Southern Tier Plum Noir

Some notes from a beer I tried a little over a month ago.  Was pretty good and surprisingly subtle, considering who made it.   Just not really a summer beer.

Name:                    Southern Tier Plum Noir

Style:                     Imperial Stout/Porter

Twist:                    Brewed with Italian plums

Strength:               8%

Notes: 22oz bottle, poured into an Old Guardian goblet/snifter.

Pours pitch black with a bit of foam on top. Head retention is pretty good.  When smelling this straight from the bottle, I get plums, blueberry, coco, and some peppery cayenne (which could be roasted barley maybe?).  When sniffing from the glass, it is a bit less fruity but more so than not.  This is beginning to weirdly but nicely remind me of Sierra Nevada Narwhal and Great Divide Chocolate Oak-aged Yeti, with less hops and roast and cayenne.  Plus subtle fruit.

Southern Tier used a surprisingly deft touch with plums here…pretty subtle.  I get a hint of fruit skin and tannins.  The malt flavors are more upfront, with plums serving as a light accessory to deliciousness.  Coco beans, mild hint of coffee from the roast, and even a hint of leather here and there.  Hops start to shine through on the finish for some balance. 

Woah…let it warm up a bit.  The plums start to stand out more.  The body is a solid medium, with good carbonation for the style. Southern Tier no doubt thinks this is light-bodied by their standards.

Overall, pretty tasty.  I never expected to say this, but Southern Tier cold have even used more plums.  I really figured it would be the plum equivalent of Pumking or Crème Brulee or Choklat, each of which tastes like a liquid version of their name.  I don’t mind at all though, who really wants a beer that thick when it is 90 degrees and humid out?