Imperial Java Stout - Santa Fe Brewing Company

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz / 355ml can with no date poured into a Three Philosophers mini wine glass.

Appearance - Black body. Light brown pancake batter head with decent to low retention and low stick.

Smell - Smells and feels like a Starbucks Java chip frappuccino in my hands.

Taste - Tastes better straight from the can. Do not pour this beer! I don't know if it just oxidizes quickly or what the deal is.

Mouthfeel - Astringent -- like the solvent taste you get in your mouth when you put raw coffee grounds in your both. Sort of thin and sharp.

Overall Drinkability - Tastes okay but the mouthfeel sort of kills it.

Serving type: can

12-18-2011 23:07:16 | More by ZenAgnostic

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours an opaque but clear very dark brown (almost black) in color with some minimal to light amounts of visible carbonation and a faint amount of cola brown highlights. The beer has a finger tall creamy tan head that slowly reduces to a thick film covering the majority of the surface of the beer with a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of very roasted malts (almost burnt) with more moderate notes of coffee and some charred malts. Lighter notes of sugary sweetness including some hints of vanilla.

T: Upfront there are moderate to strong flavors of dark roasted, almost burnt malts and freshly roasted coffee. There are some lighter flavors of charred malts towards the finish. Additionally there are some lighter notes of milky/sugary sweetness (like what you would get if you had added sweetened condensed milk to espresso) and hints of vanilla + cocoa. Light amounts of bitterness in the finish that fade rather quickly.

M: Just shy of full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly creamy.

O: A little sweeter than I normally prefer my bigger stouts - I like the coffee and roasted malt flavors but there was a little too much sweetness (though I am a black coffee drinker normally so I know that is specific to my palate). Definitely enjoyable and with a very nice coffee presence.

Serving type: can

06-19-2013 15:26:15 | More by dbrauneis

Hopinista

Nevada

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

06-19-2013 12:15:01 | More by Hopinista

StroppyMare

California

3.49/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Picked these up on a recent trip to Albuquerque. If they brew as well as they cook, I'll be in heaven...

Appearance: Inky and dark, like I like. Cream-colored head that didn't stick around long and left some trace lacing.

Smell: Promising. Very coffee and roasty, but seems balanced.

Taste: OMG, did someone say coffee? I expect grounds at the bottom of my glass. But there's also some roasted (almost burnt) malt, vanilla at the end. None of the flavors stick around or round out. No alcohol detectable.

Mouthfeel: Thinner than I would like. Prickly carbonation.

Overall: Not bad. A very drinkable beverage. Not exciting. I wouldn't turn another one down if it were offered, but there are other beers out there I'd buy first.

Serving type: can

06-18-2013 03:29:31 | More by StroppyMare

12packpoet

Arizona

4/5  rDev +1%

06-16-2013 01:39:41 | More by 12packpoet

MaddDogg84

Texas

5/5  rDev +26.3%

06-15-2013 04:46:56 | More by MaddDogg84

Liondiscs

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%

06-11-2013 01:47:37 | More by Liondiscs

msturek

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

06-09-2013 21:29:41 | More by msturek

BrockLanders

Oklahoma

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

06-08-2013 20:45:01 | More by BrockLanders

leftoverburrito

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

06-08-2013 19:44:15 | More by leftoverburrito

BMart

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1%

06-07-2013 14:19:10 | More by BMart

chinchill

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can dated best by July 2013 poured a very dark brown color; clear, with a light brown head.

Nose: more hops than expected, matched in strength by coffee, with dark malts more in the background.

Flavor: mild-moderate bitterness until the moderately bitter finish and aftertaste. Good balance of hops, malts and coffee. Lot of coffee in the aftertaste. Some very dark roast flavor but only a hint of char.

Feel: carbonated is a bit more lively than expected, but works well; smooth; medium-full body. The ABV is well hidden.

O: an attractively priced, high quality, robust coffee stout. Recommended.

Serving type: can

06-06-2013 22:01:46 | More by chinchill

dbossman

Nebraska

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: Quite black with a huge 2-inch frothy and thick head; decent lacing

S: Earthy coffee beans dominate up front; some chocolate and dark fruits linger underneath but this is a coffee bomb

T: The coffee, of course, is the star here but this is also hoppy up front with a balanced sweet malt base--chocolatey and yummy

F: Medium body and creamy with a sticky texture on the back end

O: This is a really nice coffee beer and the 8% abv is well masked; nice work, Santa Fe

Serving type: can

06-04-2013 17:37:55 | More by dbossman

Texas_Speed

Texas

4/5  rDev +1%

06-02-2013 16:04:46 | More by Texas_Speed

HeadyTheElder

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-31-2013 02:21:48 | More by HeadyTheElder

TokyoCO

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

05-30-2013 09:57:24 | More by TokyoCO

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A-dark brown black color with a nice tan head and good lacing

S-dark roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, caramel

T-dark roasted malt, coffee, burnt caramel, chocolate, vanilla, mild to moderate bitter finish

F-medium to full body with moderate carbonation, smooth and creamy

O-nice flavor and body in this stout, could drink a lot of these

Serving type: can

05-29-2013 20:14:59 | More by MDDMD

BGsWo22

New York

1/5  rDev -74.7%

05-26-2013 22:10:15 | More by BGsWo22

zac16125

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz can into a pint glass
no born on date

Thanks to fatbeats18 for sending this one over as an extra in a trade.

A: Pours a very dark brown, bordering on black, with 2 plus fingers width of light mocha colored head. Looks like a cola, just a touch darker. Head dissipates down at a moderate rate. Leaves a good amount of fine bubbled lacing.

S: Fresh roasted coffee, vanilla, roasted malt, slight char notes, a subtle hint of semi-sweet chocolate. Not a lot going on, and pretty straight forward, but still very nice.

T: Sweeter than the nose implied. Very much still coffee forward, but more of a coffee with cream and sugar. A bit of dark fruits. Again, not a ton of complexity, but very solid.

M/D: Full bodied, not necessarily thick, but certainly not thin either. Carbonation on the lower end, and very smooth.

O: Overall, a very nice coffee stout. Simple and straight forward, but well above average IMO. Thanks again fatbeats for this extra!

Serving type: can

05-25-2013 22:05:31 | More by zac16125

TheBeerDog

Texas

4/5  rDev +1%

05-25-2013 20:38:24 | More by TheBeerDog

scratch69

Missouri

3.89/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I poured a can into a pint glass.

Appearance- Dark brown color with a fingers worth of tan head. Fair amount of lacing.

Smell- Black coffee and dark roasted malt aroma.

Taste- Dark roasted malt and a strong coffee flavor.Light hint of chocolate.

Mouthfeel- Full bodied and smooth. An average amount of carbonation and slightly creamy.

Overall- A good example of a coffee flavored beer.

Serving type: can

05-20-2013 00:29:39 | More by scratch69

jewellrunner

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

05-13-2013 11:42:46 | More by jewellrunner

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-12-2013 18:28:07 | More by Bonko_the_sane

elvish

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-10-2013 21:58:50 | More by elvish

BradleyR

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +1%

05-10-2013 21:48:39 | More by BradleyR