Imagine Nation’s imperial pastry stout – Second Breakfast
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that Imagine Nation Brewing isn’t just one of the best breweries in the state of Montana but rather, it is THE best brewery in the state. The Missoula brewery is community based and community-focused…even going so far as to be the first brewery to include a center for community transformation in their brewpub, which has hosted over 3500 events.
Since their start, they have supported over 500 organizations and given back 25% of their profits…so when it comes to community, they don’t just talk a big game, they actively help their local area. And that is amazing.
Today I have a Lord of the Rings themed Pastry Stout from them – Second Breakfast. This massive 11.5% beer was made with a blend of twelve malts, lactose, and then conditioned on Madagascar vanilla beans, Vermont maple syrup, cacao, and Nicaraguan coffee from a local coffee roaster – Black Coffee Roasting Company. It was $8 for the 16-ounce can but you can find four-packs for about $24 if you’re in their distribution range.
The beer poured quite thick and was as dark as motor oil – being practically jet black. I was a bit surprised at how little head the beer had. There was never more than a millimeter of foam topping the beer. What little bubbles it did have were a tannish brown color, like those you might find in your morning coffee.
And speaking of coffee, the aroma was bursting with roasted coffee notes. The vanilla added some sweetness to the beer, turning the scent into more of a latte than straight coffee. That maple syrup also added a sticky, sugary sweetness to the aroma that blended in with the vanilla quite nicely. It was everything you could want to start your day.
As expected, the first sip was super thick and a bit heavy…yet it didn’t sit too heavy at all. Curious. But, honestly, you could almost chew this beer. Up front there was none of that coffee bitterness that I was expecting. Instead, it’s an insanely smooth and creamy stout. The coffee is there, but – as I said about the smell – it’s very much a latte rather than black coffee.
The vanilla and maple syrup add an early sweetness that cuts out almost any other characteristic and lets the sugary flavors win. It’s straight up delicious. The maple does begin to overpower the vanilla on the backend and ups the saccharine levels with those sticky qualities that maple syrup is known for.
It finished insanely clean. There is a bit of that sticky syrup flavor (which is actually delicious, though) and just a hint of that roasted coffee quality. It’s like my favorite iced coffee drink got an additional boost of alcohol. And that 11.5% ABV is hidden spectacularly. You will not taste it…but you will feel it if you drink this whole pint alone.
Second Breakfast should be your first choice when it comes to Pastry Stouts. It is, by far, one of the most crushable, most delicious stouts I’ve had in quite some time.
