Controversy Sells
Short Throw Brewing

Short Throw Controversy Sells Imperial Pastry Stout, 12.2% ABV. Pours oil-thick and black, with a half-finger medium-brown head that left some lacing. Aroma is strong marshmallow/vanilla, chocolate malt, then cinnamon. Taste follows plus coffee, coffee hits early, then marshmallow/vanilla and cinnamon, moderately sweet, equally bitter. Excellent mouthfeel, sticky lips, overall world-class. No shortage of add-junks here. I love BBA/RBA beers, but that would have detracted here.

The pour is maybe the darkest “stout black” I’ve ever seen, certainly the darkest in recent memory. The cinnamon brown head took time to dissipate and left a golden tinge on the glass.
The taste is very much a pastry stout; chocolate and mild coffee and mallow with vanilla; I normally sense even a slight hint of cinnamon but in this case it was blended in with the vanilla, providing a bit of a sharp edge.
The feel is viscous, so much lactose or mallow makes this thick. It isn’t unpleasant, just thick.
OA, as far as pastry stouts go, this is one of the better ones I have tried.

 

A - Pours pitch black with a thin tan head. Good amount of soapy lacing.

S - Aroma is dark chocolate, coffee, marshmallow and cinnamon.

T - The taste is dark chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, marshmallow, vanilla and molasses.

M - Full body with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a crisp drying finish.

O - Solid pastry stout.

 

Pours a dark brown color with a minimal head that disappears quickly. Aroma of chocolate and roasted malts. Taste is sweet chocolate, vanilla and marshmallow. Thick and creamy with a slightly bitter finish.

 

L: Pours a dark, rich brown that is a near-black. Forms a very thin chocolate head that fades rapidly, leaving scant retention of only a few bubbles. Very dark brown when held up to the light, completely opaque. Motor oil.

S: Cacao nibs and chocolate dominate. Vanilla, cinnamon, and coffee, and marshmallow at the end.

T: Decadent pastry stout style - one of the better tastes out there. Healthy doses of chocolate , coffee, vanilla, marshmallow, and some roasted malts that lend a sharp finish. Sweet, but not cloying. Precisely as I imagine a good pastry stout should be.

F: Full-bodied. Coats and lingers. Looked thick on the pour and the feel does not disappoint. Moderate carbonation.

O: This beer perfectly captures the ideal pastry stout. Ample sweetness without overpowering the taste, and with a healthy ABV and strong aromas. Looked great. Will definitely be on the look out for more stouts from Short Throw.