This stout is as original as the brewery itself. One of the first beers, along with the pale ale and kellerweis to ever be brewed some thirty years ago when this benchmark brewery first took flight.
Served in a beer tulip the dense black pour whips up a one and a half cm tan head that steadily shrinks down to a firm layer of foam which laces quite well. Good head retention. The nose is rich and roasted with a mild woody scent to it. Undertones of ripened blackberries, dark fruits and faint hints of chocolate and molasses make up this slightly standard but enjoyable aroma. Maybe a touch of chipotle and coffee comes through once it warms. The mouth feel is quite full and creamy with low carbonation. Medium-full bodied. Upfront we get a nice dose of rich, roasted malts with a bitter espresso bite cutting through. Hints of dark chocolate through the mid are followed by a toasty finish with lengthy bitterness on the back end. The 5.8% ABV is spot on, very well buried amongst the array of dark, roasted flavours. It’s a traditional style stout that is quite approachable. As most of the Sierra Nevada core range of beers are this is also a good entry level beer. Not bad at all.