High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout
Lagunitas Brewing Company

High West-ified Imperial Coffee StoutHigh West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout
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From:
Lagunitas Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
12.2%
Score:
97
Avg:
4.38 | pDev: 6.39%
Reviews:
382
Ratings:
2,033
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 10, 2023
Added:
Dec 24, 2014
Wants:
  197
Gots:
  463
Formerly ScareCity #3: High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout

Up until this brew, none of Lagunitas’ barrel-aged adventures ever made it to shelves. They’ve been super-limited draft-only releases. This time we’ve made enough to actually bottle some … The 100% barrel-aged 2015 High West-ified Coffee Stout. Ale brewed with Coffee from our friends at Petaluma Coffee & Tea, then aged in Rye Whiskey barrels from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, Utah … barrels that held High West’s Double Rye and American Prairie Bourbon, to be exact. Cheers!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by doughanson78:
Photo of doughanson78
Rated by doughanson78 from Washington

4.02/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Jul 01, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of Whyteboar
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a chunky black viscous liquid into the snifter. It maybe should have been consumed a few years ago.
The aroma is whiskey and coffee, not bad at all.
The taste is that and more. More roasted malts, more whiskey, more coffee. Just more.
The feel was a pleasant viscosity until the very end, my fault, I’ll pay the dues.
OA, lost this one in the cellar, should have drunk it years ago, but it is still a beer to be enjoyed and I did.
Jun 10, 2023
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Draft at Lucky’s. Oily, black pour with small beige head. Boozy aroma, first and foremost. Silky smooth. Barrel aging is the most prevalent feature, but the RIS body carries it well.
Jun 01, 2023
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
this has always been wonderful, and some of the older vintages are still drinking really well. i think part of that is that there was never a ton of coffee in these, always more a barrel chemistry thing than a major flavor agent, and i think that helps these keep, less coffee to oxidize and turn into green peppers and acidity and bitterness. the base stout to me does seem a little different than what they use for the willettized now, this is drier to me, more cocoa forward, less middle malt heft and a little more roasted bitterness coming out. this lends itself well to the bourbon, which presents as high end and even unique in this, with a french vanilla and maple note to it and as much new oak to me as charred, lightly spicy on the finish, with big raisin, dark chocolate, and fudge characteristics. i get some light smoke, the whiskey warmth, and a really awesome linger on the palate without being sugary. great velvety texture and richness, a little more carbonation and froth than a lot of these have, regal and woody and mature, complex but unforced, beautifully dialed in base beer to showcase these barrels. i know when high west got bought out these barrels started going elsewhere which is where the willett thing came in, but these early barrel aged stouts were incredible too, still are. holding up better than just about any other coffee stouts i can think of. exceptionally impressive stuff here, gorgeous barrel character.
Jan 14, 2023
Photo of RyanK252
Reviewed by RyanK252 from California

4.42/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2016 Bottle poured into a snifter

A: Pours nearly black with a creamy cocoa brown head that settles to a light layer and laces beautifully.

S: Roasted malt, chocolate, a touch of coffee, followed by plenty of brown sugar, bourbon candy, toasted coconut, vanilla, a touch of peppery spice, slightly earthy, and a hint of oak.

T: Big brown sugar, almost maple, smooth bourbon, toasted coconut, vanilla, roasty toasty malt, milk chocolate, coffee, earthy faintly herbal undertones, peppery spice, and a touch of oak.

M: Full body, moderate carbonation, creamy smooth with a touch of alcohol warmth.

O: Was hoping to do a cellar revisit and see how this has changed, but somehow I never logged this one back in the day (despite drinking my share of it). Oops! Glad I saved some. As far as how it's drinking now; pretty damn fantastic. The barrel aged part has definitely jumped to the forefront with the base beer and coffee stepping back a bit, but you can still pick up just about everything. Not the same experience as it was fresh from the brewery, but I'm more than happy with what it's turned into.
Jan 23, 2022
Photo of Roy_Hobbs
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours the darkest of browns. Plenty of mocha colored head, especially given the age of the beer. After a few minutes it receded to a thin ring with high viscosity & great legs. Aroma is not once it once was, but still nice. Some chocolate notes accompany the barrel aromas. It smells rich, but the coffee is no longer detectable on the nose.

