Sweetwater Happy Ending Imperial Stout - SweetWater Brewing Company

suspect

New York

4.19/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12oz bottle courtesy of Bulbman into a Real Ale snifter.

A: Thick, viscous pour. Aggressive into the glass leads to a sneaky 2 finger head that fades back down fighting every inch of the way leaving sticky lacing clinging to the sides and a solid ring around the outside as well as a nifty swirly pool of wispy foam on top.

S: Smells of roasted dark malts, mild coffee, bittering hops and a nice bready yeast aroma to bring home the very well balanced and blended nose. A touch of alcohol in the smell lets you know it means business but there's also some party. It's like an aroma-mullet.

T: Beautiful blend of the aforementioned smells with the coffee coming out a bit more and the alcohol fading back.

M: Buttery mouthfeel, premium mouth coating and the abv warms the mouth and the belly nicely.

O: A superb beer. Put on par with Expedition Stout and Founders Imperial. Very well done and likely to improve with time.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:36:23 | More by suspect

pschul4

Illinois

3.09/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3

A- Pours a very deep brown with a 1" khaki head that leaves bunches of lacing

S- Oh god I'm getting lots of black licorice... Do not like black licorice...

T- There are 2 flavors going on here. 1) roasted malts, very good. 2) Black licorice, gag me. Hopefully some other flavors will prevail as it warms

M- Nice and smooth, so nice

O- If this didn't have the black licorice I'd love it. Don't like black licorice though so blech

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 19:21:18 | More by pschul4

barczar

Kentucky

3.94/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque onyx with a frothy one inch tan head that slowly dissipates, leaving sheets of lacing.

Licorice, chocolate, roast malt, tar, and hints of dark fruit form the initial aroma. Seems fairly sweet. Chocolate and nutty, buttery toffee dominate in the end. Coffee grounds add complexity.

Flavor reveals deep notes of chocolate, becoming roasty and slightly charred mid palate, with a slightly acrid, coffee bitter, nutty finish. Dark cherry and berry notes surface early, but are accompanied by a slightly off, plastic flavor. Notes of grapefruit become evident in subsequent sips, along with char at the finish. Fairly sweet, overall.

Body is light, almost watery, with moderate carbonation and alcohol warmth.

The aroma is incredible, but slight off flavors hurt the overall experience. Body is also too thin. Could use more malt backbone.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 02:42:39 | More by barczar

pcguitarwzrd

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into chilled mug. I like stouts colder than is usually recommended. Happy Superbowl Sunday!

A: Black as night, thick as motor oil, monster head of coffee-colored foam that is remarkably persistent for the ABV. Off to a good start.

S: Big hop aroma, especially for a stout. They weren't kidding about the dry-hopping.

T: Hops jump right up, followed by the intense espresso/dark chocolate you'd expect, then more hops at the end and a little boozy warmth. The hops are not as overwhelming as in the aroma, but nevertheless this is probably the hoppiest stout I've ever tasted. It's interesting that pretty much all the bitterness in this beer comes from the hops, not the black malt. I think my taste buds are a little confused by this.

M: not as heavy as some IS I have had, but certainly full-bodied. Definitely a drier finish due to the hops and ABV.

O: a very interesting take on the style. It breaks a lot of rules, but not in a bad way. Not my favorite IS ever, but I certainly won't regret buying the sixpack.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 23:03:00 | More by pcguitarwzrd

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

'12 vintage, poured into a stemless wine glass

A- pours black with a one finger brown head. Par for the course

S- whoa, a huge blast of dank, piney hops smashes you from the getgo. Awesome stuff!

T- piney hops and a nice bit of chocolate. Not exactly like an Andes mint, but kinda close. Chocolate covered pine needles, I guess

M- huge body, which is what helps it stand apart from your run of the mill black IPA

O- this is a great beer. Sweetwater doesn't dip their toe into stouts too often, but this one is a definite winner

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 01:19:39 | More by bigfnjoe

BeerZack

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2013 Review- Black with a foamy one-finger of light-brown head. Smells of sweet coffee with cream and woodsy hops at the same time, hints of chocolate. Unfortunately, I don't get much flavor here. On first taste, it seems like I'm waiting for the flavor impression, but all I get is a grip of hops before a bitter finish. As it warms I get more roasted barley flavor up front and can maybe pick up some cola-like flavors also. I get a little cola in the nose once it has warmed as well. I like the hop flavor and balance of bitterness in this beer, but it does leave me wanting a bit more in malt flavor.

2008 Review- Completely black, but looks a little thin on the pour. Dark tan and khaki head that sticks to the glass a bit.

