Imperial Java Stout - Santa Fe Brewing Company

Phelps

Arizona

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a shaker pint.

The brew resembles java not just in name, but in appearance. Pitch black and watery thin, the liquid is capped by a pillowy head of cascading bubbles the color of brown sugar. Frothy trails of lace coat the sides of the glass like latte foam.

Because their dark, toasty, burnt flavors often overlap, few ingredients work together so well in a beer as roasted malt and coffee beans. For Imperial Java Stout, Santa Fe makes use of organically grown East Timor coffee beans blended with New Guinea coffee beans, both of which are roasted by Ohori's Coffee House in Santa Fe. The result is a stout that's huge in coffee aroma and flavor. The scent is akin to burying your nose in a cupful of java -- it's packed with espresso and sweet cream. Touches of sourdough and a shot of chocolate syrup mingle in the background.

The flavor delivers a similar dose of roasted beans, though it's a little more acidic. A complex blend of American Bravo and English Fuggle hops lend subtle spice and earthy qualities, while touches of burnt toast play off the coffee. It's a bit harsh -- like very, very black coffee -- until the the swallow delivers oats and cream, sweetening and smoothing things out.

If you're not a fan of coffee, you'll probably hate this beer, because the flavor is riddled with it, and the coffee actually overpowers the underlying stout. But the beans are quality, and if you're looking to swap out your morning joe with something a little more alcoholic, pour this in your mug. No one will be the wiser.

Serving type: can

05-31-2012 05:05:02 | More by Phelps

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

P:  A sea of pitch black silk adorned with a creamy cappuccino head. 

S:  Roasted dark chocolate malt, dark roasted coffee beans, woody hops, and  charred barley. 

T/M:  A thick and foamy body that tingles the tongue.  Heavy notes of dark chocolate and coffee with burnt wood and grains.  A slight copper taste in the back followed by a dry but powdery finish of smoked cocoa. 

O:  Big coffee chocolate and a thick body is just what I expected when I grabbed this up. I was supposed at how well put together this was. Complex but well mingled and easy drinking.  A huge plus for it coming in a six pack of cans. I will frequent this beer and am eager to try more from Santa Fe Brewing Co. 

Serving type: can

06-01-2012 00:06:26 | More by Hopswagger

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark thick brown, nice two inch creamy tan head.

Smells of rich sweet coffee...and really not much else. Smells great though!

Taste is rich coffee again, fairly bitter, more rich coffee, some burned cocoa. This is very good.

Good carb, rich creamy mouthfeel, but fairly light body for such a rich taste and really pretty drinkable. Not enough sweetness to be cloying and too much coffee flavor to taste any booze.

Great beer! Fairly one dimensional but really good.

8.2/10

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 03:13:47 | More by AlexFields

websherpa

Montana

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

There isn't a whole lot to this beer. It's dark has a great tan-brown head that sticks around for a while. It's heavy duty on the coffee flavor, but I'm not a coffee junkie so I can't tell you specifically which way it leans. It's got some supporting chocolate as well, but the coffee far out shines. Finish is nice with a good long aftertaste to tide you over. Well made beer in a can. It's not over the top in flavor so you can put back a few in a night I think.

Serving type: can

02-25-2011 19:08:50 | More by websherpa

blackie

Virginia

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: poured into a wide chalice, producing a nice khaki head that retains a thin layer and ring, the beer itself a deep chestnut brown in color

s: lovely coffee bean aromas - mostly medium roasts without any touch of char or burn, fresh, woody, and earty - really quite nice, the malts provide dusty chocolate and a nice toasted grain sugar, hops kept to a minimum, dig this

m: carbonation on the lighter side of things, with a body riding the line between medium and heavy, not thick but with a nice weight

t: the great coffee character carries over from the aroma, loads of light and dark roast coffee flavors, fresh and vivid, the malt body complimenting well with baker's chocolate and toasted sugars, nice grain flavor, not as "stout" as a stand-alone version of the style might tend to be, allowing the coffee to shine through, dries somewhat to coffee and cocoa with a mild bittering

o: a great coffee stout that came as a bit of a surprise, not hugely complex or deep, but the bean character is fantastic and really makes the beer

