Class V Stout
Kern River Brewing Company

Class V StoutClass V Stout
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From:
Kern River Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #1,533
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
91
Ranked #6,618
Avg:
4.09 | pDev: 9.29%
Reviews:
209
Ratings:
539
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 21, 2024
Added:
Mar 01, 2007
Wants:
  89
Gots:
  93
River rapids are rated by a numeral system. Class V is the most difficult level rapid that can be negotiated.
This non-traditional beer is an Oatmeal Stout, Milk Stout and an Imperial Stout all in one. With a complex flavor profile ranging from coffee to chocolate, the sweetness is complemented with Chinook and Cascade hops to produce an extraordinary finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jmarsh123:
Photo of jmarsh123
Reviewed by jmarsh123 from Indiana

3.45/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a deep chocolate brown with a finger of tan head. Decent head retention.

Smells of bitter chocolate, roasted malts and coffee.

Taste falls a bit short. Some more stone fruit comes through and much sweeter than the smell would indicate. The coffee and chocolate come through, but an almost rum cake flavor invades.

Pretty silky and oily with lowish carbonation.

Not horrible, but not to the standard of other Kern River offerings I've had. The sweetness can get overwhelming at times.
Feb 14, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of MutuelsMark
Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky

4.02/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours black as can be. Forced head was darker shade of tan and it was THICK!. Nose is charr, coffee and dark chocolate. Taste was mostly charr initially then that faded to a more coffee flavor. Warmth set in, but only slightly.
Mar 21, 2024
 
Rated: 4.56 by Beecham from California

Nov 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4.47 by hopley from Massachusetts

May 22, 2023
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Class V Stout from Kern River Brewing. 16 fl oz can from @2beerdogs in NBW BIF 17. Reviewed 28/04/23 (Review 3085). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “CANNED ON 12/0?/22”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 55.7 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 62.7 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.25
First pour – Amber Brown (SRM 18), clear.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, still opaque except at the edge.
Head: Large (Maximum 4.7 cm, aggressive center pour), brown sugar, high density, average retention, rapidly retreating, leaving a 0.8 cm crown with a torn curtain upper rim and a heaped rocky partial layer. As the head retracts, it becomes medium density and lightens to tan. A few three-dimensional snakes of lacing remain above the upper edge of the crown. These eventually dry out.
Lacing – Good. Overlapping three-dimensional rings of near-microscopic bubbles which slooowly break down into torn curtains. See also above.
Aroma – 3.5 – Primarily coffee with a hint of chocolate, no hops, no yeast. No ethanol (8.5 % ABV as marked on the label) aroma.
Flavor – 3.5 – Follows the nose. No hops, yeast, or ethanol. No gastric warming. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Full; dry; lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.75 For being an oatmeal stout with added lactose, it is neither particularly smooth nor silky – just feels like an ordinary impy stout. Nose and flavor are predominantly coffee with a bit of chocolate. Good – emphatically yes! A gift from the beer gods to make me bow down – nope.
Apr 28, 2023
Photo of DarkLordScott
Reviewed by DarkLordScott from Wisconsin

3.67/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
The brew pours deep black with a moderately carbonated three finger head. Aroma is roasted malt, while taste is chocolate, roasted malt and coffee in exactly that order on my tongue. The body is moderately light. This is a straightforward coffee stout.
Apr 07, 2023
Photo of Christianriveraaa
Reviewed by Christianriveraaa

3.79/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Poured from a pint can into a pint glass - jet black pour, very small head risen to the surface. Some lacing left behind on the glass as it dissipates.
Smell: Not much of a smell here to be honest, picking up some malts if anything.
Taste: Okay the taste does it more justice then the smell - Rich delicious malts with slight chocolate flavors. Not getting any of the chocolate flavors at all in this.
Feel: Medium bodied - medium carbonated, not to thick/ oily, not to thin - good sipper.
Overall: This is a good classic stout with some slight characteristics added to it. Richer then most, has a good malty taste. Very delicious and would love to sip on some of these quite often.
Dec 14, 2022
 
Rated: 3.59 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 21, 2022
Photo of pants678
Reviewed by pants678 from California

3.52/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Black with a bit of off white foam.

Bitter, my guess is Chinook hops.

Reminder of how far stouts have gone down the pastry path. This is like going at a 90% cacao bar, a stout I would've had ~2011. Nothing fruity but a hint of chocolate that keeps my attention.

Crisp, which isn't what I'm after.
Jan 02, 2022
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

4.59/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
From a can this pours a delicious dark chocolate, with a creamy coffee colored cap. Assertively roasty, in both aroma and on the sip, with a creamy smooth body and this soft, lingering finish. Uniquely delicious.
Dec 15, 2021
 
Rated: 4.12 by Fubudu187 from Illinois

Dec 07, 2021
Photo of ZippyThePinhead
Reviewed by ZippyThePinhead from California

4.53/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Looks like black iced coffee, but with a bit of head. Roasty-toasty nose, chocolate richness, well-hidden alcohol. Something which I rejoice to see on the refrigerated shelves of my local purveyors, almost like Citra. What's not to like here? Mouthfeel and lingering finish is lovely... creamy and bittersweet. Delightful. Kern River Brewers, kudos and respect.
Nov 24, 2021
 
Rated: 3.87 by Nunya from Ohio

Feb 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 16, 2020
Photo of rex_4539
Reviewed by rex_4539 from Greece

4.74/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: Jet black color, no head or lacing, very light carbonation.

S: Chocolate, coffee, sweet, alcohol. Smells wonderful.

T: Chocolate, coffee, sweet. Slightly bitter on the back end. Delicious!

F: Light to medium bodied, smooth as silk, yet full flavored.

O: A world class stout, no doubt.
Jan 16, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by schopenhauerale from Arizona

Jul 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4.24 by socon67 from New York

Jun 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4.19 by Mustela_Man from California

Mar 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.08 by paulish from New York

Dec 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by Spaceman_Jer from Colorado

Oct 22, 2018
Class V Stout from Kern River Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 539 ratings