Southern Tier Jah-va

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

2005 Vintage ~ Brewed November 22, 2005

11/22/2008: Southern Tier Jah*Va Imperial Coffee Stout has a thick and syprupy pour. The black beer clings to the glass. It is opaque and lets absolutly no light pass through. The carbonation is pretty low at this point, but an extremely thin crown forms for a short while and then fades away to leave just a ring of bubbles around the endges. The aroma is massive as I can smell it from about 3 feet or more away! It just reeks of rich, smooth, and mouth-watering dark chocolate. An examination of the aroma closer up reveals undertones of sweeter milk and semi-sweet chocolates, dark caramelized malts, coffee, creamy coffee, and sweet roasted/charred malts. The fantastic flavor is a silky smooth blend of highend coffee melded with chocolate and caramelized and roasted malts. Everything is just so well blended and balanced. Each flavor can be tasted, but none dominate and they all come together quite harmoniously. This beer has a great balance of sweet malts and slightly bitter coffee and dark chocolate. Overall it is has just the right level of sweetness. The finish is extremely creamy with hints of vanilla, roasty espresso, and bourbon barrel-like char (no real bourbon flavor though and it is not missed and not needed in this awesome beer!). Everything about the flavor is so rich and that 12% ABV is nowhere to be found. It is thick and heavy on the palate like milk and it also clings to every part of the mouth. The mouth feel is mellow and silky and very smooth. Damn, this is a super fine beer and THE BEST coffee beer or stout I have ever had. It is just about perfect right now and makes me really wish I had more of this vintage, although I was too cheap to buy more at the time. However, this beer is worth every penny.

650 ml. / 1 pt. 6 fl. oz. silk-screened bottle (Alc. 12% by Vol. / 32° plato / 125 ibu’s / 247.0° L / 2-row malt / caramel malt / chocolate malt / black malt / roasted barley / cascade & columbus hops / jamaican blue mountain coffee) from decaturstevo via trade in November 2006. Thank you Stevo! Rating #494 for this beer.

From the pour and aroma I wasn’t that impressed. Not as opaque as other RIS, very little head, and aroma was mostly anise. HOWEVER, once I sipped this thing, my feelings changed. Thin texture yet it just sticks to your tongue and teeth with a lingering coffee and malt bitterness that is very nice. Carbonation is very low. ABV is extremely well hidden. Overall, I’m impressed.

From my girlfriend. Pours black with a slight tan head. Aroma is coffee and dark chocolate. Flavor is also coffee and chocolate, with way too much sugar. It’s good, tasty, but the sweetness stops it from being a 4. The alcohol is dangerously well-hidden. Nice mouthfeel, and overall a nice beer.

Bottle. Wonderful roasted malt and coffee aroma. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I love the taste of this ’coffee’ stout. It hides the 12% ABV very well. Maybe not the best Imperial Stout, but definitely towards the top of the scale. Delicious!

Bottle. Pitch black, tan head... Roasted coffee aroma... strong coffee flavor, with a bitter ending... hints of vanilla to give balance... completely hides the alcohol flavor even for being 12%... one of my fav stouts

Bouteille de 22 oz achetée chez RSVP (Portland, ME). Arôme: Odeur de café avec une pointe de chocolat et d’alcool. Apparence: La couleur est noire opaque. Présence d’un mince col beige mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de café avec une pointe chocolatée. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est plein avec une texture légèrement crémeuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence de café en arrière goût. (Rating #1984)

Bottle. Thanks to msante79 for this fine brew. Poured a deep black with dark tan head. Aroma of roasted malt and coffee. Tastes of roasted malt, coffee, dark fruits and vanilla. Thick and creamy without being sticky. Would like this again.

Poured a deep opaque black color with no light able to penetrate. Some subtle burgundy highlights show when held to the porch light. Creates a thin but sustaining tan head with just a few spotty wisps of lacing. A nicely balanced aroma profile greets the nose consisting of freshly ground darkly roasted coffee beans, black malts, dark chocolate and a touch of vanilla bean. Palate is moderately thick and creamy with a pleasant smoothness for a 12%’er. Flavor profile proudly shows off lots of fresh ground dark roasted beans coated in chocolate and molasses with a touch of vanilla. The alcohol certainly nudges itself into the picture with a pleasant warming effect. A nice creamy sweet finish which would make this a superb dessert beer. Definitely a top notch coffee Imperial Stout.