Santa Fe Imperial Java Stout

The Dirt
If you don't like coffee, well...wait, how did you survive college?! Anyway, this beer isn't for you. But if you do like the "other" brew (or require it), then this beer was made for you.

I think Santa Fe's Imperial Java Stout is a married couple between an iced mocha coffee and a bad ass imperial stout. In fact, it might have a bit too much of the bean to consume on a regular basis, but awesome if coffee + stout is what you're looking for. But be careful, this is definitely an imperial stout. This fact is well hidden by the coffee profile. It also has a hint of creamy on the back end, which is the stout's way of saying it's still there. Let it get too warm though and it will start to get a bit heavy going down.

Worth it?
This is under $10 for a 6-pack! That's a yes if you're scoring at home. It's actually almost too much of a deal really. They should probably do a 4-pack. Though I'm actually aging a couple right now to see how they turn out.

Also, it's worth a purchase at least once for the can's design. Look at that thing...awesome.

The Final Word

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout

The Dirt
Chicory is a stout is made with Mexican coffee, but it operated much more like a black lager to me. It had nice earthy notes on the front half, with slight tastes of coffee combined with a small bite (not really spicy, but sharp). There were slight smokey notes as well, but not really smoked.

I say the beer seemed more like a black lager because the flavor profile subsides dramatically after about half of the way through your sip. This is a characteristic I have experienced with many black lagers, and why some people do not like them as much compared to a stout, porter, or even a brown. Although in this case, there is a small hint of coffee that remains. You do get the coffee and some chocolate notes to be more present when you "slurp" it more, thus releasing more of the profile (kind of like wine tasting). But in the end, I would have liked to see a bit more bite (hops, alcohol, etc.). That said, still an enjoyable beer, just not one of my favorites from Dogfish.

Worth it?
I wouldn't buy a 4-pack of this (I bought a single for under $2), and probably won't purchase again. But if you have more of a nose for coffee, you might get more flavor out of this than I did. And if you're a fan of Dogfish, buying a single of this is worth a try.

The Final Word