can from the Liquor Mart in Boulder

Serving type: can

05-14-2011 05:47:39 | More by blackie

Heischman

Georgia

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beer/Brewery - Imperial Java Stout - Santa Fe Brewing Company
City/State- Santa Fe, New Mexico
STYLE – American Double / Imperial Stout
ABV – 8%
IBU – 50?
DATE – 4 JAN 2012 (#005 of 365 Beers of 2012)
SERVING TYPE – 12 oz CAN
GLASSWARE – American Pint
APPEARANCE – Black non translucent ½ inch creamy head cocoa brown in color nice lacing on the glass
AROMA- coffee with cream and a hint of hops
TASTE – Coffee with notes of cream, almost a cappuccino very mild though. There is a hint of hops in the after taste
MOUTHFEEL – Creamy and smooth with very mild carbonation level. Leave a wonderful warming sensation in the chest.
CONCLUSION – Good stout was worried because of the can thing, but a wonderful brew!
-JH-

Serving type: can

01-05-2012 00:50:29 | More by Heischman

MammothTarantula

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

This is my first review ever, so here we go...

Purchased at a local liquor store. I had never seen this before, so I thought I'd give it a try. Poured from the can into a pint glass.

A: Pours a rich, dark brown, almost black. Two finger tan head that quickly dissipates to about one finger. Little to no lacing.

S: Coffee, green wood, mild fruitiness (maybe banana?)

T: Powerful coffee flavors, slight grassiness, a bit of woody. When I was a child I ate stick off of a Crepe Myrtle tree. That Crepe Myrtle taste is definitely there. A bit of an unpleasant metallic aftertaste, which is undoubtedly from the can.

M: Medium-bodied. Unpleasantly strong carbonation, which was not what I expected from an imperial stout. Left a slight burning sensation in my throat.

O: A pretty good beer. The taste was good enough to cancel out the mouthfeel for me. I'll drink it again.

Serving type: can

03-22-2012 02:01:49 | More by MammothTarantula

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown color with an off-white head. The aroma features a lot of coffee, as well as a hint of chocolate and some roasted malt. The flavor is very similar. I get a lot of mocha coffee notes, as well as some roasted malt and vanilla. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice chocolate stout. Glad I got a chance to try it.

Serving type: can

07-31-2012 03:56:42 | More by Mora2000

DavidST

Texas

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz can into a snifter. This pours a pitch black color with a finger thick mocha head which quickly dissipates. There is some coffee in the smells, nice espresso, some dark roasted malts, not much hop aroma, the alcohol is well hidden. The feel is thick and creamy, mid carbonation. The taste is pretty good, nice amounts of roasted malts, dark chocolate, and espresso. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 05:17:30 | More by DavidST

Zorro

California

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lightproof black colored beer with a small brown colored head that doesn't last.

Smells of chocolate and coffee with a little smoke. Malty aroma it smells fairly sweet.

Starts out semi sweet with a strong coffee bitterness. This gets sweeter as you drink it and the chocolate comes on strong. This gets sweeter as you drink it and quickly starts tasting like a mild milk stout. Coffee taste is strong and the bitterness is moderate. Alcohol is completely hidden.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall a tasty coffee beer that is very easy drinking.

Serving type: can

11-27-2012 02:13:03 | More by Zorro

TBoneJones

Texas

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours nearly black, with nearly a two finger head which settles down to a film, off-white/tan. Smells lightly of roasted coffee, some malt and hop aroma. Nice coffee aroma though. I'm getting the coffee and I'm getting bitter hops. Lively taste is interesting. Not what I expected (I like thicker feeling, sweeter stouts with less bitter characteristics) but this is a nice drink nonetheless. And yes I'm thinking "donut" if I were to grab a bite to pair with this brew. The coffee presence is solid and i do love coffee. Plus, this is great as it warms (I may tend to crack open my brews just premature of suggested serving temperatures). The hops aren't as noticeable to me as when i took my first couple of sips, yet they play their earthy role in the hefty roasted espresso notes. Makes me wish i had bought 2 cans (in addition to wishing i had access to retry Terrapin's interpretation, and of course one day to get ahold of and sample Founders' take on these "before noon" breed of stouts). Santa Fe has a winner here. Even though I've only tried one other style from this brewery, this is clearly my favorite of theirs.