Taste has also held up really nicely. There are still some coffee notes there, but I get more chocolate & light roast. It's rich and smooth with a nice, full feel. Still a really good beer.
Dec 30, 2021
 
Rated: 3.58 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Nov 27, 2021
Photo of Pinz412
Reviewed by Pinz412 from Pennsylvania

4.39/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This 2016 bottle, poured roughly four years after bottling, poured jet black in color with only a brief one centimeter head. The liquid appeared slick as it filled the 12oz. snulip I was using. The aroma heavily leaned into the oak rye barrel and vanilla. There were notes of the underlying roast, but they were only subtle. The flavor was much more delicate than I anticipated. The rye wasn't nearly as prominent on my palate as it was in the aroma. This is not to say that it was missing, it just didn't overwhelm in the way that I expected. The first big flavor I noticed was chocolate, followed by vanilla, brown sugar, oak, and the faintest hint of toasted coconut. The coffee was very mellow and mostly faded, but contributed to a pleasant bitterness to balance the sweetness of the also mellowed rye. The feel was a touch thin and slick with very little carbonation. Overall, this bottle held up well and was a pleasure to drink.
Nov 08, 2020
Photo of rand
Reviewed by rand from California

4.65/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz bottle into a snifter

Jet-black in appearance, viscous brew with little carb or head. Lots of toasty bourbon notes in the nose, boozy as coffee notes abound. Surprisingly smooth and balanced in the palate...like the bitter coffee and astringent oak are offset by the bourbon’s vanilla sweetness. Some subtle notes of carob and burnt sugar toward the finish, which is short and clean.

One of the best coffee beers I’ve had, wow.
Jul 11, 2020
 
Rated: 4.09 by peabody from Kentucky

Jul 15, 2019
Photo of AyatollahGold
Reviewed by AyatollahGold from Indiana

4.29/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From a 12 oz. bottle from 2016 into a prairie Dino glass, it pours out very dark brown and forms a thinner crown that is khaki in color.

The nose comes as soon as the bottle is cracked. I got a huge whiff of raisins. Putting my nose into the glass brings more dark fruit, raisins, dates, a fig like presence mixing with barrel notes of leather, oak, slight bourbon. Chocolate is in there as well.

Before I note anything of the flavor, I want to note that I love the way there is a spicy rye note that tingles the tongue. The taste is somewhat faded coffee (I didn’t have this fresh, so I’m not using the word faded to describe what it’s done, that’s just the way the coffee is present to me). It shows some dark fruits, but not with as much pronunciation as the nose did, you have to search for them a little more. Comes in with more chocolate than before and still keeps that leather aspect. As it warms up a little, coffee has a very faint green pepper note to it. Not much at all, but detectable.

Tingly from the rye barrels, boozy but not overdone. It’s warm, but I wouldn’t say hot. But then again, it’s been 3 years now. I would call this on the thin side of what it is. It might not be for somebody who doesn’t frequent the style very often, but for a BA imperial stout, I don’t usually find them this thin. Very low carbonation.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable brew. The nose is the clear winner for me, those dark fruits are just shining. But I do love the way the rye tingles throughout the mouthfeel too, just wish for more body on that aspect. But I’m the end, this beer has a lot of nice, quality notes and mixes them together well.
Jul 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4.28 by Samact from Vermont

May 11, 2019
Photo of Oh_Dark_Star
Reviewed by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: Black stout with shy finger tan head

S: Roasted malt, cocoa, barrel and a little bourbon

T: Coffee, leather, roasty char notes, could use more vanilla and bourbon character

F: Medium heavy with carbonation and a little boozy heat

O: Great for price point if I can ever manage to score some in time
May 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

May 01, 2019
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled 8/18/17; drank 10/17/17 @ the Yarchives.

Black appearance.

A violent pour yielded a big tan head; strong lace.

Dark chocolate, bourbon, burnt caramel & faint smoke notes in the nose.

Medium thick mouthfeel.

Cream, bourbon & mild dark chocolate flavors up front; mild burnt caramel notes on the finish.

The flavors clash a bit here; it's drinkable, but not my ideal stout experience.
Apr 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by DKGreen from California

Feb 14, 2019
Photo of 5toutman75
Reviewed by 5toutman75 from Illinois

4.39/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
A 2016 bottle but I can’t find a bottling date. Love the look of this. Milkshake like with a heavy pour that leaves a lingering head and carbonation. The feel is think and creamy too. My next favorite part of the beer. Smell wise I can tell the coffee has fallen off a bit. I don’t remember how much coffee forward it was when fresh! I should go buy a new one now and drink it back to back to compare. Everyone talks about this being such a great deal, and it is. I try not to pass it up ever bc of that. It’s not my favorite coffee stout though that being said. I can taste the difference between a rye barrel and bourbon barrel here and I think I favor bourbon flavors a tad more. I think I favor Sump a bit more and I’ve never had the barrel aged Sump yet. I’ll need to open a coffee bourbon county now too to compare.
Feb 14, 2019
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

4.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This is from the 2017 edition, enjoyed in 2018.
This pours the color of used car oil with just the thinnest layer of foam. Big boozy bourbon aroma hits upfront, with a strong dose of coffee mixed in for good times.
Runs hot and heavy, with a sharp alcoholic sting.
Jan 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.27 by bluehende from Delaware

Dec 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4.39 by dazedman from Virginia

Dec 14, 2018
High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout from Lagunitas Brewing Company
Beer rating: 97 out of 100 with 2033 ratings