Cavatica Stout

This stout's aroma bursts from the glass, leading with roasted almonds, coffee beans, dark chocolate-covered pretzels, pine resin and crispy bacon dipped in dark chocolate. A thin, creamy tan head falls away to form a fine film with tiny bubbles underneath. This beer pours an opaque, red-tinted dark brown color with rapid effervescence that rises along the sides of the glass. Intense flavors of roasted coffee beans and pine resin are immediately apparent upon first sip and the finish is dry, chalky, gritty and bitter -- with an aftertaste of cacao nibs and burnt BBQ chicken. This beer has a medium body, medium-high carbonation, low alcohol warming and moderate roast astringency. Overall, a fine representative of the Imperial Stout style with restrained hop presence and lower ABV than expected.