Serving type: can

01-28-2013 01:24:11 | More by TBoneJones

Domingo

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ah, coffee porters/stouts. I like 'em, but sometimes they can be a little tiresome and one-dimensional. Let's see where this one takes me.
First thing's first - this one is from a can. Pretty cool idea, as this would be a nice brew to take for an outdoor trip.
Pours a deep brown with a billowing slightly off-white head. Unlike some canned beers where the head falls after a few minutes, this one lingers and laces.
The nose is a mix of dark roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. The nose is telling me this might be a one-note coffee brew.
However the taste clears that up nicely! While the coffee might be a star, there's a nice blend of other flavors offering depth. Roasted coffee hits the palate up front, followed by a bit of dark chocolate. As the beer hits the back of the tongue, a milky (almost creamer-like) sweetness kicks in. I don't think it is, but this has the flavor profile of a milk/coffee stout. Maybe it's just a lighter malt being used? Either way, it works well. The finish reveals more coffee acidity, but without ever being overly bitter. The ever so slight hop character comes in the form of a citrus rind, and blends with that finishing acidity nicely.
While some coffee brews can be tough to drink much of, this one's got a nice creamy body (again seemingly like a big milk stout), and drinking a can is something you'll probably do in a matter of minutes.
I really like this one. As someone who likes coffee and stouts, they mesh very well here...without either spoiling the things that work within the other.
The price is right, too. Recommended.

Serving type: can

02-06-2011 15:48:55 | More by Domingo

WesM63

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz can into a CBS Snifter

A: Pours a dark brown almost black with a decent 2finger mocha head. Decent retention and lacing.

S: Smells of dark malts, coffee, chocolate some vanilla and alcohol.

T: Better than the nose would lead you to believe. Coffee, chocolate and vanilla on the tongue followed by some dark malts and a little bit of a alcohol finish.

M: Medium body and plenty of carbonation

O: First of all, many thanks to my buddy 4Balance for this one! Secondly, a decent java stout. A little boozy at the end and it could use more coffee flavor. However, still a great brew!

Serving type: can

06-08-2012 02:54:15 | More by WesM63

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Paid a bit too much for this (5 bucks) but considering it was a long time tick I put down the cash.

A - Has the look of a great stout, very back yet not incredibly viscous with an impressive full inch of mocha head that sticks around for a bit.

S - Like a frappuccino it smells of blended coffee's, mild chocolate, vanilla, and a touch of roasted malts.

T - The bend is fairly good. Roast is blended well with the hops giving a mild smoke/fresh filtered coffee taste. The sweetness of vanilla and chocolate is mild yet also satisfying.

M - A touch lighter than I expected yet still chewy and medium bodied.

Overall it is a pretty stand up imperial stout with coffee flavors. Try one if your a fan of coffee beers.

Serving type: can

06-17-2012 00:52:02 | More by DrDemento456

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

dark chcolate color with a towering head of fine tan. Slight reduction with time still elaves a copious amount of spider like side glass lace and lots of rocky crown.

The aroma is simply wonderful. A drop dead, drag out coffee knockout. Rich notes of sweet coffee are just all over this. It really is the best of both worlds here. Nice touches of sweet molasses in the finish that starts to become bitter and leaves you with more coffee then beer taste as you go through.

Serving type: can

10-20-2011 01:35:14 | More by mikesgroove

JonathanG

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from an undated can, into a Lion tulip. I actually really like the simplicity of the packaging. Seems like it could be a can for some sort of chocolate soda, or more likely a pre-mixed coffee drink. I also like the note on the can, "Not For Use With Donuts," as well as the monochromatic images of a coffee cup that says, "Before Noon," and a beer stein that says, "After Noon."

Dark brown, approaching black in color, with a tan, creamy head that leads to semi-sticky lacing.

Coffee is definitely present on the nose, along with mixed chocolate notes, as well as some dark fruits of plum and fig. Nice roasted malt notes without being overblown.

Tastes like liquid chocolate and coffee, again with some dark fruit on the finish. Sweetness is there, but it keeps the coffee notes in-check, which are not bitter or overpowering at all.

Mouthfeel is creamy and easy-going and pretty smooth. I don't think it would be difficult at all to drink several of these.

Overall this is an easy-to-drink, pleasant stout. I'd drink this again.