Deep dark fruitiness with a definite salty edge to it. Bacon fat maybe; smoked meat of some sort for sure. Slightly astringent, not quite smoked though. Gets better as it warms, some vanilla comes out, kinda oaky vanilla and the smoked meat edge fades.

Earthy and meaty chocolatiness; Mexican mole. Deep fruitiness, but dry and not too sweet at all. Some vanilla in the flavor, again, coming out more as it sits awhile.

Pretty light for a RIS, but not quite watery due to the soft and creamy carbonation. This beer was initially off-putting, but became more drinkable as it sat and warmed up.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 03:19:34 | More by BeerZack

mattkoon

South Carolina

4.46/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured out of a 22oz bottle. this one is black and opaque. it smells a bit more hoppy than other stouts that i have had...re minds me of a black ipa. the taste however is more stout than ipa. the finish is a lot less bitter than an ipa....but taking the hoppiness out of the equation, this is a good stout and the hops is just an interesting twist. happy ending imperial stout is solid... ill put it up there with other good stouts ive had.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:26:53 | More by mattkoon

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Thanx Damian74Shensky:

Best by 01/09/2014:

Into a nonic:

A: black body with a tan two finger head that dies down to a lumpy half finger, light lacing left in some rings

S: hops up front, coffee powering through with strong hints of chocolate

T: mainly bitter through hops and coffee, but some chocolate tries to make its presence known to balance

M: medium, slightly sessionable, dry bitter aftertaste and finish

O: pretty good for a Double Stout, I'd have it again

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 14:11:50 | More by kangarooAdam59

Immortale25

Florida

4.48/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter. Label says Best if Enoyed by: 12/17/13

A- Pours a completely opaque black color with a 3/4 inch light brown head that bears great retention time before slowly settling to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a large center patch of surface foam. Melty lacing clings to the glass and stays while leaving random streaks behind. Very good-looking beer we've got here.

S- Fresh piney hops combined with a sweet caramel-like malt roastiness. Very pleasant with hints of chocolate, citrus and nut.

T- Taste is also quite hoppy with plenty of dark roasted malt to compliment. There's a grassy bitter plus sweet mocha dynamic that I find to be very unique and enjoyable. The alcohol is very well-masked leaving lots of room for all the other flavors to dominate.

M- Thick, delicate and moderately creamy. Also a bit dry, with medium carbonation and a robust body.

O- A well-hopped impy stout from the Sweetwater gang. These guys prove time and time again to be one of the greatest breweries that don't overextend themselves into too many markets, experimental tangents or popularity gimmicks. They just make solid beer for their core audience and I dig it. Cheers to that.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 00:33:45 | More by Immortale25

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22 ounce bomber poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a very dark brown, almost black color with a one finger head and light lacing.

S: The hops take center stage on this one. Roasted malts, dark chocolate, and some coffee as well. Much hoppier than most Imperial Stouts.

T: Mostly roasted malts and some nice bitter hops. Nice balance. Hides the alcohol really well.

M: Medium to full bodied with decent carbonation.

O: I really enjoyed this one. It's extremely easy to drink and could be quite dangerous considering the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 21:17:50 | More by nUgZ

el_chupacabra

Alabama

4.46/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

ST: bottle

It pours silky-smooth out of the bottle, a beautiful lingering tawny brown frothy head. Very impressive looking pour from a bottle.

It is a smooth and very well-balanced beer. Not at all what I was expecting, but in a good way. Nice citrus hoppy upfront, but it mellows out into a smoky sweet dark finish. I taste espresso. It’s nice. Superior, actually.

I picked up a bomber of this stuff a couple weeks ago by happenstance, on a quest for some Ommegang Abbey Ale. I can’t believe I haven’t picked it up before. It’s a very solid brew, and I’ve gone out of my way to stock up over the course of the last two weeks.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 04:36:54 | More by el_chupacabra

BigTrubble

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2013 Happy Ending poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Sweetwater pint glass.

Pours abyss black, totally opaque without any lightening at the edges. Nice thick frothy tan head that laces around the glass.

The first thing to hit your nose is the citrus and floral hops. There are some roasted/smoky malt undertones and caramel sweetness if you really search for it past the hoppyness.

The taste is not like any Russian Imperial Stout I have ever tasted, different in a good way. If given this beer blind I would never peg it for a RIS. The bittering hops really balance out the deep roasted malts making for a very enjoyable complex beer. The sweet and smokey malts paired with a slight astringency round this beer out and the flavors just keep rolling. I taste something new with each drink and temperature change.

This beer is extremely smooth drinking; it has solid carbonation and a light creaminess.

