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Storm King

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Espresso and dark chocolate come together with a thundering hop presence from Centennial, Cascade and Chinook in this full-bodied imperial stout. Pilsner, Vienna and Blackprinz malts form the base at 9.1% ABV and 80 IBU. The brewery announces the return of the King every year, with the line Weather the Storm, from September through December.

ABV
9.1%
Bitterness
Very bitter80 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark40
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
hoppychocolatecoffee
hoppy
chocolate
coffee
malty
roasted
dark fruit
Aroma
The nose opens with assertive espresso and roasted grain, supported by dark chocolate undertones and hints of cocoa nibs.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Storm King

◎ Appearance

Storm King presents a deep, opaque black body with rust-brown highlights at the rim when held to light. The thick tan head builds quickly and clings persistently to the glass walls in tight adhesion. Carbonation is restrained, allowing the dense foam structure to dominate the visual profile.

opaque blackthick tan headstrong lacinglow carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with assertive espresso and roasted grain, supported by dark chocolate undertones and hints of cocoa nibs. Herbal and pine-forward hop notes emerge from Centennial, Cascade and Chinook, adding citrus and resinous depth without masking the malt foundation. A subtle alcohol warmth threads through without harshness.

espresso, dark chocolateherbal hops, pineroasted grainwarming alcohol

◐ Taste

The palate enters full and structured, with bitter hop presence—80 IBU—meeting chocolate-forward malt character immediately. Mid-palate develops layered coffee and cocoa complexity alongside a drying, resinous bitterness from noble hop resins. The 9.1% alcohol sits integrated, lending body and warmth rather than hot edge.

chocolate-forward maltassertive bitternesscoffee, cocoa complexityfull-bodied

◑ Finish

The finish is extended and assertively bitter, with hop character lingering as pine and herbal notes fade into roasted grain residue. Warmth from alcohol persists without burning, leaving a dry, satisfying aftertaste.

long bitter finishroasted grain fadewarming aftertaste
86
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
88
Appearance
84
Finish
84
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 Storm King

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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 hoppy, full-bodied, chocolate character as Storm King 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 United States beers →