Southern Tier Jah-va

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

Bomber, courtesy of my East Coast connection - john_adam2002 (Thanks Adam!). Pours a dark brown/black with a pillowy two finger dark cinnamon colored head, good lacing. Aroma is fresh ground coffee, bittersweet chocolate, molasses, brown sugar and a noticible hops presence. Flavor is an espresso shot with just a touch of sweetness, some milk chocolate, and a gentle hoppy bitterness that lingers; gently warming, but otherwise the alcohol is imperceptible. Palate is thick and creamy, nicely coating. This is a well done coffee stout and another solid ST creation - more, please!

22oz bottle. Deep red-brown/black color with a thin film of dark brown head. Alcohol, coffee, bitter chocolate, and piney hops in the aroma. Complex coffee components, muddy chocolate and a keening roastiness. Some dark alefruit, coarse floral hop bitterness. Heavy semisweet chocolate flavors manifest late. Chocolate, coffee bean characters in the finish, lingering sweetness with some alcohol notes. Mouthfeel is heavy, chewy.

22 oz. bottle from November 2005. Brown/black pour with the slightest ruby tinge at the edge produces a slowly devleoping, but very healthy, brown head. Deep dark chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla, blackstrap molasses, and a hint of spice combine for a wonderful aroma. Smooth, rich, and creamy on the palate complement the heavy body and light carbonation. A deep, dark, and satisfying sweetness settles down as the tempering from some spicy hops kicks in. A wonderfully luxurious beer. The 12 % alcohol is never a factor in the aroma or flavor. Absolutely first rate.

Tasted at Saarlander’s SoCal tasting with saarlander, cquiroga, dirty_martini & kittiesandbeer, JohnC and others. Aaah I now have renewed faith in coffee stouts. I’ve tried a couple recently with over the top coffee, but in this beer mellow and delicious. Small head with fine bubbles. Pitch black in color. Sweet caramel, molasses,belnd with subdued roasted grains and coffee to form a mellow but extremely flavorful elixir

Impression: One of the most refined coffee stouts out there. Seriously smooth. Surprisingly delicate aromas. No overpowering coffee flavors which can ruin these ambitious brews. What is striking, particularly, is the crisp palate this beer presents. The alcohol is not noticeable. I was lucky enough to try this on tap.

Bottled sample shared with oakbluff. Jet black in colour with low carbonation. Aromas of mild coffee, milk chocolate, malt, caramel, vanilla, and stewed plums. Less coffee flavored than expected (this bottle isn’t alll that fresh), and fairly balanced between the more mellow caramel/vanilla and the roasted coffee chocolate notes. There’s a neat fruit component that is somewhat port-like as well. The body is pretty much perfect for this style: thick, while just carbonated enough to keep things from getting too heavy or cloying. Not quite as focused as the "best in class" impy stouts, but pretty darn close. Huge thanks to oakbluff for sharing this one!

poured into tulip. pours a black with mild tan head. coffee mocha aroma. mild mocha coffee throught to finish. almost bitter, is good, strong finish.

Dark, sweet, with an intense coffee flavor. Plenty of bite, and extremely enjoyable.