District Brew Yards Advent Calendar: Day 23

Bold Dog Sugar Bear

Imperial Stout with Marshmallow and Cloudberries
11.0% ABV
44 IBU

Deep brown body, approaching black, beneath a fluffy, moderately diminishing cocoa-colored head. The aroma is nice and not as sweet as I was expecting. Not super roasted or bitter, and definitely sweet, but not what I expected. Definitely some marshmallow, but also some roasted malt, anise, and what I can only assume is cloudberry since I’ve never had one. It’s a bright, acidic scent that leads me to think the fruit presents as sweeter than it is. Full-bodied and smooth, this has the right feel for a stout this big. The beer starts with a present but restrained sweetness before a solid roasted bitterness emerges, then ebbs as a solid alcohol warmth takes over. I like it. I was extremely apprehensive when I saw it, and put off drinking it for a few days, but ultimately this has won me over. I don’t want to immediately dip into a second can, but I can see having this every so often and enjoying it each time.