Greetings beer fanatics, Brandon has returned for another weekend edition of Saturday Night Sixer!  Not sure of what sixer to grab on your way to that fall barbecue??  Staring endlessly at row after row of bombers, contemplating which one is going to please your palate??  Or looking for something out of the ordinary to change up the regular brew selections in your fridge with??  Well the NMDSBC has a great suggestion this week!  As always, if there is something you would like to suggest, comment or visit our Facebook page.  Enjoy!

Well folks, the fall season has officially brought us the cool nights that some of us (including yours truly) long for.  For us beer drinkers, that means the wonderful aromas and flavors of cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and pumpkin also arrive in the latest offerings from breweries across the country.  However, THIS review is not about one of those beers.  Because sometimes you just crave that “meal-in-a-glass”, that beer that will warm you up with the natural characteristics of what traditionally goes into a particular beer.  If you are searching for something along those lines, you’ll be eager to try this year’s Narwhal Imperial Stout from none other than Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Not familiar with Sierra Nevada, you say??  Well I’d be willing to bet your are.  After all, they are mainly responsible for starting the craft/microbrew scene here in the US; needless to say, they are kinda a big deal.  Established back in 1980, they are still going strong turning out many delicious year round selections such as their flagship Pale Ale and Torpedo IPA, as well as seasonals such as the winter staple Celebration Ale.  In a nutshell, if you are into craft beers you have undoubtedly tried their beers by now.  And for those looking for a good place to start, Sierra Nevada is always a solid choice.

The Narwhal Imperial Stout is indeed as bold and impressive beer as the whale that is its namesake.  Malt is the name of the game with this imperial, and the folks at Sierra Nevada did not skim in that department.  A wonderful aroma of coffee and roasted barley hits the nose at first smell, with a supporting cast of cocoa.  With a very rich but oh-so-smooth mouthfeel, this washes over the pallet with the wonderful roasted flavors and plenty of espresso to go along with it.  The cocoa flavors wash over and linger to balance out those coffee flavors, and you are also left with slight smokey hints, which balances well.  Narwhal is very light in carbonation, with a frothy head that dissipated somewhat quickly, and the color was so jet black that I felt inspired to blare some viking metal while drinking this one.  It is indeed a meal in a glass, very rich and large in body, but drinks smoothly.  Session this one lightly; at 10.2% ABV it’s definitely a brew you will need a designated driver for after more than a pint or two.  I was thoroughly impressed with this brew; though I did meet with the disaster of breaking two bottles while jumping out of the truck too quickly (I almost shed tears), that just provides me with an excuse to go grab some more very quickly!

Narwhal Imperial Stout from Sierra Nevada is something I wish would be around regularly; but alas it is only available for a limited time, so make sure to grab a pack while you can.  According to their website, this beer ages well in the bottle for a while, so don’t be afraid to stock up and pop open one down the road.  An incredibly complex and large stout that will certainly spur the growth of a beard and make you want to sit around the bonfire with the viking hordes and tell tales of battles and conquests.  I raise my pint to Sierra Nevada for a job well done with this beast of a beer.  Enjoy one while it lasts, folks!  So until next time…

Prost!
-Brandon (Cryptogrind)