Jahva (Imperial Coffee Stout) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

Pjev11

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a tall bottle into a glass. Super almost pitch black with coffee brown tinges towards the top. Small cream colored head that did not last long.

Smells of coffee.

Taste is robust to say the least. Strong coffee flavoring. My uncle, who is far from a beer junkie but loves coffee, loved this beer. It is strong, dark and full flavored. Pretty flat in the mouth, as you would expect for a stout. If anything, more carbonated than I would have expected, though not very carbonated at all.

Overall, a really top notch coffee stout. Best consumed after you are done eating, though. It fills you up.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 23:00:55 | More by Pjev11

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Wow what a great beer, even with a few years on it the coffee is still there.

This beer pours dark dark brown to pitch black with a nice thick coffee colored head that lasts. the smell is obviously coffee up front with a mix of slight roastiness and sweetness after that. the taste of coffee is not as prominent as in the smell but it is still there and the beer is a little roasty and slightly sweet as well. the mouthfeel is full and well carbonated. overall an excellent stout, will definitely grab more of these

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 13:53:11 | More by rowingbrewer

longbongsilver

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Felt like finishing the night with an imperial I've been saving for the opportunity. Pour is a slower than usual midnight freakin' BLACK, head barely blinks.

Definitely smell the coffee, plus dark chocolate. Bit of citrus peaks out momentarily -- I assume that's cascade hop saying hello. "what's up, C?" I respond. Must be a serious fruit characteristic to make it though all this blackness. Enough talk, swig time...

This brew just called an all-out roast blitz, dark malts and even darker coffee meeting at once to sack your tongue. Yet, there's a surprising sweetness as it warms. The hop character acts more as a citrus break on everything else than as a star in its own right, yet I get the feeling the amount of hop they used just for that subtlety would strangle a weaker brew. Here it melds something ridiculous.

Goes down like a latte, fittingly enough. Carbonation went bye-bye a long time ago, and frankly I don't miss it.

For use of coffee as a beer ingredient, this damn near challenges KBS (!!!), though it errs harder on coffee than that particular brew does. Jahva is another example of Shameless Overkill done right -- and with that, goodnight.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 08:05:27 | More by longbongsilver

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.83/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Southern Jahva, part of a pretty epic Southern Tier tap takeover at Pony Bar in Manhattan. I had the Jahva along with Mokah, Crème Brulee, Oak-aged Unearthly.

Appearance: Served on their eight-ounce glass, Jahva looks like fresh tar on a city street. Minimal head, barely any lacing. Black tar pit of hell- you will find dinosaurs at the bottom of your glass.

Smell: Smoky! Ham, bacon. Cold coffee, dirty grounds tossed in the sink. Bitter end.

Taste: A strange spice kick appears first, sort of like pickled jalapeno- then the coffee and a hop burst.

Mouth: Well-balanced but not outstanding. A little thin on the body but alright. Carbonation could be better. Almost full flavor.

Overall: Nice but I have a better memory of Jahva. Drinkable and a treat for those like me who love pitch-black big stout-y beers, but a bit one-dimensional. Would like to revisit it on a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2011 07:27:57 | More by DoubleSimcoe

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle that I've had for quite some time. Poured into a snifter...

A - Pours a dark, rich looking, black color. Totally opaque. No real head forms at all other than a light tan color collar and minimal cap.

S - Strong roasted coffee, chocolate, and caramel notes comr through first. Roasted malts and some ash-like aromas as well. Sweet, but that was totally to be expected from ST.

T - The taste follows the nose quite well. Strong roasted coffee that is bitter at times. Chocolate covered espresso beans are there as well. Caramel and roasted malts come out as well. Ever so slightly astringent here.

M - My favorite thing about this beer. It is smooth, creamy, and heavy bodied. It really coats the tongue and mouth. Lower carbonation makes this one nice and velvety.

O - Not bad at all! I really enjoy the ST big stouts, and this was no exception. It was not my favorite of the series, but not a bad stout at all.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 16:58:09 | More by KAP1356

matthewalee

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

New Belgium goblet. Bottle says "Blackwater Series brewed Winter 2008" -at 50 degrees

looking forward to this 12.0 abv. (what the bottle says) bomb on a football Sunday!

A - dark dark brown, not quite black. Head that goes down pretty quickly.

