Sweetwater Tavern High Desert Imperial Stout

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

Growler: Opaque near-black, dark brown with a small, well-retained, brown head that fades slowly to a small ring around the outside of the glass. The aroma is burnt roasted malts, thick dark coffee, bitter chocolate, with hints of alcohol and fruit. Taste is big roasted coffee and malt, dark burnt malts, espresso, light hops that come out fruity and piney, then some late wood notes. Full bodied, creamy, thick mouthfeel, moderate carbonation. Finish is long with dark roasted notes lingering. This is a nice example of the style.

Handbottle from Dickinsonbeer. Huge thanks for this brew! Aroma is hot, with some mollasses--but even more soy. Black body is oily and thick. The hop and malt mixture doesn’t work for me in this stout. Plenty of huge malt and coffee/chocolate flavor, but there is an underlying bitterness that throws me off.

12 oz bottle via Dickinsonbeer(thanks!).Pours a pitch black with a small brown head. Nose is chocolate and bourban. Taste starts sweet, then lots of chocolate, roast, soy, and licorice, with a piney finish/aftertaste. A bit of warmth in the finish. Body is medium/full, carbonation is medium. A very nice yet bold Imp Stout.

Pours a deep black hue with a small brown head. Aromas of soy sauce, chocoalte with flavors of the same but with a little coffee kick to it. Very smooth with a clean finish. MInimal hop presence.

Courtesy hopscotch. Pours black, with a creamy tan head and prominent lacing. Aroma is cotton candy and roasted chocolate. Interesting smoky flavor, probably from the roasted malts. Wet, drippy chocolate bites the tongue hard. Definitely a feel of alcohol. Easy drinking, though.

On draft at Sweetwater in Centreville, VA. Nice black pour with a thin tan head. Raisin’s, whiskey, roasted malt...and a hint of rum. A nice warm welcome. Alcohol hidden well in the flavor. Roasted molasses, malt, and some rum in the flavor. Very complex, yet not heavy. A nice treat to find when I walked in and saw the "On tap list."

Huge thanks to Joel for sharing this badass brew. Hand-bottled. Pours a pitch black color, no head. Smells of sweet chocolate, just a little coffee with some booze too. Flavor is sweet, lotso f chocolate and roasted notes. A little burning plastic (boo) bourbon, sharp. A touch of oxidation. Overall tasty stuff.

High Desert Imperial Stout pours to a beautiful, deep ebony color with a rocky dark tan head that fades and a soft to moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer is just jam packed with character. Deep aromas of dark chocolate, roasted barley, espresso coffee, and peppery waves of alcohol flood the nose. The body on this beer is rich and decadent, very full and slick on the tongue, with massive flavors. Dark chocolate, espresso coffee, deep roasty notes, vanilla, and alcohol flavors of pepper, coat the tongue and glide down the throat. High Desert finishes with more complex chocolate, coffee, and roasty flavors and ends with a long, soothing, warming, roasty, and bitter finish that lingers. This is one of the most impressive Imperial Stouts I have ever tasted. Stylistically it is flawless, and comes in at a warming 9.7% abv. This beer is the ultimate after dinner drink at Sweetwater, and is the perfect match with their key lime cheese cake or flourless chocolate waffle.