Faraway Friends (Cellar Series)
Põhjala in Tallinn, Harju County, Estonia 🇪🇪
Collab with: LervigStout - Pastry / Flavoured - Imperial Special
|
Score
7.75
|
|
A Colossal rye whisky barrel aged imperial stout brewed with vanilla pods and coconut sugar. Made in collaboration with our friends from Lervig.
Taste: Full-bodied and intense. A fusion of malty sweetness, roasted coffee, and coconut, complemented by the warm glow of rye whiskey. The finish is dominated by spicy vanilla, balanced by caramelly sweetness. This decadent dessert beer is a perfect choice both alongside and as a replacement for dessert.
Appearance: Jet-black beer with a small but well-retaining beige head.
Nose: Bold and rich, filling the room as soon as the bottle is opened. Notes of dark toffee, cocoa, vanilla, and roasted coconut are prominent.
Malts: Pilsner, Red active, Rye malt, Caramel 150, Caramel 300, Chocolate wheat, Carafa special T-3
Hops: Azacca
Taste: Full-bodied and intense. A fusion of malty sweetness, roasted coffee, and coconut, complemented by the warm glow of rye whiskey. The finish is dominated by spicy vanilla, balanced by caramelly sweetness. This decadent dessert beer is a perfect choice both alongside and as a replacement for dessert.
Appearance: Jet-black beer with a small but well-retaining beige head.
Nose: Bold and rich, filling the room as soon as the bottle is opened. Notes of dark toffee, cocoa, vanilla, and roasted coconut are prominent.
Malts: Pilsner, Red active, Rye malt, Caramel 150, Caramel 300, Chocolate wheat, Carafa special T-3
Hops: Azacca
Sign up to add a tick or review
8.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle. Nice pour with a frothy tan head. Aroma is chocolate, cherries, rye whisky, prune and an abundance of dark malts. Full bodied with quite a thick mouthfeel. Flavour is big and boozy, malty with a medium sweetness. I don't really get the coconut sugar, but the vanilla is here more than in the aroma, along with lots of fruity notes, for me especially cherry, prune, raisin. The whisky lingers, and it gives a nice warmth. I'm rather partial towards pöhjala's imperial stouts, and anything they do that involves rye is especially up my alley, so this hits all the spots for me.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Jun 2026
at 00:19
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle black wax 2026-05-23 Göteborg
AR: roasted malt, wee Tequila, chocolate
AP: dark brown, no head
F: roasted malt, wee Tequila, chocolate, agave
AR: roasted malt, wee Tequila, chocolate
AP: dark brown, no head
F: roasted malt, wee Tequila, chocolate, agave
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 May 2026
at 20:55
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Black with a short beige head. Big sweet malts, dark malts, caramel, toffee, vanilla, whiskey, oak, dark fruits, molasses. Thick, oily body. Finish is long and very sweet with some background booze. Very intense and good but also intensely sweet, which takes away a bit.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2026
at 15:11
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Tried
on 13 Apr 2026
at 23:22
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
Panda at home, thanks to Kenneth, 06/03/2026.
Pitch black topped with a tan head that escapes to the edge.
Nose is ripe whisky, dark fruit rinds, toffee, chocolate, light spice.
Taste comprises chocolate, molasses, spice, whisky barrel, toasted brown sugars, boozy rinse.
Full bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a balanced rising boost.
Tidy BA impy but just a little stuck twixt 4th and 5th gears.
Pitch black topped with a tan head that escapes to the edge.
Nose is ripe whisky, dark fruit rinds, toffee, chocolate, light spice.
Taste comprises chocolate, molasses, spice, whisky barrel, toasted brown sugars, boozy rinse.
Full bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a balanced rising boost.
Tidy BA impy but just a little stuck twixt 4th and 5th gears.
Tried
on 06 Mar 2026
at 19:11
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
7th February 2026
Near opaque dark brown beer, a decent bubbly tan head but, it retreats to the rim at pace. Smooth and very slightly viscous palate, semi dry, decent fine carbonation developing on the back end. The dark malts are laden with bitterish dark chocolate and, a fair dose of coffee. Vanilla obvious in the mid but, struggling to keep the overall bitterness in check and unusually, not generating any milk choc by mating with the dark malts. Coconut milk is an afterthought and, really not bringing anything sweet. Rye whiskey dominates the back end, rich boozy ripe fruits and, a fair dollop of alcohol spice. Slightly viscous finish. Has muscle this one but, if you have tastes many whiskey barrel aged impies before, don't hold yer breath for anything new, just a good unsweet example of style.
Near opaque dark brown beer, a decent bubbly tan head but, it retreats to the rim at pace. Smooth and very slightly viscous palate, semi dry, decent fine carbonation developing on the back end. The dark malts are laden with bitterish dark chocolate and, a fair dose of coffee. Vanilla obvious in the mid but, struggling to keep the overall bitterness in check and unusually, not generating any milk choc by mating with the dark malts. Coconut milk is an afterthought and, really not bringing anything sweet. Rye whiskey dominates the back end, rich boozy ripe fruits and, a fair dollop of alcohol spice. Slightly viscous finish. Has muscle this one but, if you have tastes many whiskey barrel aged impies before, don't hold yer breath for anything new, just a good unsweet example of style.
Tried
on 07 Feb 2026
at 22:38
7.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Tap at Craft Bier Bar Hamburg. Darkest Brown, no head with a golden rim. Strong dark chocolate praline, salted prunes, licorice aromatics. Thick mouthfeel, sweet and dry, sparkling licorice chocolate. Light sticky, pleasant flavors though. Sippable.
Tried
at
Craft Bier Bar Hamburg
on 23 Jan 2026
at 22:00
7.6/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Tap at Craft Bier Bar Hamburg. Dark. Toffee, tonka, caramel, raisins, praline. Front heavy, long, smooth, fluffy, warm. Full milk creamy caramel, sweetened condensed milk; chocolate and coffee. Smooth night cap nougat caramel praline. Like.
Tried
from Draft
at
Craft Bier Bar Hamburg
on 23 Jan 2026
at 22:00
6.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 7
Overall 6
330 ml black waxed bottle, as Põhjala / Lervig Faraway Friends (Cellar Series) BA Imperial Stout, from Vinmonopolet Stavanger Hinna. ABV is 13.4%. Pitch black colour, small tan head. Boozy aroma of molasses, fusel, caramel, vanilla, chocolate and coconut. Insanely sweet flavour with the same elements. Won't buy again.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Vinmonopolet Stavanger, Hinna
on 21 Nov 2025
at 00:11
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 9
330ml bottle. Pitch black with a small tan head. Aroma of dark and dried fruits, caramel, toffee, chocolate, coconut, vanilla. Taste is very rich, sweet, caramel, toffee, dried and dark fruits, coconut and vanilla additions prominent but well judged, chocolate, some bitter roast, very warming whisky finish. Medium-full bodied, very smooth, almost liqueur like. Beautiful.
Tried
from Bottle
from Left Field Beer
on 08 Nov 2025
at 20:18