S - smells of slight coffee, some chocolate, and a good amount of sugar. And there appears to be a oaky, kind of older smell to it. not bad at all

T - decent taste with sugary tongue but a bit astringent. Coffee really not in the picture anymore but chocolate and roasted malts certainly are. Very easy to pick it right back up again and go for another. More flavors as it warms up. gets more syrupy.

M - good but not as thick as I maybe had thought. Goes down easy and makes you want more. Taste of sugar for sure in this brew. After about 5 drinks, I can feel the effect...which is nice.

O - I don't think age had too much of an effect on this one, but was psyched to find a couple bottles at a local shop. It is much better fresh when the coffee is present as in any coffee stout.

Anything ST does is really good and intense anyways and I am a fan of this brewery! Was glad to try an older black series beer for sure!

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 18:52:35 | More by matthewalee

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Not black, but pretty close. Head is tan but doesn't last very well.
S- Aroma has a good bit of coffee, but there is a fair bit of milk chocolate milk. A faint roasted grain aroma.
T- The coffee is pretty assertive. There definitely is a chocolatey presence as well. The alcohol presence is quite strong in the finish.
M- For an imperial stout it's medium-light. Carbonation is low. The alcohol is overly warming.
O- It's decent, but in this series I like Mokah better.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 01:25:09 | More by jsprain1

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Very dark body with only slight hints of red in the black. Head poured about 1 finger and is a nice khaki color with some copper in it.

S - Sweeter than I was expecting but I guess that's how ST rolls.

T - Wow this is quite wonderful. The bitterness of the coffee is complimented nicely by some sweet caramel and milk chocolate. The caramel is strong and some vanilla. If this flavor was an option at starbucks, I would get it everytime. Well balanced.

M - A little light on the carbonation and medium body. The flavors cover this lightness well so you don't really notice.

O - A great beer that is easy to drink despite the 10% abv. Would make a good breakfast beer or summer afternoon sipper. Refreshing when cold.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 19:54:20 | More by RuckusDu

bristei

Rhode Island

3.83/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle to a Tulip

A: Dark, opaque, very little head, pours black

S: Strong malt scent, heavy alcohol vapors, not much else...

T: Very apparent alcohol taste, sweet, some coffee flavor but it is subtle, tastes almost like something you could get at Starbucks (yea it's coffee, but you're really getting a cup of other stuff with some coffee in it)

M: Real smooth (likely from the higher alcohol content) with a nice long lingering flavor

O: Most of the flavor from this beer comes post-nasally; I couldn't smell a damn thing until I tasted it. But once I did, the flavor really kicked up a notch. Lots of intense flavors, mainly sweet ones. A really strong imperial stout, great for a cold evening. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 23:25:07 | More by bristei

Eriktheipaman

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours 8 ball black wit nice brown head with aggressive pour.

The smell is of burnt chocolate and roasted coffee.

The taste is bitter roast on the front with a strong coffee and alcohol back. While the alcohol shows up a decent amount on the back I feel it is still fairly balanced and enjoyable.

The body is med-heavy.

This beer would be perfect for barrel aging and if done right would be right up there with KBS. If I see it I will buy it again and sit on it for a year or so to see what happens.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 01:29:31 | More by Eriktheipaman

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Deep brown, almost black, with a very small head, no lacing.

S - Coffee, roasted hazelnuts, campfire, mesquite.

T - Coffee, hint of toffee, touch of honey, a slight hazelnut flavor, hint of dates. Aftertaste is slightly nutty with a bit of smoke and a

M - Smooth, thick, startlingly refreshing, a bit of alcohol burn, but overall, rather nice.

D - Big stouts are great. They have big flavor, big alcohol and big fun, but they also have often the feature that they are so thick and rich, taking them in one fell swoop is often almost a chore. This one is nice overall, and a little less overbearing than general in a way.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 01:19:50 | More by mrasskicktastic

indesertum

New York

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours dark black. little to no head.

smells like chocolates. maybe caramel. faint coffee beans

nice. almost viscous in texture. sharp carbonation. nice richness and sweetness from chocolate, coffee. not a lot of hops. attractive finish. good bitterness from hops? from coffee?

tasty. maybe a little too sweet for me. would go great with some dessert

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 09:15:25 | More by indesertum

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

3.05/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours dark with a thin head, but good retention and lacing.

The aroma has faint traces of coffee as well as hops and roasted malt.

