Sweetwater Tavern High Desert Imperial Stout

Brewed by Sweetwater Tavern (Great American Restaurants)
Style: Imperial Stout
Falls Church, Virginia USA

GABF 2004 - Under the name Great American Restaurants High Desert Imperial Stout - Black body, medium sized brown head. Musty, leafy basil, plum, compost and cabbage aromas, with a piney sweet hop/juniper note as well. Flavor of wood and plums, average body, medium alcohol presence with a chalky and sour finish. I sampled this beer on two nights of the GABF, the first time being turned off by the vegetable/basil notes, but on the second night I was more impressed. Something I have at the top of my list for a rerate.

Opaque dark brown color with a few small bubbles adrift atop. Thick and chewy looking. Sweet roasted malt aromas with a mild backdrop of pine-wood and a hint of alcohol. Strong and formidable flavors. Molasses and tar cover the road with licorice hops in the rear-view mirror. For me it lacked the dark fruits that really bring out some of the other complexities.

Chocolate covered berries are counterpointed by roasted malts with notes of soy, vanilla and herbal, leafy hops. Opaque black body is topped by a low but lasting, fine bubbled, off white head. Berry-like fruits and chocolate are very pleasantly balanced by strong roasted malt bitterness with hints of smoke and warm spices. Medium full body is somewhat syrupy with soft but lively carbonation. Sampled on the PA trip 2005.

Growler at A&K 4th DC tasting and provided by JasonP (14 is the new 4), many thanks!

Opaque with a long lasting creamy tan head and great lace. The nose detected massive liquorice, burnt and chocolate malts, fresh coffee, molasses, plum, and bitter piney hops. The taste has a wonderful balance of big sweet malts, bitter espresso, mild fruit undertone, and a hint of smoky wood. The molasses and liquorice twang linger well past the final sip. YUMMY! The feel is lush, oily, and chewy because of the soft carbonation. This is an outstanding brew and I am so glad to have tried it (and tried over again).

Many, many thanks to Ken for the bad-ass growler! Poured a thick, near-black with a creamy, well retained, dark tan head.. sticky lacing stuck on the glass. The aroma was surprisingly hoppy after a couple glasses and as it got to room temp.. spicy and pine notes rode elegantly over rich layers of chocolate and light molasses.. dark and seductive, and it made me drink more than I should have. The flavor had dark, well-roasted chocolate at the core, with caramel imparting some sweetness.. heavy pine bitterness surrounded, and made this a very enjoyable, well-hopped imperial stout.. long sweet, spicy, and roasty finish. Heavier-bodied, warm, and well-balanced, especially considering the ABV.. grainy, warm finish lasted quite a while, and carried through a lot of the bitterness. Excellent beer!

Huge thanks to Ken for sending me this great growler. I have been drinking this stuff for most of the night and Im pretty messed up right now. Pours a nice deep ruby-black with some woody highlights- moslty cloudy - nice light yeast sediment on the bottom of the growler and a thin but lasting light brownish orange head. Aroma is roasty and nutty with a light hoppy kick, some fruity esters, dark and bittersweet chocolates and some alcohol as it warms. Roasty and chocolate flavor with a bit of alcohol, fruits, nutty- almond in the end, some annisette liquor, dark thick espresso and a harsh roasty acrid black malt character that I like in my impy stouts. Thick and big bodied with a somewhat chalky finish. Real nice bold impy stout. Thanks again Ken.

Black as night with a tan head. Nice chocolate and roasted malt aroma with some expresso and hops. Taste is Belgian chocolates, day old strong coffee and a nice hop bite.

Growler. Thanks to jeffc666 for this one. PItch black body with a small foamy tan head. Nose is roasted malts, light licorice, dark chocolate and sweetened coffee. Taste is sweet with milk chocolate, molasses, light licorice, dark fruits and hints of fresh brewed espresso. Body is velvety smooth with some syrupiness. Lingering light bitterness. Finish is more bittersweet with licorice and light coffee. More dark chocolate notes and light hints of raisins and molasses. Nice beer!