Heritage Brewing Nitro Sovereign Stout
Four years ago, shortly after Manassas’ Heritage Brewing opened their doors, I made a pint of their Sovereign Stout my first purchase. I’ve since had that roasty beer and various nitro drafts through the years, but this is the first time the company has packaged the big beer in cans. Since that first pint, the recipe for this stout has shifted from the dry, roasty flavors I first encountered, resting now well into the chocolatey, almost dessert realm.
And now that Sovereign Stout is packed in cans with nitro, the experience is even that much more decadent as rich chocolates, smooth espresso and moderate roast wash effortlessly over the tongue. A good bit of sweetness is counter balanced with a dark coffee astringency and healthy hop bite that tingles well into the warming (10% ABV) finish. As expected, Nitro Sovereign Stout is full-bodied and wonderfully chewy.
This is not the same stout that I first encountered four years ago and that’s quite alright. Nitro Sovereign Stout is an outstanding beer with a lovely richness and balancing hop bite. The big beer is perfectly well suited for the glass, but I have plans for the next time I pick up a four-pack of this chocolatey stout — and that endeavor involves some vanilla ice cream.