The taste is a bit of a disappointment. The coffee seems so very minimal. I can taste the dark malt, the caramel malt, some chocolate, and even the hops, but the coffee seems to be less prevalent than any of those. I gave a couple sips of this to my friend and she quickly tasted soy sauce. I can't say that I agree with it, but I can say that this beer tastes a whole lot like the last beer she tasted soy sauce in. I looked for similar hops and malt, but I haven't found a conclusive connection. I can say that this does taste a little off though.

Hopefully the one I'm drinking had gone bad. To be fair, the taste isn't horrific, but it by no means deserves the A rating if this is what it's supposed to taste like. Fortunately, ST is supposed to be putting dates on their bottles from now on.

The body is light but full. Carbonation is very impressive and hidden at the same time. The finish is slightly dry.

Overall, I hope I just got a bad bottle of this beer, otherwise the taste is just a bit off.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 02:57:40 | More by BBP

phichifiji00

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Tulip.

Appearance: Black with 1/2 finger of thick tan head that fades quickly. Moderate lacing.

Smell: Coffee, chocolate, roasted barley, hints of caramel, espresso, woody notes.

Taste: coffee, espresso, chocolate, roasted barley, confectioner's sugar, caramel, a bit astringent. Aftertaste is just like after drinking a cup of coffee.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, minimal carbonation, smooth, creamy, alcohol is not detectable.

Overall: a very good coffee beer. Drinkability is high (if you like coffee). Well done.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 17:29:08 | More by phichifiji00

Jules11788

California

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a coffe-black color; no head whatsoever; oily lacing

S: Roasty wood and strong bitter coffee; typical Imperial Stout fare

T: I get a lot of coffee flavor up front with some woody notes and hints of dark chocolate in the background. Nothing too exciting or complex

M: Medium thickness, medium carbonation; kinda sharp on the tongue, though not much booze

O: This was a good Imperial Stout, but nothing that really got me excited. It had some good coffee and woody-chocolate flavors, but it's not good enough for me to want to buy another one

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 01:19:09 | More by Jules11788

Doshkin

Maine

4.22/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a - black with tan head, good retention. minor head reduced down to a lingering film

s - heavy roasted chocolate and coffee

t - again, very strong coffee with chocolate. firts the name very well

m - towards the heavy side. just the right amount of carbonation.

o - as with the other ST brews i've had, this brew matches the name flawlessly. if you want a heavy chocolate stout, you will probably have a field day with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 01:57:27 | More by Doshkin

adam42381

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review from notes at World of Beer - Fort Myers on 10/21/11.

Poured on draft into a snifter.

Appearance: Pours coffee black with a 1/2 finger creamy tan head. Nice lacing.

Smell: Fresh ground coffee beans. I've never detected more coffee notes from any beer.

Taste: Dark roast coffee up front followed by sweet roasted malt in the middle before ending with burnt toast and bitter hops. Alcohol is completely masked. Aftertaste is exactly like the aftertaste of coffee.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and creamy with a nice amount of carbonation.

Drinkability: Good drinkability. The alcohol is masked very well so this one could sneak up on you.

Overall: Very good beer overall. If you are a coffee lover, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2011 16:29:14 | More by adam42381

soju6

Missouri

3.43/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours a virtual black color with a small tan head and nice lacing.

S: Aroma is mostly of coffee and hint of dark chocolate.

T: Taste of coffee, some dark chocolate, bitternessand a sticky sweetness.

F: Very medium body, quite smooth and creamy. The 10.4% ABV is quite well hidden.

O: Not bad but, too much coffee for my taste. Not a stout I can really embrace. Worth a try if you are really in to coffee.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 00:26:46 | More by soju6

TheBeerAuthority

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A friend had recommended I try Southern Tier's creme brule. Eyeballing this stout due to its attractive bottle and the reference from my friend I decided to give this a try instead. I'm a big fan of porters, stouts and coffee so keep that in mind while reading my review.

Appearance- A very nice mocha colored 22oz bottle with the appropriate coffee beans on front. Big bold heading and description on the side. Pours nearly pitch black with a nice thick mocha colored head.

Smell- Sweet. Very noticeable maple syurpy smell with a strong coffee smell as well. Almost milk stoutish in smell.

Taste- Very sweet, dark/burnt coffee taste, milk stout like, roasted malts. Bold. Alcohol blends very well in here.

Mouth feel- Too syrupy and oily with low carbonation. Not like usual porters/stouts. This was a big deal breaker here for me which i'll explain in the overall.

