Holy ABV BeerMan! Coachella Valley Brewing releases 17% stout

Coming in at more than 17 percent alcohol by volume, Coachella Valley Brewing Co.‘s Black Widow Russian Imperial Stout is set to launch on March 13 at an invite-only beer release party.

Don’t confuse a stout with a porter: Discover the difference with our Stout vs. Porter primer.

Inspired by brewers back in the 1800s to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of the stout family of beers. Black Widow was affectionately named after one of the most feared spiders in the West, boasting a ridiculously high alcohol content and plenty of malt character. She is moderately carbonated with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavors with a dry finish.

Formulated with a UK Maris Otter malt base and five different dark roasted malts, Coachella Valley Brewing fed the Black Widow with additions of 50 percent Cacao Belgian chocolate, Vermont Maple Syrup and Belgian Dark Candi Sugar to further her deep complex warmth, balanced out by resinous high alpha hops. To subtle the massive alcoholic strength, she is laid down in Bourbon barrels until the warming character marries with the notes of vanilla, caramel and Bourbon.

Black Widow pours pitch black with a beige colored one-finger creamy head that seems to retain forever and sticks to the sides as it settles. Aromatics of melted chocolate are abound with toffee and caramel taffy, some underlying mocha coffee, subtle roasted malt notes with a bit of alcohol. Chocolate definitely shines overall; the chocolate flavors follow the aroma with huge bitter-sweet dark chocolate, some dark fruity notes chime in around mid-palate with fig/date, and coffee flavors arise near the end with a sweet and roast malt finish.

Would you like to know more? Visit Coachella Valley Brewing’s website.