Southern Tier has made some truly fantastic dessert style beers in the past. Their latest in the series is Cinnamon Roll Imperial Ale. Let’s take a taste and see if it lives up to their previous beers.
Cinnamon Roll has a thick tan head with medium lacing as you take a long pull of it from your glass. I don’t recommend a really long chug because the beer has a thick mouth feel that lends itself more to sipping. The aroma is quite wonderful. Imagine walking through the airport past a well-known chain of cinnamon bun bakers and the delightful scent of cinnamon and caramel. The flavor largely follows what the aroma promises, strong cinnamon flavors, caramel, and a bready maltiness. There is also a hint of vanilla, and what feels like a lot of lactose to add body.
I enjoyed this beer, but if I have one criticism it’s that the cinnamon flavor is overpowering. It reminds me a great deal of a liquid cinnamon roll, but it’s short of some of Southern Tiers other great beers, such as Chokolat or Cold Press Coffee Pumking. It’s worth a try but not your undying devotion.
