hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

Griffith

Highland Park Brewery
Tap to rate
🌍 United States · Imperial Stout · One of 114 Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Griffith is the brewery's yearly imperial stout with coffee, a recipe it has brewed since its early days; the name was shortened from Griffith J. Griffith. Deep roast gives dark chocolate and a charred edge, and the finish returns to rich chocolate. The unaged version receives around three pounds of coffee per barrel. For the current batch at 13.5 percent, a natural-process Ethiopian coffee from the Guji region adds blueberry, pomegranate and honey over a full, warming body.

ABV
13.5%
Bitterness
Very bitter
SRM
dark40
See all Imperial Stout alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Full body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Gently sweet notes.
drysweet
Bitterness
Firm bitter edge.
mildbitter
Texture
Somewhat creamy mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Imperial Stout.
No character signal.

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Griffith

◎ Appearance

Deep black with a ruby edge when held to light, revealing the beer's substantial body and high roast intensity. A dense, tan head builds quickly and clings to the glass with persistent lacing. Carbonation is moderate, appropriate for the beer's warming alcohol presence.

deep blackruby translucencedense headmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with burnt coffee and charred malt, followed by dark chocolate and cocoa powder. The Ethiopian Guji coffee brings subtle stone-fruit notes—hints of blueberry and pomegranate—alongside a honeyed sweetness that tempers the roast. Alcohol warmth threads through without harshness.

roasted coffeedark chocolatestone fruithoneyed sweetness

◐ Taste

The palate enters with bold roast and burnt edges that dissolve into rich dark chocolate and cocoa. The coffee component reveals layered complexity: fruit forward at mid-palate with pomegranate and blueberry character, then settling into honey and cocoa butter. Bitterness is measured at 65 IBU, providing structure without overwhelming the malt sweetness.

charred grainrich chocolatecoffee complexitybalanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is warming and persistent, returning to the core of dark chocolate and cocoa with a lingering coffee-forward note. The 13.5% ABV provides a gently heating aftertaste that extends the experience without becoming hot or spiritous.

chocolate-forwardwarming alcohollingering coffee
86
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
88
Appearance
83
Finish
84
+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Griffith

Serve at 13–16°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

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

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Griffith

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 flavor character as Griffith will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Imperial Stout beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →