Sweetwater Tavern: Merrifield High Desert Imperial Stout

High Desert Imperial Stout

 

Sweetwater Tavern: Merrifield in Falls Church, Virginia, United States 🇺🇸

  Stout - Imperial Regular
Score
7.47
ABV: 10.8% IBU: - Ticks: 7
An exceptionally rich, powerful stout in the style originally brewed in England for the Tsars of Russia...warming and complex with flavors of dried fruit & chocolate.
 

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8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Draft (tapped 2/7/14) at Sweetwater Tavern Merrifield poured into a standard pint glass. According to the board, this batch/year is 8% ABV. Pours black with just over a finger of nice frothy light tan head. Little brown hues around the edges of the glass. Head sticks around for a good bit. Very sparse lacing. Aromas of roast, dark chocolate, light dark fruit, coffee. Hard to get a good smell with the pint glass. Tasting notes of dark fruit including cherries, dark chocolate, caramel, roast. Medium body with a dry and slightly bitter finish. Light creamy mouthfeel with medium carbonation. Pretty good beer and definitely one of GAR’s better brews, probably the best I’ve had from them so far. Wonder how this would compare to the original 10.8% version.

Tried from Draft on 14 Mar 2014 at 14:48


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Draft at the source. Very dark brown color, small brown head with good retention and solid lacing. Aroma of rich chocolate syrup. Taste is thick chocolate ice cream soda. Very nice.

Tried from Draft on 01 Mar 2012 at 11:49


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

On tap at Merrifield location. Pours a dark black, with a small dark, tan head. The aroma is chocolates, coffee, roasted caramel. Flavor has a noticeable alcohol bite, with plenty of dark chocolate and roasted malts. About on par with the oaked version of the same beer, though I find it quite interesting that I did not have this until some time after having the oaked version of this beer. Aside from that it’s one of the best crafted beers that I’ve tried from them.

Tried from Draft on 09 Feb 2010 at 13:19


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

growler@Vero Beach Throwdown-pours a tan head that dissipates to a ring of bubbles and black color. Aroma is dark malt-licorice/chocolate, some acidic. Taste is dark malt-licorice/chocolate, some acidic-hops/alcohol bite. Thanks hopscotch for sharing.

Tried from Growler on 04 May 2008 at 14:12


7.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

From a growler shared by maniac. Thanks! Thickly coating yellow-black color. Looks rather medicinal, but I like it anyway. Smoky wood aroma with a little bit of offputting plastic. Astringent taste with fruity peach and grape notes. Lighter mouthfeel and almost feels like a wine to me. Dangerously drinkable.

Tried from Growler on 21 Apr 2008 at 01:02


8.6
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

On tap at Sweetwater Tavern - Sterling. Dark black body with a large frothy brown head that persists. Chocolate roast and caramel aroma. Sweet molassas flavor with rum soaked fruit, roast and caramel and a firm bitter ending. Full body with moderately low carbonation and a thick almost syrupy finish.

Tried from Draft on 06 Apr 2008 at 14:11


8.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Growler shared by Odeed; Nose of chocolate, raosted coffee, and a bit of smokiness; black with a big beige head; flavor has chocolate, light hoppiness, coffee, and and alcohol note; finish is light hop bitterness.

Tried from Growler on 24 Feb 2008 at 18:14