Overall- Not like your usual porters/stouts. If you dislike coffee stay far away from this beer. The oily/syrupy mouth feel with low carbonation to match was a big turn off. This beer was overly sweet. Very much like a milk stout. This was still an enjoyable, quality beer but the consistency and sweetness was a deal breaker for me. I don't think i will pick this one up again but sure wouldn't turn down a free one ;-)

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 00:40:44 | More by TheBeerAuthority

stickynotes

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber into oversized wine glass.

Pours inky black, thick like syrup, hardly any carbonation, a thin brown head disappears in a couple of minutes. I poured this a bit too cold, at first I would mistake the smell for Welch's grape juice with my eyes closed, as it warms up rich roasted malts and coffee, still smells a bit syrupy in the background; deep and robust. Taste is full. Coffee and roasted malts dominate the taste, some caramel, very sweet. No indication of the high apv. Mouthfeel is heavy with hardly any carbonation. This is a rich imperial and delivers on the coffee but is a bit too sweet for me. A solid stout and I'm glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 21:26:01 | More by stickynotes

lovindahops

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

from notes

ending a brutal friday with some southern tier jahva

a- dark of night type of brew. Black with great lacing from the reciding head. Looks like a cup of coffee

s- dry coffee grinds, roasted malt, a hint of sugar, and some cream. Maybe even some oats and dark fruit are in there. Very appealing

T- I love coffee and I love this beer. It's like spiked black coffee with some cream and sugar too. There is definitely some unfermented sugars prevalent

m- waxing with flavor. Great on the mouth

o- if it weren't for the unfremented sugars, the brew would be perfect. Coffee bender and sunrise coffee stout are my number one and two coffee stouts. Make this a little less sweet and STBC jahva is right with it

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 20:00:14 | More by lovindahops

bogus564

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 fl oz, poured into a pint glass.

Just watched the G-Men beat the Cheese Steaks by a score of 29-16. Good mood for me. Time to enjoy a new beer.

Looks pretty darn good. Very nice, very dark brown color. An aggressive pour produces a 2 cm light caramel colored head that holds for just over a minute before dissolving into lace on the sides of the glass.

Not much in the nose, but I'm not going to completely discount it for that. There's an obvious coffee aroma, along with unsweetened dark chocolate and roasted malt.

In for a taste, and... it's good. I'm seeing that Southern Tier likes to go sweet with their stouts. This gives me coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malt, a very syrupiness, dark fruit (dried, like raisins or prunes), and a slight hint of pine at the back end.

Mouthfeel is fair, not outstanding. It's medium- to full-bodied, carbonation is pretty good (translation: not overdone), it washes fairly well over the palate, leaving a dry, very slightly piny finish. Not bad at all.

Overall, a beer you really need to be having with food. It's very sweet, so consider it a 'dessert' beer, one that goes quite well with fried chicken. Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 22:09:56 | More by bogus564

crzyc

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Small head, minimal lacing. Dark chocolate colored body.

S: coffee and cream, super sweet

T: so sweet, coffee and almost a cream/sugar whip cream taste.

M: average carbonation. Full body. Little dry after.

O: Sweet coffee stout. Very well balanced malt, yeast, alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 21:47:50 | More by crzyc

9InchNails

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark color body, with a light brown ring around the glass. Some lacing on the glass.

Chocalate, caramel and espresso. Smells really nice.

Same as the nose but booze is more evident in the flavor. Some dark fruits, coffee and chocalate.

Medium body, it leaves the lips quite sticky, carbonation is there but nothing crazy. No alcohol burn going down.

This is a great after dinner beer. Coffee is the main attraction with the texture of the body really makes this beer work well. Although, no alcohol burn, it's more noticeable in the flavor and feel as it's consumed.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2011 07:27:58 | More by 9InchNails

Marty30

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Southern Tier brewpub.

A. Black no light shining through this baby. quarter inch tan head that goes quickly. No lacing.

S. I get some coffee at first and then comes a good bit of chocolate and cocoa. Smells sweet.

T. Very tastey but sweet as hell. I love coffee in my beers and there is a good amount in here,so that is a plus. Lot's of chocolate and cocoa very rich,and like I said sweet as hell.

M. Not bad a bit thin for an Imperial Stout in my opinion. Sweet finish.

Overall I usually don't mind sweet beers, I even love there creme brulee, but I guess maybe because its coffee infused I thought it was a bit much. Not a bad American double I would'nt mind giving this another shot.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2011 15:44:51 | More by Marty30