System Of A Stout
Beachwood Brewing

System Of A StoutSystem Of A Stout
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From:
Beachwood Brewing
 
California, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #71
ABV:
11.3%
Score:
96
Ranked #1,149
Avg:
4.32 | pDev: 7.87%
Reviews:
55
Ratings:
342
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 21, 2024
Added:
Jul 08, 2012
Wants:
  187
Gots:
  61
System of a Stout [Imperial Armenian Coffee Stout ] - An imperial stout infused with all the traditional ingredients of a savory cup of Armenian coffee: cardamom, molasses, coffee (of course), and brandy. In the kettle, the beer is lightly dosed with green cardamom for exotic spice notes. Molasses adds a richness that seamlessly blends in. The finished beer was then aged for several days on masterfully roasted coffee from Portola Coffee Lab in Costa Mesa. The beer was then aged for several weeks on Armenian brandy-soaked oak chips for yet another dimension of flavors and aromas. Take your time & enjoy this endlessly complex & nuanced beer.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by topdown:
Photo of topdown
Rated by topdown from California

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

Sep 16, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by allenson21 from New York

Jan 21, 2024
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Reviewed by ArrogantB from Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
I liked this quite a bit better than the vanilla fudge I had the night before. Great coffee flavors, stout, and boozy alcohol. Delicious beer but kind of pricey for not being barrel-aged.
Sep 20, 2021
 
Rated: 4.22 by BirdsandHops from Oregon

Apr 15, 2021
 
Rated: 4.31 by Wisconsin_IPA_Lover from Wisconsin

Feb 27, 2021
 
Rated: 4.27 by cd34 from Illinois

Feb 20, 2020
 
Rated: 4.58 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Jan 16, 2020
 
Rated: 4.28 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Dec 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by ruzzal from Texas

Oct 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.91 by 7irondave from Massachusetts

Aug 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.17 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Aug 05, 2019
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Reviewed by pants678 from California

4.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Dark, dark brown with a half finger head foam.

More coffee than malt.

Doesn't read immediately as coffee, then I saw the adjuncts. Cardamom definitely gives me something new, an earthy bent that's a tinge floral without being vegetable. I don't really read the molasses or brandy in an obvious way, the mix is unique.

The end isn't all that rough but it's enough to remind you it's not mixed with cold brew.
Jun 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.37 by TheBrewsky from California

Apr 22, 2019
 
Rated: 4.15 by Futbolmanby from Michigan

Mar 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.2 by Vivs85 from New York

Feb 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.73 by RPM3334 from South Carolina

Dec 16, 2018
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.46/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Embracing the exotic in each and every way possible the brewers at Beachwood embrace the weird, the unheard of, the hard to find combinations of Armenian coffee, cardamom and brandy soaked oak for a taste that takes the imperial stout where it has never gone before.

This System of a Stout comes with an extremely dark brown, easily mistaken as black for an appearance of an ominously dark milkshake. Crowned with a stubborn mocha froth, the beer leads with a host of dark and earthy coffee with bold chocolate, walnut and a toasted, slightly smoky spice not far off of cinnamon and menthol. Sweet and chocolaty on the tongue, the taste of tiramisu meets the texture of cake batter.

Deeply caramelized, the sweetness is joined with molasses and buckwheat honey as the ale crosses middle palate, while also giving rise to black walnut, espresso, burnt toast, campfire and bittersweet chocolate. Trending savory, sweet, lavish and velvety on the tongue, a late spice of brandy, kahlua and peppermint intertwine for a broad and friendly balance to the extended sweetness.

Full and decadent, the beer is off chewy and creamy like a fine latte. The earthiness of cardamom hits the throat like cinnamon and allspice once the brandy, oak tannins and coffee grounds disguise its curry like character. A long and savory aftertaste once again evokes a sense of tiramisu but with the spicy bite of exotic additions to the brewing process. If this beer could be a person, it would definitely grow up to be a stripper.
Dec 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4.4 by Dark_Scarecrow from Virginia

Dec 02, 2018
 
Rated: 4.37 by Spaceman_Jer from Colorado

Nov 02, 2018
 
Rated: 4.6 by crobinso from Colorado

Sep 12, 2018
System Of A Stout from Beachwood Brewing
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 342 ratings