Southern Tier Jah-va

Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Lakewood, New York USA

Bottle: Thanks to cmr1517 for the share. Pitch black with some halo-esqe notes of a head. Massive mocha espresso nose, black malt and some mild hops are present. Rich, creamy mouth feel. Dry, vietnamese coffe taste, some cream, dark chocolate and oak are present along with some tobacco notes. This is easily one of the best stouts I’ve ever had, and ST’s finest.

bottle. pours opaque black with a thinnish tan head that sticks around a bit, and leaves hints of lacing here and there. i don’t like coffee, but this stuff smells amazing. big coffee kick, but without that acidic edge that turns me off the stuff, plus a good deal of chocolate and roasted malts that don’t let the stout character get away. there’s also definitely a note of some piny floral hops beneath all that malt. the coffee is somewhat subdued in the taste (not a bad thing), with the roasted malts shining more, as well as bits of chocolate, some dark fruity esters, and again a note of piny floral hops. there’s also a hint of that 12% at the end of the taste. light bitter on the finish, with a hint of sugary sweetness backing it up, and tons of warming. there’s a lingering coffee-like aftertaste, but it’s not like i just drank some coffee; it’s much more pleasant, like the smell of coffee brewing. thick, silky, and oily in the mouth, quite full-bodied, and the right amount of carbonation to tickle but not stand out. frankly, i’m amazed that this is 12%. it goes slowly, and is quite warm, but there’s very little hint of that in the taste. especially considering i don’t drink coffee, i found this immensely enjoyable. complex and roasty, and all the right flavors in a coffee stout.

Bottle, thanks to pantanap for this bonus! I enjoyed this one with some Intense Dark Ghirardelli Midnight Reverie chocolate that went very well with the aspects of the beer. Dank! Pours still and deep black with maroon edges. Fine brown swirls with no head. Really robust coffee bean aroma with notes of wet soil, charred wood, dark chocolate mixed into oatmeal, and licorice liqueur. Flavors follow up the major coffee base with sweet molasses and caramelized sugars. Finishes waaay bitter, which I like! 125 IBU’s, wow! Thick and oily mouth-feel that coats the palate nicely. Coffee was almost over the top, but still a standout and unique brew.

I love this, I mean love. More than Kevin Arnold loved Winnie Cooper. Chocklate is a great beer..... but i would drink this more often. ..

High quality coffee beans are present in this brew and they are preseneted in an unburnt fashion. This has been my favorite straight up java stout.

lots of coffee notes, amazing for 12%, like a beer espresso. Some spicey overtones. Very awesome stout.

Bottle pours black with a large tan head and clingy lace. The aroma is chocolate and espresso. The flavor is solid dark chocolate, malted milk, espresso, with a lingering bitter roast. Alcohol is not tasted. The palate is lively and fairly rich. Overall, this is delicious. I’m starting it out rather cold and like it this way.

I think I hyped this beer up a little bit to much before trying it so I was a bit let down. It is a good beer but I prefer some of the other java stouts out there (Bells and Barley Island offerings). I also found the Southern Tier Oatmeal stout to be better as well. But this is good in its own right. Aroma is coffee beans and alcohol. The alcohol taste is noticeable , but not overly strong. Coffee taste is weak in the mix and is just a supporting flavor with hints of sugary syrup. It is oily on the palate, but not all that thick for some reason. The taste it leaves on the palate is pleasant though.