Saloon Door Brewing – S’Most Russian Imperial Stout
Todd@HoustonBeerScene.com
Making a s’more flavored beer is a lofty goal and fortunately Saloon Door nailed it! S’Most is one big, decadent beast and one of the best dessert beers I‘ve had in awhile.
To achieve the desired flavor Saloon Door added chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker to their base Russian Imperial Stout recipe. A similar Saloon Door RIS brewed with peanut butter called Ridiculous AF is also excellent. S’Most’s deep, dark color accompanied by a light mocha head is inviting enough, but the rich, powerful aroma that’s full of chocolate, coffee, and, yes, marshmallow is the star of the show. The aroma is one of the most inviting in recent memory. The flavor matches the aroma nicely. Chocolate flavors dominate, but marshmallow and roast add to a wonderful complexity. The chocolate notes are thick and deep. Rich, velvety, but short of cloying, the mouthfeel is an almost perfect match for the flavors involved. S’Most is 12% ABV, but it is all body and no heat. The entire package comes across as a beer interpretation of the richest s’more you’ve ever had. Saloon Door is great at creating beers like this; a trip out to their brewery is worthwhile if you like rich, malty beers and/or are a huge fan of nitro taps. This is a limited release beer, it may still be available at the brewery and on a limited amount of taps, so drink it if you see it!