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Sundae Service
Prairie Artisan Ales


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Prairie Artisan Ales
- Oklahoma, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #746 - ABV:
- 14.9%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #2,584 - Avg:
- 4.27 | pDev: 6.56%
- Reviews:
- 21
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 06, 2023
- Added:
- Jul 24, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 4
SCORE
94
Outstanding
94
Outstanding


Notes:
Hot Fudge Sundae Inspired Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Fudge, Chocolate, Vanilla, Sprinkles, Peanuts and Cherries.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by jopezu from Georgia
5/5 rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
pours a motor oil slick with almost no head. both the nose & taste are a decadent concoction of fudge, cocoa, vanilla, cherry, bourbon, oak, cashew, grape must, & citrus hops all tied together with a very rich, heavy dark malt. heavy carbonation and mouthfeel. it feels its 15% abv, but isn't overly hot with the ethanol. the cherry and bourbon linger long. prairie certainly knows how to slam these dessert stouts home!
Nov 14, 2022Reviewed by JLK7299 from North Carolina
4.34/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Yet another elite stout from prairie. The only tasting note that is subtle is the cherry, which comes through in the after taste. Delicious and thick, bravo!
Nov 10, 2022Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington
4.22/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque in the glass with a thin khaki head that dissipates to patches with slight lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, bourbon, cocoa and vanilla; boozy. Flavor is dark toasted malt with mild char, bourbon, fudgy chocolate, mild vanilla and a touch of cherry. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. I think deep inside this stout there is a hot fudge sundae; they got the chocolate, vanilla and a bit of cherry, but someone poured a half pint of bourbon over the sundae; the bourbon and high ABV overwhelms all other flavors and I'm not getting any peanuts at all.That being said, it is a pleasant, big, bourbony stout with decent chocolate and fun to drink. It is also not as sweet as some of the last Prairies I've had and that's a plus. A party in a glass, but I think I would have enjoyed the base fudgy stout a bit more.
Aug 10, 2022Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
4.35/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured very, very dark brown and capped with a dark brown head that dissipated quickly. Like now.
The aroma was, to me, sweet and malty, no hops or bitterness to be found.
The taste leads with bourbon and coalesced into the ice cream flavors. Malts keep it based in beer and not a dessert.
The feel was smooth and almost thick, quite viscous. With all the flavors they crammed in there, pretty impressive actually.
Jun 27, 2022The aroma was, to me, sweet and malty, no hops or bitterness to be found.
The taste leads with bourbon and coalesced into the ice cream flavors. Malts keep it based in beer and not a dessert.
The feel was smooth and almost thick, quite viscous. With all the flavors they crammed in there, pretty impressive actually.
Reviewed by ProfessorB
4.74/5 rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.74/5 rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
If you ever have the chance to try this beer -- drink it at 55 degrees -- and drink it over a couple hours. What a beer and experience as this warms up. Your glass will have a sticky sludge equal to none. Tiny bits of the adjuncts are present. From beer in the beginning to milkshake at the end -- this beer is phenomenal -- fudge, peanut, great stout base, and hides the alcohol % beautifully -- this beer will not disappoint. It's a whale you should try to catch at some point.
Apr 07, 2022Reviewed by larryi86 from Delaware
4.39/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz bottle poured into a tulip
A- Black with a small mocha head.
S- Bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, fudge, hints of nuts and cherries.
T- Bourbon, fudge, chocolate, vanilla, slightly nutty, touch of cherries.
M- Smooth, full body.
O- Bourbon is on the heavy side, overall it’s tasty and sweet but not over the top sweet some pastry stouts.
Feb 20, 2022A- Black with a small mocha head.
S- Bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, fudge, hints of nuts and cherries.
T- Bourbon, fudge, chocolate, vanilla, slightly nutty, touch of cherries.
M- Smooth, full body.
O- Bourbon is on the heavy side, overall it’s tasty and sweet but not over the top sweet some pastry stouts.
Reviewed by heysuz from Indiana
4.25/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Brew: Prairie Artisan Ales – Sundae Service
Intro: 12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass. Shared with a friend.
Appearance: Pitch black, Minimal head maybe .5 inches. Minimal lacing as I drank
Smell: Chocolate, vanilla, with the barrel bringing up the back end.
Taste: Follows the smell. Chocolate and vanilla, maybe a mild peanut way in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation.
Drink: Easy drinker. well balanced and went down smooth.
Conclusion: Was good but nothing spectacular.
Feb 13, 2022Intro: 12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass. Shared with a friend.
Appearance: Pitch black, Minimal head maybe .5 inches. Minimal lacing as I drank
Smell: Chocolate, vanilla, with the barrel bringing up the back end.
Taste: Follows the smell. Chocolate and vanilla, maybe a mild peanut way in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation.
Drink: Easy drinker. well balanced and went down smooth.
Conclusion: Was good but nothing spectacular.
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut
4.62/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.62/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Not an impressive looking beer, with a fizzy dark brown head that almost immediately disappears - completely.
