Central Waters Satin Solstice Imperial Stout

Brewed by Central Waters Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Amherst, Wisconsin USA

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle. The pour was a rich deep dark black with an average sized (1-2 finger) light brown frothy head that lasted just a little while but left behind just enough residue to create some excellent lacing that sheeted the glass. The aroma was of a burnt dark bread malt, a very mild herbal hop and a chewy bitter leathery yeast with notes of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, molasses and a mild scent of alcohol. The taste was lightly sweet and malty with a nice chocolate note and a touch of molasses early on the progressed to a slightly bitter yet still sweet flavor with a nice strong coffee note and a mild alcohol finish. The flavor laid on the taste buds for a good long time letting the sweet warming coffee taste to be fully enjoyed. Mouthfeel was full and bold in body with the texture being creamy yet a little dry and having a soft carbonation. Overall an exceptionally balanced brew with the high alcohol content blending so well with all of the flavors, that it is barely noticeable other than a warming sensation at the end.

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint. Appearance: Very dark brown with decent sized tan head. Aroma: Chocolate, molasses and some booze. Straightforward but nice. Taste: Creamy chocolate with some light roasted notes of coffee and burnt molasses. However, these harsher and more challenging flavors are secondary to the velvety chocolate. Palate: Very smooth body that is slightly marred by not being quite full bodied enough. Moderate carbonation. Overall: This is an easy drinking Imperial Stout. Sounds like an oxymoron, but certainly true in this case.

Coal black color with a hint of ruby and a thin dark beige head. Sweet, dark roasted aroma. Flavor is thick, strong black coffee and sweet dark fruits with an herbal bitterness for the finish. Smooth and full bodied with decent carbonation.

Central Waters continues to impress me. This is my first taste of their Imperial stout and after 2 bottles i really like it. Its easily one of the smoothest tasting Imperials i have tried. The alcohol content is a little low for this type of beer and the flavor is subtle but still grabs your attention. You can taste the coffee but in my opinion its just right.

Thanks again to my pal Narnad for the bottle. Pours dark brown, not quite black, with dark red highlights. Light brown head is mostly diminishing. Pleasantly roasty and sweet aroma - milk chocolate, peanut brittle, black coffee, raisins and brown sugar. The aroma is particularly nice as it doesn’t have the overabundance of booze or sickeningly sweet brown sugar so prevalent in other imperial stouts, but instead brings a nice balance. Flavor is mild-to-moderately sweet with a low, coffee bitterness. Roasted malts dominate the middle of the flavor and really pop in the finish - slightly dusty and chewy grains atop bittersweet cocoa. Alcohol is just barely noticeable, mostly in the immediate aftertaste. Mildly carbonated with a slightly slick mouthfeel. A subdued (and that is meant as a compliment) imperial stout that hugs the line of a traditional sweet stout.

12oz bottle (received via trade with heybeerman) -

I can’t remember the last time I had an imperial stout this light, not only in mouthfeel, but color as well. The beer pours our a dark brown, not quite black body with a 1/2" thich head, but lots of random large/small bubbles. Aroma starts out with coffee/roasted malts with just a bit of ashyness, but nothing overboard (too much ash makes a stout undrinkable IMO). Flavor brings out some more coffee flavors, light bakers chocolate with some sugar-like flavor. This combo just remindes of a drinking a cold coffee. Body was on the thin side for an imperial stout and lacked the creamy body that should be there. Not a world-class beer, but good enough.

12oz bottle in a snifter. Pours black with a tan head. Aroma of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and some light hops. Flavor about the same, with lots of roasted malts and chocolate. Average texture. A pretty good beer.

UPDATED: JAN 2, 2012 12 oz abottle....pours almost black with thin head...chocolate and coffee are the initial taste and nose....improves as it warms as with many stouts. This doesn’t feel / taste as boozy as many imperials, which is a plus for me...ain’t looking for Dark Lord....almost closer to a sweet stout....excellent / glad I have 5 more! f

12 oz. bottle courtesy of Tripplebrew. Notch on label says brewed in JUL. Used a snifter. Small tan, head that died to nothing within a few minutes. Light CO 2. Very pleasant roasted chocolate malt nose. Bitter chocolate, coffee hints and a very nice dark fruit (Raisin or plum). The dark fruit is a nice accent in the finish. A bit thinner body for an Impy Stout, but what it lacks in body, it makes up for in taste. A nice drinkability and if I had another bottle, I would reach of it right now. This is a nice winter warmer indeed!

12 oz bottle. Black with a small dense light tan head. Aroma of cocoa powder, licorice, ash and burnt coffee. Flavor is bitter-sweet chocolate, acidic smoke, rich dark malt and some alcohol. Full body with mild carbonation and a dry, chalky mouth feel. Good Imp Stout, a bit different but very affordable.