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Circus Tears Imperial Stout

Garage Beer Co.
Spain·Imperial Stout
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Garage's much-loved pastry Imperial Stout — complex notes of dark chocolate, coffee, dried red fruits, and vanilla with pistachio and milk sugar creating a pistachio ice cream float-like experience. One of Spain's most celebrated dark beers and a landmark Garage release.

ABV
10.5%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark45
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedchocolatevanilla
roasted
chocolate
vanilla
coffee
dark fruit
nutty
Aroma
The nose opens with roasted malt and dark chocolate, layered with coffee grounds and cocoa powder.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Circus Tears Imperial Stout

◎ Appearance

Deep black with mahogany undertones when held to light, revealing the beer's full density and opacity. The dense, tan head builds quickly and clings persistently to the glass, forming pronounced lacing with each sip. Carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting the structure without appearing aggressive.

opaque blackmahogany in lightpersistent tan head

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with roasted malt and dark chocolate, layered with coffee grounds and cocoa powder. Beneath these primary notes emerge dried red fruits—cherry and plum—alongside creamy vanilla and a subtle pistachio nuttiness. The alcohol presence is warm but restrained, adding gentle complexity without dominance.

roasted maltdark chocolate, coffeedried fruit, vanilla

◐ Taste

The palate arrives rich and full-bodied, with roasted grain and bittersweet chocolate establishing the framework. Mid-palate develops vanilla creaminess and pistachio notes that evoke a dessert character, while coffee bitterness and subtle dried red fruit provide counterbalance. The 65 IBU bitterness sits comfortably within the sweetness, neither overshadowing nor receding.

chocolate-forwardcreamy vanilla basecoffee bitterness, dried fruit

◑ Finish

The finish is long and warming, with roasted dryness and cocoa tannins persisting on the palate. A faint pistachio sweetness and alcohol warmth linger in the throat, leaving a complex aftertaste that invites another sip.

warming, dry finishlingering cocoa
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
90
Appearance
85
Finish
86
Serve at 13–16°C

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Circus Tears Imperial Stout

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About Imperial Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Imperial Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Imperial Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, chocolate, rich character as Circus Tears Imperial Stout will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Imperial Stout beers in hopIQ →New to Imperial Stout? Read our guide →Browse Spain beers →