Stouts aren’t typically found on the menu when the weather gets warm, so the heavy, late-season rains in Utah created a perfect excuse to finish the last ones that were hiding out in my refrigerator. T.F. Brewing in Salt Lake City, UT had a perfect pairing in mind for the dark and cloudy skies with Delmar, an 11.5% ABV American imperial stout. With that distinctive crack of the can, I couldn’t wait to break this one down.

Nose

The nose leads with heavily roasted malts. Coffee and chocolate make their way in subtly, like teenagers sneaking in past curfew. You know they were late but you are just happy they’re home.

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Taste

Molasses take the forefront in the overall taste, but not as strong as expected. Burnt toffee finishes the flavor profile and lingers in the gullet like the smell of smoke on your clothes after a nice night around a campfire. It is a friendly addition to this beer.

Mouthfeel

Calling it dry would be a misnomer. But it is not characteristically oily like you may have grown to expect from Imperial Stouts. It washes down easily with some persistent heat from the heavy ABV. The finish is, well, a bit dry with some bittersweet dark chocolate.

Conclusion

This is an outstanding beer from an up-and-coming local brewery. Everything is well balanced with the individual profiles making themselves known at the right time. I have been following the progress of T.F. Brewing closely since they opened last year. They have made an emphatic entrance into the Utah craft beer scene. If Delmar is a testament of what’s to come, we can expect great things.

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