Southern Tier Jah-va

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

Pours very nice thick black with minimal dark tan head. As expected coffee and malts are the dominant aromas, with some chocolate and alcohol present. The flavor is excellent, a very well balanced combo of the coffee and malts with a nice finish of the hops. Vanilla is also mildly present in the flavor. The beer is nice and heavy, and although pretty high in alcohol the balanced flavor and nice body make it easy to drink. One of the best Imperial stouts I’ve had.

Nearly black with a mahogany hue and a sticky brown head. Great aroma of coffee, leather, char and a bit of licorice. Upfront it is burnt in flavor but the follow through is actually rather light and fruity with cola, caramel and coffee. Very heavy but silky in body. Good balancing bitterness. Noticeable hop flavor that melds nicely. They have a winner here.

Bottle. Black pour, almost no head. Some roasted malt, coffee grounds, and a little burnt malt. Smooth mouthfeel, and the alcohol is hardly noticable. Flavor has a little sweet chocolate malt, roasted / lightly burnt malt, and coffee grounds in the finish. Nice amount of bitterness, and pretty well balanced.

Beer pours immensely dark brown with ruby highlights, deep brown head and decent lacing. Strong coffee aroma with hints of chocolate. Flavor was just superb, excellent quality coffee (label said Jamaican Blue Mountain), full and rich on the tongue. Also noticeably present were some pine-like hops, chocolate and a very strong presence of caramel malts. If this beer were dialed back just a tad on those caramel malts (it made the beer a bit too sweet), this would have been the "Imperial Stout to Beat" on my list...but alas, that still belongs to Speedway, but this isn’t far behind.

05 bottle thanks to drewbeerme. Thanks for this awesome beer, Drew. Poured a deep brown/black color with a thin tan head. Aroma of coffee, roast, and a bit of chocolate. Flavor of sweet chocolate malt, roasted coffee, caramel, slight green taste, and a nice dry finish. Smooth, creamy, and easy drinking. No sign of the 12% alcohol. Thanks again Drew, great beer.

12 oz on tap at Vintage. Pours nearly black with less than 1 cm tan head. Aroma dominated by coffee with some hints of roasted malt and alcohol. Initial flavor is bitter coffee and light chocolate and not much else. Flavor ends much the same way and is lasting. Lots of lacing, minimal carbonation, medium/heavy body, and alcohol is well hidden considering its 12%. Very drinkable, but I prefer the Bell’s Java to this one.

Tap, Publick House Brookline. I was very underwhelmed. This doesn’t hold a candle to Victory at Sea. I would sure love to try it again to make sure.

Dark oil color with quite a bit of amber hued head. Awesome aroma of coffee beans, licorice and malt. Flavor is a lovely blend of the aforementioned aromas. Very thick and chewy body with really well hidden alcohol.