If the appearance is unimpressive, the nose is anything but. Very strong and inviting notes of bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, nuts (including peanuts), molasses, and brown sugar.
On the palate, it's equally strong, but also more complex, with more of the additives (including cherries) coming to play. It's almost too much to pick through and identify - almost. Immediately, it's sweet, rich, and decadent, with notes of bourbon, chocolate, molasses, and vanilla. The bourbon grows in prominence through the first third, with the cherries complementing the slightly tart sweetness. By the middle, the peanuts have come to play, but once again, it's in complementary fashion, going perfectly with the massive malt base, bourbon, and chocolate. By the back third, the bourbon has mostly faded, while the cherries return for a fond farewell.
Relatively brief finish; thick and chewy; low to low-moderate bitterness; big and bold, assertive but not aggressive.
This is quite simply a phenomenal beer. Very few do these massive flavored stouts as well as Prairie, and when they hit a home run like this, they're very nearly peerless. This is, in a word, wonderful.
Dec 31, 2021If the appearance is unimpressive, the nose is anything but. Very strong and inviting notes of bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, nuts (including peanuts), molasses, and brown sugar.
On the palate, it's equally strong, but also more complex, with more of the additives (including cherries) coming to play. It's almost too much to pick through and identify - almost. Immediately, it's sweet, rich, and decadent, with notes of bourbon, chocolate, molasses, and vanilla. The bourbon grows in prominence through the first third, with the cherries complementing the slightly tart sweetness. By the middle, the peanuts have come to play, but once again, it's in complementary fashion, going perfectly with the massive malt base, bourbon, and chocolate. By the back third, the bourbon has mostly faded, while the cherries return for a fond farewell.
Relatively brief finish; thick and chewy; low to low-moderate bitterness; big and bold, assertive but not aggressive.
This is quite simply a phenomenal beer. Very few do these massive flavored stouts as well as Prairie, and when they hit a home run like this, they're very nearly peerless. This is, in a word, wonderful.
Reviewed by mschrei from Illinois
4.34/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into an 8 oz mini bottle from the Open Bottle. Definitely a sundae style barrel aged stout. Seems like a couple scoops of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and yes, even nuts and a bit of a waffle cone. Very well balanced. No cherry, however. Sweet, thick, slightly boozy.
Nov 25, 2021Reviewed by MacMalt from New Jersey
4.23/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I received a bottle from @fbarber in the NBS BIF #14. Bottled on 7/16/2021. Poured into a Prairie stemless glass. It pours a deep, dark walnut with a finger of frothy, medium-mocha colored head and modest lacing inside the glass. Its nose is aromatic and offers roasted malt, dark chocolate, freshly-brewed coffee, black cherry, and mellow bourbon notes. The taste that really pops is the cherry, which adds to the considerable sweetness of the chocolate and vanilla. As it warms, I'm noticing roasted nuts and a hint of char in the background. The bourbon barrel influence is really subdued; I can taste it but it doesn't overpower the other flavors The mouth feel is on the lite side for such a big stout and it's moderate in carbonation. It's hard to believe the ABV is 14.9%; it drinks more like 9%. Overall, Sundae Service is a little sweet for my taste but it's still a lovely dessert sipper.
Nov 12, 2021Reviewed by StraightNoChaser from Georgia
4.24/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look: body is to type. Slight mocha head on the pour that recedes to just a bubble ring around the glass. Some lacing that doesn’t stick around, an oily sheen briefly coats the side of the glass.
Smell: salt peanuts and fudge.
Taste: cherries are there in the taste. Finish is sweet cut by roastiness.
Oct 09, 2021Smell: salt peanuts and fudge.
Taste: cherries are there in the taste. Finish is sweet cut by roastiness.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.22/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Shimmering black body with a light brown head. Bourbon backed chocolate, cherry and nuts in the nose, more basic than expected but everything is so pure. Up front the bourbon backed fudge and nuts are really well done, balancing the roast and sweetness, light cherry melds into the wood with big vanilla rounding out the sip. Never assimilates together completely, but flavorings work well enough together. Feel is medium bodied, slightly boozy and sweet, sneaky dry, but nothing is too out of proportion, carbonation is actually present for a style that has forsaken it. Nice dessert stout without seeming like a pastry bomb.
Oct 07, 2021Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
4.16/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is a nice stout but just good by Prairie Artisan Ale standards.
Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Oily dark brown color with good initial brown head but little lacing. Wonderful dark fudge smell and taste fruity sweet and tasty. Feel is smooth but not luxurious. Enjoyed this but would buy some of their other stouts before this one again.
Oct 07, 2021Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Oily dark brown color with good initial brown head but little lacing. Wonderful dark fudge smell and taste fruity sweet and tasty. Feel is smooth but not luxurious. Enjoyed this but would buy some of their other stouts before this one again.
Rated by pathman from Ohio
4.75/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.75/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
09/27/21 bottle @ home
Sep 27, 2021
Sundae Service from Prairie Artisan Ales
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
62 ratings
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