Saint Brewis

A St. Louis Craft Beer Blog

By

Perennial Artisan Ales – Sump Coffee Stout (2016)

Brewery: Perennial Artisan Ales
Location  St. Louis, MO
Style  Imperial Stout
 ABV  10.6%
 IBUs  60

 

Best Quote During Tasting

I wouldn't mess with her...did you see how easily she picked that kid up?

Justin:

Aroma - Bitter, dark coffee comes jumping out with chocolate mixing with it nicely.  Those two aromas dominate, not letting much else shine through.  Last year's had more dark fruit character where this year's has more chocolate character.
Score: 10/12
Appearance - Motor oil black with a thin mocha head that lingers. When swirled, the beer has great legs and looks viscous.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - The coffee on this is great but it competes a little closely with the chocolate notes from the malts.  I'm also getting some other sweet flavors that are reminiscent of subtle vanilla and even more subtle maple.  Last year I got green pepper and this one doesn't have even a trace.
Score: 18/20
Mouthfeel - While this one coats the tongue, it's still got quite a thin body with medium carbonation. Last year's was much more creamy.
Score: 4/5
Overall Impression - While I was referencing last year's version during this review, I did not compare them against each other to come up with my score.  The score was independent and I peppered in comparisons so you wouldn't have to flip back and forth between the two.  With that being said, I missed the full body of last year's, and wish it had a little bit more.  Other than that, the beer was great!
Score: 9/10

 

Blake:

 

Aroma - Dark chocolate and roasted coffee take center stage with Sump. The nose is actually a lot less sweet than I remember it, but still a very inviting aroma. 
Score: 11/12
Appearance - Pours a deep dark black with a great looking mocha head.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - Coffee is the prominent flavor. Rich roasted coffee flavors with just a bit of bitterness blend with dark chocolate.  The bitterness is complemented well by the sweetness of malts, which produce some burnt sugar and molasses flavors as well. 
Score: 18/20
Mouthfeel - Not as full bodied as I remember, but still fantastic. Carbonation is on the lower end, giving a velvety finish. 
Score: 5/5
Overall Impression - It's hard to not get a bit spoiled living in St. Louis when beers like this are constantly being released. It's not easy on the wallet, and might be contributing to quite a few beer guts out there, but it feels pretty great to have access to so many great beers like this.  Sump is a must have for any stout lover. It drinks almost too easily for it's ABV. If you live in St. Louis and haven't had it yet, keep a lookout for the next time a keg of it gets tapped.
Score: 10/10

 

Sump Coffee Stout (2016) Final Score
  • Aroma
  • Appearance
  • Flavor
  • Mouthfeel
  • Overall
4.6
User Rating: 0.0 (1 votes)
Sending
Justin Phelps

Justin Phelps

Co-Founder at Saint Brewis
Justin Phelps is a Certified Cicerone® who was born and raised in St. Louis. His passion for beer goes beyond just drinking it as he is also an award-winning home brewer. While he may be a marketing professional by day, he's a blogger, brewery hopper, and beer enthusiast by night.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rating

Beer Lovers Share