Jahva (Imperial Coffee Stout)
Southern Tier Brewing Company

Jahva (Imperial Coffee Stout)Jahva (Imperial Coffee Stout)
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From:
Southern Tier Brewing Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
10.4%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 11.82%
Reviews:
696
Ratings:
1,277
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 01, 2021
Added:
Feb 24, 2006
Wants:
  129
Gots:
  159
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by blitz134:
Photo of blitz134
Reviewed by blitz134 from California

4.41/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I hadn't had any Souther Tier brews up until about 3 or 4 months ago. Then I set up a trade for a few, received some in a BIF, and then had another trade set up. This is my 7th from them. So far all have been pretty tasty and in my mind a solid brewery making some really good beers.

I dont know why I even held this up to the light. Its BLACK. Initially had a half inch thick mocha colored head that reduced to a thin layer with good retention. Not really lacing...more like sheeting. Nice!

Semi-dark chocolate, dark toasted malts, hints of charcoal, and dry coffee beans. Slight citrus hints from the hops. Nice again.

Flavor is dark toasted everything all over again. Toffee flavors come in as opposed to chocolate, some biting chared bits. Coffee is well integrated and not over the top. Hops are still evident and show with a touch of citrus again. This one is pretty fresh from what I was told, so the hops are still showing through well. Some alcohol works well, and doesn't even come close to showing its actual strength. I'm not a hoppy stout person, but this one has just the right amount. Epitome of the American Double Stout style.

Body is creamy and full, coats the mouth and the flavor lingers for a little bit but slowly fades away. Just a touch of carbonation adds to the drinkability.

This is a superb beer. Nice full body and flavor profile. Really balanced on so many levels. Alcohol doesn't have any effect on the drinkability. Its probably dangerously drinkable.
May 26, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.6/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Dark brown colour, nearly black, low head. Nice aroma of coffee and roasted malts. Coffee in the flavour too, also notes of alcohol and oak, there is also a slight acidity.
May 01, 2021
 
Rated: 3.83 by MDDMD from Pennsylvania

Apr 03, 2020
Photo of Joey__P__1966
Reviewed by Joey__P__1966

4.51/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I found a 1/6th keg at a local store while seeking something else that they didn’t have in stock , boy am I glad I lucked upon this. I think it’s from about 2014 or so , and it’s 2020 now , man has it aged beautifully. Might be my all time favorite chocolate stout , not too much or too little of anything . It’s a shame it probably won’t ever be reproduced. I’m gonna tear up when the tap runs dry. Can’t hardly believe they masked the 10.4% as well as they did . Awesome beer!!
Feb 09, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Aug 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4.21 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

May 01, 2019
 
Rated: 4.21 by animal69 from Louisiana

Jul 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4.24 by taospowder from New Mexico

Apr 30, 2017
Photo of Ristaccia
Rated by Ristaccia from Nebraska

3.77/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2012
Dec 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by Nunya from Ohio

Oct 29, 2016
Photo of gibgink
Reviewed by gibgink from Missouri

4.57/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Small backstory on this one. I remember seeing this on Southern Tier's "list of offerings" and was always looking forward to it coming out. But alas, I was not in the beer scene before this was retired. One a drive to my parent's house a month ago, I come across this bottle in a gas station(a little more high scale gas station mind you...seriously, what gas station would ever carry bombers of Southern Tier) of all places. End of the day I left it at my parent's house because I forgot to bring it back. Fast forward another month and a half before I make it back down, and my dad and I crack the bottle. This time I actually look at the bottle, because I still haven't seen it in my neck of the woods. Bottle date: 3-26-12. Opened 4-22-16. This has been aging for 4 years.

And it still drank great!!!!!!!

Pours almost pitch black. First smells bring waves of roasty sweetness. The taste follows suit. This drinks more on the sweet side for a coffee stout. It could be the age, but I detected a slight raisiny aspect to the brew as well. The mouthfeel was excellent. The beer coats your mouth and the taste refuses to go away. Last of all, the alcohol is not just well hidden, it is non-existent.

Needless to say, I will be stopping by this gas station on the way home, and can only pray they still have some left, cause I'm going to buy them all.
Apr 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4.02 by BrewSTL from Missouri

Mar 26, 2016
 
Rated: 4.64 by DASA10 from New Jersey

Dec 25, 2015
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.58/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Black pour, barely there brown head that was tan. Aroma was not coffee for the most part. Disappointing even if not 'wrong' or 'off'.

Taste also didn't drop the coffee like its hot. Chewy, massive malt combo hid the alcohol, but also hid the coffee. Southern Tier bombers are so hit or miss, this was one of the few that is really in the middle.
Dec 20, 2015
Photo of CHickman
Reviewed by CHickman from New York

4.24/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Review from 4/6/12-10.6% ABV; pours pitch black, a slow sipper that was very robust and full of tasty coffee flavor; rich, complex and flavorful, any coffee drinker will love this beer. Smelled as good as it tasted and went down easier than it should have with the high ABV.

Oct. 2015 note: I enjoyed splitting this bomber both times I had this brew years ago, but I needed to review it on my own and missed the opportunity as they stopped making it…too bad, I thought it was excellent.
Oct 09, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by Magister_Beav from Vermont

Sep 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.51 by SCW from New York

Jul 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Seabass1964 from Arkansas

Jul 22, 2015
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.34/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
"Over three thousand feet above sea level in the misty mountains of Jamaica, some of the world's finest beans are hand picked on their way to becoming Blue Mountain coffee. Halfway around the world, plump spring barley grows to maturity in the loamy soil of North America while aromatic hops are cultivated to exacting standards. Here in our kettles, these three special ingredients are blended to create a heady mixture of sweet sugar, dark roast, and complex flavor." Brewed in the style of an American Imperial Stout with coffee. Formerly available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft, retired by 2013.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass. Served above 57 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a thin, sudsy head of a medium mocha brown color over a very dark brown, near black body. Retention is average and lacing is light and spotty. 3.5

(Smell) Faded coffee beans with moderate acidity, medium roast, a pinch of caramel breads and grain malts with a medium pinch of alcohol. Potency is moderate. 3.25

(Taste) Moderate roasted malt up front, light lactose, chocolate bread and faint coffee beans. Moderate grain alcohol profile present and fruit-like acidity, some mild oxidation present. A bit better composed than the aroma suggests, but still very lacking and poorly dated, not a great aging candidate. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, moderately syrupy, lightly sticky, creamy and modestly dry. Carbonation is mild, generating a moderate frothiness and a lightly crisp finish. Body is medium for the style and shy of heavy overall. Balance is slightly acidic and grainy over sweet. Alcohol presence is moderate and there are no significant off characters in this beer. 3.5

(Overall) Likely a phenomenal coffee stout shortly upon release, Jahva may be the only Blackwater series stout release in the series that has not aged as gracefully as the other bottle releases. The coffee impact is largely faded and broken down, generating strong acidity and tannins that draw a lot of attention to the graininess and alcohol in this beer. This beer hasn't been brewed in several years to date, but I hope to get the opportunity to revisit this ale if Southern Tier deems it worthy of a revival. In the meantime, I do not recommend even carefully aged bottles of this stout, as it does not fare well with time. 3.5

Southern Tier Brewing Company's
Jahva: Imperial Coffee Stout
3.34/5.00
Jun 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Eziel from Ohio

Jun 13, 2015
Jahva (Imperial Coffee Stout) from Southern Tier Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 1277 ratings