Serving type: can

02-02-2012 15:28:00 | More by JonathanG

mulder1010

Australia

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to my GF for bringing back a can for me from her US trip
12 oz can poured into a Great Divide Tulip (total Mountain Time Zone thing)

A-- Poured a dark brown, near black color. Settled jet black. Just a touch of ruby light penetrating this. One finger of light mocah colored head. Settled to a thin layer of light brown film and decent collar. Slight bit of head retention but more or less a layer of film. Nice spotty lacing with this.

S-- Touches of roast, brown sugar, and chocolate. Otherwise, a lot of fresh roasted coffee. Nice nose. Quite appealing and a nice pick me up nose to it. Something I would want to drink at 7 AM.

T-- Coffee and dark chocolate. Almost equal amounts of chocolate and coffee. Quite fresh tasting. Touches of rolled oats and brown sugar again but really well done on the coffee part.

M-- Solid stuff. Bold, rich and thick. Medium bodied and light medium carbonated. Dry chocolate and coffee finish with just flashes of the acidity and bitterness. Just touches of brown sugar in mid and back again to smooth out the coffee and chocolate. Long lasting roasted coffee and bitter baking chocolate finish. Nice.

O-- Well rounded beer. Well hidden alcohol and easy to drink. Damned tasty beer and better to have at 7 AM than a long black. One good coffee stout.

Serving type: can

08-02-2012 13:07:24 | More by mulder1010

bcostner1

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown/lighter black; definitely not a pitch black stout. Crazy heavy carbonation...too much actually (could be a by-product of transporting it in my checked suitcase on a plane but that was 3 months ago and it's been in the fridge since then).

S: Coffee, chocolate, char. Enticing.

T: Great tasting coffee stout. Very well balanced elements of the bitterness from the coffee and a an underlying smoky char along with the sweetness of chocolate that tastes like semi-sweet chocolate chips.

M: Easy drinker. Very satisfying. No detectable alcohol at all.

Overall, a very solid coffee stout. Not in my top 3 of the style, but definitely top 5-10. Would have again.

Serving type: can

12-28-2012 23:38:54 | More by bcostner1

tylerf19

Texas

4.06/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pour - this is not your "jet-black" motor oil imperial stout. The head was off white and rather small given the rate at which I was pouring. That being said, the coffee and roasty java aroma was released upon pouring. The head doesnt lace... there isn't much head unfortunately :(

Smell - Yes, it is definitely a JAVA stout.. coffee notes stand out, it is very roasty IMO.

taste - definitely tasting the same coffee / roast as in the aroma. Like I said, this is not a big robust imperial stout. There is no hop bitterness and not much chocolate malt (compared to other big stouts). But it is indeed a stout, and for coffee stout lovers, it is worth a try given the price and availability. It's quite sad that the head dies off very quickly while drinking (i like a stout with a thicker brown head). I'm not tasting much alcohol-booziness by the way.

mouthfeel - Again, im comparing this to "imperial stouts". It is a little more on the watery end (you can tell this right off the bat when you pour). But, you can feel the coffee fumes linger. Not much to say on mouthfeel... its not very watery, but its not like youre drinking a ten fidy or narwahl either. this is the only dislike I have about this brew...

overall - I tried this because of the price and its been staring at my since I've gotten in to stouts. The beer is a good beer, but with the competition it sees from other imperial stouts, I dont think it can hold a flame. But if you want to spend only $8 on a 6-pack for a good quality stout then give this one a shot... My review may sound negative but this is nowhere near a 3/5 crap brew.. just not up to par with the other beastly imperial stouts (though you get what you pay for)

Serving type: can

02-25-2013 20:39:24 | More by tylerf19

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Shared by the lovely Bryna. The brew is brown-black, and is capped with a mocha head that collapses into a wispy film and encircling collar.

The nose screams Dunkin' Donuts coffee and the flavor delivers. This tastes almost as much like an iced coffee drink as it does a beer. At any rate, it is quite delicious. Further notes that appear include a perfect flavor of roastiness that is so crisply, pleasantly acrid as well as hints of bittersweet chocolate and some fruity and toffee-like maltiness. Creamy feel. I like it. A lot. It really does remind me of iced coffee as much as beer.

Serving type: can

06-06-2011 18:09:36 | More by ktrillionaire

mdcrouser

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

My first beer from Santa Fe Brewing - I've heard good things and am looking forward to this one. Great design too - ironically, created by a KC-based agency.

