Situational Gravity
Pure Project

On tap at Pure Project near Balboa Park. Pours jet black with a good layer of light brown head. The nose is dark chocolate, vanilla, roasted malts. The taste is bitter coffee, roasted malts, dark chocolate, and a hint of burnt vanilla. Smooth.

 

 

Type: 5-oz. pour (from bottle)
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Pure Project tasting glass
Price: $6.00
From: Pure Project Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif.
Purchased: Aug. 4, 2021
Consumed: Aug 4, 2021
Misc.: Draft release day (bottle came out the following day)

Snuck over after lunch to Pure Project for a new Pure Project glass, which was $15 for the glass and a beer that was served in 16 ounces. Decided to try this one after, first having to add it on Untappd. This would be from a bottle pour. Pure Project’s email called it “Introducing the third in our new series of core stouts, Situational Gravity. We added organic La Cañada coffee from Oaxaca, Mexico (roasted by our friends at Mostra) and organic Tahitian and Mexican vanilla beans to this imperial stout, resulting in a multi-faceted sensory experience. Aromas of vanilla bean ice cream, dark chocolate, coffee, and blueberry wine give way to flavors of rich chocolate ganache, espresso and caramel amidst a full body and velvety mouthfeel.”

Poured a pitch black color with one finger of khaki-tan frothy head when I got it. Could see a few bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Excellent lacing. Outstanding retention. (Sight - 4.25)

Smelled vanilla beans, espresso, vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate syrup, caramel, toffee and marshmallow. (Smell - 4.00)

Tasted better than the nose. Got roasted coffee, vanilla beans, espresso, dark chocolate syrup, toasted marshmallow, caramel, toffee, vanilla ice cream, cacao and chocolate frosting. That 11 pct. ABV was well hidden. (Taste - 4.25)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Smooth finish. (Feel - 5.00)

Just a lovely beer. Probably slightly underrated this. Would like to see a barrel-aged version down the road (which everyone says when they like a base beer). (Overall - 4.25)

4.27 | 95 | A

 

 

Forced pour that eventually yielded a decent bronze head, otherwise it's a light absorbing black. Nose is a little deceivingly boring offering only big chocolate and sassafras. Taste is where the magic happens, as I was knocked back by all the flavors at once. I mean bam! with chocolate, coffee, fig, marshmallow and an earthy hop. Mouthfeel really goes hand in hand with the taste, as they work together to really overwhelm you with an experience

great strong stout - great malt taste all thru the beer

Obsidian black with a slow to build head of lightly puffy dark brown foam receding audibly to a thin khaki ring.

Quite sweet, it reminds me a little of Horus, but slightly more nuanced and way less acrid and cloying. Smooth fudge and middle-of-the-pan brownie meet a sharp crackly carbonation that lifts some heat and candied nuts. Just thereafter, a hint of Mexican mocha, complete with brown sugar, comes up in the tingly, almost sticky yet semi-dry finish.

The body is moderately viscous, nearly full, and as a dig in, a hint of roast becomes apparent. It's like the crispy edge of the brownie, mildly helping to reduce the sweetness, while still coming on fairly strongly. Further compounding the sweetness is a persistent alcohol heat.