Beer: Tiny
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Company (Easton, Pa)
Style: Stout- Imperial/Double
11.8% ABV / 36 IBU

The name is a bit ironic, because this imperial stout is a beast. Tiny is probably the best of the Belgian-style beers in Weyerbacher’s core line-up, and that’s saying a lot considering Merry Monks and the Weyerbacher Quad are stone-cold classics. Like those two beers, Tiny is also very malt-forward and boasts some caramel notes, balancing out the bold chocolate and roasted coffee flavors that re typical of this style.

Mind you, any stout will do the trick after October when the air is crisp. But anything with an ABV over 11% is the jam when you’re back from shoveling snow or warming up next to a fire pit; you want to seek out the warming effect of an imperial stout or barleywine and experience the bracing effect. So, sure, any old stout will do, but something like Tiny is exemplary for its style. It’s strong (ABV-wise), robust (flavor-wise), and moderately bitter in a way that clings to your palette.

Perhaps the best part about Tiny is that it is medium-bodied. There’s way more of a mouthfeel than, say, a typical Russian imperial stout. There’s also quite a bit more effervescence that you’d normally encounter with a stout, the ultimate low carbonation style. I’m guessing this is due to a Belgian-style yeast strain Weyerbacher introduced to the brew, but whatever it is, the tiny bubbles in Tiny tingle the tip of your tongue. I also adore the deep contrast between the earthy mushroom nose of this beer and its mellow sweetness, both of which contribute to Tiny’s shape-shifting nature. It probably takes two of these to unlock the mystery, but you’ll be very hammered after just one.

For more info, check out Weyerbacher here.