Looks outstanding from the can - a finger of a creamy sand-colored head caps this pint of intense darkness.

Some of the biggest coffee on the nose I've come across - very much a "breakfast-like" stout.

Percolating on the tongue, dark, coffee-heavy - much more pervasive and deep than actual coffee ever is. Reminds me of the few times I've had espresso. Wishing there was another layer to this one - vanilla, roasty, something else - just to provide a constrast.

Less creamy than I'd expected and hoped - pops a bit on the tongue instead.

This one's best with just a hint of chill left on it. In truth, room temperature is when coffee has the most flavor to it. That's the rule here as well. Heavy as it is, I could enjoy quite a bit of this - even at 8%, it seems like a big session beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 04:38:02 | More by mdcrouser

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Out of the can and into my kickass new russian river pint glass. Thanks byrd for the glass and drmattyb for the brew.

A- a firm pour really gets the head going and I have to wait a second for it to settle so I can pour the rest of the can. Two fingers of coffee and lots of cream head that does hold for a good bit before settling to a sudsy cap and a ton of lace all over the glass. Super dark brown bordering on black in color with a bit of a brown glow at the edges.

S- dark roasted malts and a good coffee hit. Touches of a molasses like sweetness and some earthy undertones.

T- lots of coffee and chocolate going on here. The malts dark and well roasted really playing off the coffee nicely. Sweet chocolate milk in there with some brown sugar as well.

M- a few steps above medium in body and well carbed keeping things very drinkable.

O- this is a tasty stout and super drinkable. Full flavored and very clean. Ill have to trade for some more I totally dig this stuff.

Serving type: can

05-11-2011 23:36:40 | More by oglmcdgl

djeucalyptus

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

looks like a perfect stout... head could be a bit stronger, but the retention isn't bad. hints of lace, but the darkness is a beautiful cocoa hue that kills.

aroma of milk, molasses and espresso, hints of leather, tobacco, rich dark earthy malt.

taste follows. coffee, dark earthy malts. milky, rich, dark cocoa. licorice and leather.

mouth solid. moderate body, ample carbonation, light and soft with a hint of roasty bitterness in the finish that's pleasantly drying.

all in all, damn awesome. if this were local, it'd be steadily stoked in my fridge. I miss Santa Fe.

Serving type: can

09-29-2011 05:49:02 | More by djeucalyptus

RattleheadKV2

New Mexico

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into goblet from 12 oz can.

Appearance: Pours a nice super dark brown, almost black, with about a fingers worth of thick tan head that dissipates down to ring of tight bubbles around the edge of the glass. No lacing left behind at all, some very slight alcohol legs.

Smell: Well they don't call this a Java Stout for nothing! Lots of roasty coffee, and chocolate notes, as well as some slight bready notes.

Taste: Coffee! The coffee here really shines through, without being overpowering, you still get a good amount of chocolate, and biscuit flavors. On the finish is a nice little bit of hop bitterness to round everything out.

Mouthfeel: Nice and thick, just as a stout should be. Not really anything else to write about, pretty typical of the style.

Overall: Very good brew, wish Santa Fe Brewing would sell this stuff year round with the Happy Camper. Very good buy, only about $7-$9 a 6-pack around here. Will definitely be buying again.

Serving type: can

02-27-2012 04:40:47 | More by RattleheadKV2

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Imperial Java Stout
Santa Fe Brewing Company
Style: American Double / Imperial Stout
ABV: 8.00 %

LOOK: Pours an oily, darkest of blacks with no light permeating through. Off white, short livid khaki colored head forms and recedes away.

SMELL: Roasted coffee, chocolate, mocha, spent grains, alcohol, wet dog.

TASTE: Nice robust coffee notes upfront, giving way to charcoal, chocolate and a mild bitter hop flavor. There is plenty of delicious coffee notes and a bit of an off flavor as well. Its easy to overlook since the coffee flavors are strong and enjoyable.

FEEL: Full bodied, well carbonated, smooth, and very easy drinking. Drinks like a bubbly dark roast coffee.

OVERALL: This was a tasty coffee beer that is a step away from being a world beater. I really liked the depth of chocolate and coffee notes. A fine canned offering.

Serving type: can

06-18-2012 17:43:55 | More by Stinkypuss