first sip, I was caught off guard by the crisp mouthfeel. The carbonation wasn’t hiding in this stout, and it made for a bright and exciting drinking experience. The body was also on the lighter side, making it drink rather smoothly (as opposed to those thick, syrupy imperial stouts you may have experienced).

Sometimes, beer flavors can be a little tricky to define or pinpoint. I think “Cake by the Ocean” has a little complexity to the taste, despite being brewed with quite simple ingredients according to their brewers. Of course, there is a lot of sweetness for a stout, but it took some time (and some out-loud thinking with Joe) to really hone in on what I was perceiving. My palate would say there are notes of cherry, chocolate, and a sweet aftertaste of…sugar? Maybe the icing on the cake? I really enjoyed the process of taking sip after sip and letting the flavors develop, trying hard to pick up new elements. I was leaning toward a red velvet cake comparison but thought I was probably being too earnest. Turns out that may be relatable for others who have drank this stout.

The mouthfeel was light and crisp, the flavors were sweet and exciting, and it went down very easily. However, it does clock in at 7% ABV, so you’ve got to be cautious if you are thinking about drinking a couple and having to drive 30 minutes home. This stout really works well for the summer months, and I wouldn’t mind pairing this with a cigar around a campfire (not that I am qualified to pair beer and cigars, as I have had no clue what I’m doing the few times I’ve entered a cigar store). I recommend “Cake by the Ocean” if you’re into stouts, and if you are unsure, this could be a great introduction for you. Go visit TBC and try it for yourself, or Joe Jonas will stop writing catchy pop songs.