Overall I love this beer. Can’t believe this is my first time trying it, it certainly will not be the last. Sweetwater really hit a sweet spot with complexity and balance. This beer is extremely drinkable and at 9% that is dangerous. If you are looking for a standard RIS this is not it, this is a whole different beer in my eyes. I really wonder how this beer will age and if the deep malts will hold up as the hoppyness fades.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 00:15:40 | More by BigTrubble

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.21/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Boxing beer and cleaning out the fridge and found this 12oz in the back on the bottom shelf.. Best by "06/19/07"... Yeah... Time to drink it.

Poured into my HotD goblet... VERY short lasting dark brown head and no lacing/no cap... the brew is the expected black. Not looking promising.

Nose is dark malts.. slight roast and more cocoa combined with what an old box of raisins smells like... light soy sauce with warmth.

"Stout qualities" are pretty light.. light roastiness and dry cocoa.. not enough sweetness to really deliver a nice rounded flavor.. soy sauce is definitely present.. flavor drops off fairly quickly and doesn't leave much besides some salty char on the finish.

Body is medium with a very light carbonation..

I obviously waited too long for this beer.

3/3.25/3.25/3/3.25

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 05:49:22 | More by JohnGalt1

jacket_fan

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 1/9/14, so a fresh batch.

A
A dark opaque body, lots of carbonation leaving a thick lace behind pounded from a bottle into a pint glass.

S
Malty, but not a strong chocolate aroma which I was expecting.

T
Sweet for stout as others have noted. The sweetness coming from more of a sweet molasses or sugar type of sweet. Not the typical chocolate or coffee taste.

M
More medium in body with above average carbonation for a stout. Not the mouthfeel I expected, but nice nonetheless.

O
Surprising stout, not what I was expecting. Maybe I was not ready for the sugary sweet initial taste. But before I finished the glass, I would try this beer again on a hot southern night a see how it tastes.

I appreciate the humor on the packaging and Sweetwater has some of the best.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 00:09:18 | More by jacket_fan

Apostlebrews

Texas

4.41/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

The aroma is vibrant with lots of citrus--likely from the cascade hops with which the brewery dry-hopped the beer. This is a great example of why you cannot judge a beer by its color. I expected to get a lot more roast and chocolate on the nose and there is next to none of either. It smells a lot more like an IPA than it does a traditional stout.

The flavors are excellent! This is a two-faced beer that will please both hop-heads and stout-lovers. There is a nice roasted malt profile that balances the pine and grapefruit flavors of the hops. I would also point out that this stout features a nice smokiness somewhere in the middle of the palate.

This stout has a bitter and slightly boozy finish that is expected with the ABV and hop profile. And like all great stouts, this is a full-bodied beer. Great mouthfeel.

Happy Ending is quite creamy. But then again, aren't they all?

Check out my blog for more reviews: thebeerapostle.com.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 02:07:14 | More by Apostlebrews

Kromes

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Happy Ending 2013

Pitch black with a finger's width pitted brown head. A nice sheet of lacing down the sides of the glass.

Right up front is a big aroma of fresh citrus hops. It dominates the smell and only allows a little bit of the roasted malt to come through. Very clean an crisp aroma though.

More of the citrus hops in the flavor. Starts out with a sweet citrus/grapefruit flavor and a lactose-like, creamy sweetness. Finishes a tiny bit bitter with some strong peach and citrus flavors. The sweetness really cuts through the bitterness and there is almost no bitterness in the finish. The roasted malt is only apparent a few seconds after the finish. A nice lingering roasted malt bitterness and some sweet chocolate.

A bit heavy with a creamy, smooth feel to it. Oily on the palate. Goes down very easy.

Definitely exceeded my expectations. So easy to drink, which is not typical of a big stout and a 9% beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 23:01:17 | More by Kromes

vfgccp

New York

3.38/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Black body with dark chocolate and cola highlights. Creamy light tan head has ok retention and lace.

S - Overly sweet. Big molasses nose with caramel, brown sugar, raisin, semi-sweet chocolate, touch of spearmint, warm milk, and a little coffee ice cream.

T - Molasses, caramel, cream, dark roast grains, and coffee. Pine and a booze center. Nice coffee and dark chocolate finish.

M - Creamy, medium/full body that lightens just enough on the backend to lend it great drinkability.

O - Drinks like a double milk stout; sweet and creamy with a dark coffee and chocolate backbone.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:50:15 | More by vfgccp

merc7186

New York

3.28/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Id like to thank Cuzco for sharing this bottle.

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a snifter glass.

