Stay Churrious
The Bruery

 

Review: 2134
Name: Stay Churrious
Brewery: The Bruery
Location: Placentia, CA
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.7%
Date: 03/04/2024
Despite the scorching heat, my craving for an imperial stout remains. I carefully pour the beer into a stemless tulip glass, creating a creamy two-fingered head with fair retention. However, the disappointment sets in as the head quickly dissipates, leaving no lacing on the glass. The color, a deep inky black, is as expected for this stout, but the lack of retention and lacing is a letdown, especially considering The Bruery's usual standards. This unexpected turn in the appearance might disappoint some enthusiasts.
As I bring the glass to my nose, I'm immediately enveloped in a delightful array of aromas-caramel, chocolate, doughy, cinnamon, vanilla, and roasty notes. The malt profile is firm, with toasty and roasty notes, bready, light char, and a hint of Maillard. Other aromas, such as molasses, earthy, coffee, and cream, add layers of complexity. The faint hint of alcohol, which only serves to enhance the overall aroma of this beer, is particularly intriguing.
The imperial stout flavors have big, roasty, and toasty malt characters. The malt profile is doughy, with light char, toasted bread crust, and malty sweetness. I also taste caramel, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, earthiness, chocolate, leather, dark roasted coffee, and creamy. The beer tastes like a caramel-dipped sugar and cinnamon churro soaked in an imperial stout—delicious.
The mouthfeel is creamy and chewy, and the finish is velvety smooth. The body is heavy and has low carbonation.
Stay Churrious is a fabulous dessert stout. It is not overly sweet, and the flavors probe the depths of your palate. The balance of sweetness in this stout is particularly satisfying. I enjoy that they judiciously use cinnamon, and it does not come off as dusty—stellar pastry stout with loads of flavor.