A: Dark Opaque Hue, Passes No Light, Thin Brown Head Ring, Mild Lacing

S: Molasses, Mildly Nutty

T: Molasses, Maple

M: Average Carbonation, Medium to Full Bodied, Mildly Bitter, Mildly Sweet

Overall, a mediocre imperial stout...some sweetness, mildly nutty but that's it.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 00:41:46 | More by merc7186

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks mrbubbler!!

Appearance. Pours black with almost a finger of light tan head.

Smell. Molasses and dark chocolate with some roasty dark malts and a little astringent alcohol.

Taste. Molasses, dark malts, and a little butterscotch.

Mouthfeel. Medium-full body with medium low carbonation.

Appearance. A nice big stout but maybe not as big as many imperials.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 00:02:34 | More by Rutager

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours real nice, but the head could stay a little bit longer. There's a nice smoky flavor on this one with some molasses on there as well. This is hearty, but carries the characteristics that help to keep the flavor delivery fluid. I'd say the only detractor is a bit of a boozy thing that burns on the tongue just a wee bit too much. Overall, this is nice though. Nicer than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 21:29:01 | More by RblWthACoz

siege06nd

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is the 2010 vintage.

A. Dark black, impenetrable. Thick, uniform two finger dark brown head. Very good lacing. Retention is top notch, a half finger of head covers the top of the beer. No need for coasters here, the foam will keep it covered thank you.

S. Interesting combination of roasted malt, slightly singed brownie batter, dark fruit, and then a blast of herbal and citrusy hops. Mild roasty quality, but some faint musty and soy sauce like notes as well that I think result from the hops and malts conflicting. Good not great.

T. Much drier and slightly ashy. More of the roasted baking chocolate, some chocolate, even some char. Then the hops hit with a lot of citrus and zest. The age on this has also brought out some dark fruit notes and some mild oxidation. Slight caramel influence and this calls to mind an American barleywine in some ways.

M. Full bodied, moderately carbed, and well integrated. Roast and chocolate notes are well integrated into this hoppy stout.

O. The years have tamed the hop bite on this a touch. Fresh, I recall this having an almost petrol-like quality. With a year and a half, this has mellowed considerably. A very good imperial stout. Age carefully, as this is starting to show some oxidation. Enjoy one fresh and save a few for down the road.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 20:38:22 | More by siege06nd

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2009 Vintage! Served from 1 liter swing-top bottle into a Boulevard tulip. Poured pitch black with a half finger tan head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, roasted malt, wood, and dark chocolate. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark chocolate, wood, and dark fruit. It had a medium feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this was a decent brew. Unfortunately, this one was not very complex like I would have hoped for. All of the right flavors for an enjoyable brew were present, but it just felt like it was missing something to complete it and take it to the next level. Glad I finally decided to crack this one open and see what it was all about. Worth trying fresh if you get the chance, but I would avoid the older vintages based on my experience.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 10:52:17 | More by thagr81us

scottfrie

California

3.15/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2010 bottle thanks to Exiled. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours near black with raisin highlights. Head is very thin, spotty lace.
S: Light vanilla, fudge brownies, touch of caramel.
T: Chocolate, rich fudge, peat, hint of smoke, vanilla in the finish. Rich flavors, very potent and strong. Smokey, roasted and peat filled aftertaste with an underlying sweetness that lingers forever. Not my favorite.
M: Bold flavors, medium-thick body, thinnish mouth, low carbonation, alcohol is slightly astringent.
O: An average stout. Definitely rich and bold, but not that complex. A bit rough at times.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 02:24:17 | More by scottfrie

acevenom

Louisiana

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks are due to EgadBananas for providing this bottle. Poured into a pint glass. Pours black with a tall, creamy brown head that dissipates slowly, leaving plenty of lacing on the glass. The are aromas of dark roasted barley malt, chocolate, booze, hops, and coffee. This is definitely on the bitter end of the style. There are big resinous piney hop flavors. The malt tastes charred. I do agree with a previous reviewer that this reminds me of a black IPA more than it does an imperial stout. The body is light to medium, which is disappointing for the style. There is adequate carbonation. The drinkability is high. Overall, this is a good beer. If this were supposed to be a Black IPA, I would rate it higher. But as an imperial stout, it falls short.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 02:41:13 | More by acevenom

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.43/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark motor oil with a thin light tan head. Good retention.

S - Soy, and some booze. Some roasted maltiness as well.

T - Soy, booze, smoked malt.

D - Decent carbonation and a medium to thin body.

O - Booze and smoke. OK, but somehow it didn't all click together.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 04:34:22 | More by HuskyinPDX