Colorado Guanabara 600ML

Colorado Guanabara 600ML is a Brazilian Imperial Stout brewed with black rapadura cane sugar, bottled at 10.5% ABV in a 600ml format. Recognized as Brazil's first Imperial Stout, Guanabara earned a Gold Medal and Best Brazilian Beer at the Brussels Beer Challenge 2021, along with Best in Show at the 2020 Brazilian Beer Festival (Festival Brasileiro da Cerveja).

Quick Facts: ABV: 10.5%  |  Origin: Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil  |  Style: British Imperial Stout  |  Brewery: Cervejaria Colorado

Production & Heritage

Cervejaria Colorado operates out of Ribeirão Preto in São Paulo state, a brewery known for incorporating native Brazilian ingredients into established beer styles. Guanabara is built on a foundation of quality malt and hops, but its defining ingredient is a special dark version of black rapadura — an unrefined cane sugar produced by boiling down fresh sugar cane juice. This native sweetener deepens the stout's complexity while lending a lightened body that keeps the beer surprisingly drinkable despite its 10.5% ABV, a deliberate contrast to the heavy, syrupy character found in many Imperial Stouts.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with a booming roasted character — rich grains, espresso, and bittersweet chocolate dominate. Underneath, layers of brown sugar, molasses, caramel, and a subtle touch of tobacco and dark fruit emerge as the beer warms.

Taste: The palate delivers monster roastiness from the first sip, with bitter dark chocolate and light coffee notes hitting immediately. Mid-palate, stone fruits and dark malted barley add dimension, while the black rapadura sugar introduces a molasses-like depth that rounds the bitterness. A thread of vanilla and biscotti-like sweetness weaves through, keeping the intense roast from becoming one-dimensional.

Finish: The finish is long and sweet, layering both milk and dark chocolate character with a parting shot of hearty roast and cinnamon warmth. A lingering espresso bitterness balances the sweetness and invites the next sip.

How to Drink Guanabara

Pour Guanabara into a tulip glass or snifter at cellar temperature (around 12–14°C / 54–57°F) to let the full aromatic range develop. This is a sipping beer — its layered complexity rewards slow drinking. For cocktail-inspired serves: a Black Velvet variation (replacing traditional stout with Guanabara and topping with sparkling wine) showcases its richness against bright acidity; a Stout Float using a scoop of vanilla ice cream plays off the beer's chocolate and espresso core; and a Beer-a-Misu dessert cocktail pairing Guanabara with coffee liqueur and cream mirrors tiramisu flavors with the rapadura sugar adding a Brazilian twist.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates rare international stouts
• After-dinner sipping alongside rich chocolate desserts
• Adding a Brazilian highlight to a curated Imperial Stout tasting lineup
• Celebrating a milestone occasion with a bold, award-winning beer

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Guanabara taste like? Guanabara delivers intense roasted malt, bitter dark chocolate, espresso, and stone fruit flavors, balanced by a molasses-like sweetness from black rapadura cane sugar. The finish carries milk chocolate, cinnamon warmth, and lingering roast.

How does Guanabara compare to traditional British Imperial Stouts? Classic British Imperial Stouts typically rely on roasted barley and dark malts for their backbone, while Guanabara introduces black rapadura cane sugar — an unrefined Brazilian ingredient — that adds distinctive molasses depth and a lighter body than many peers at similar ABV levels. Its dual Best in Show and Brussels Gold Medal wins position it among the most acclaimed stouts produced outside of traditional brewing regions.

Is Guanabara good for sipping neat? Guanabara is built for slow sipping at cellar temperature, where its layered chocolate, espresso, and roasted malt complexity can fully unfold. The rapadura sugar lightens the body enough to keep a 10.5% ABV stout remarkably drinkable.

Where is Guanabara made? Guanabara is brewed by Cervejaria Colorado in Ribeirão Preto, a city in São Paulo state, Brazil. The brewery is known for integrating native Brazilian ingredients into its beer lineup.

What foods pair well with Guanabara? Dark chocolate truffles complement the beer's bittersweet cocoa notes; slow-smoked beef brisket matches its roasted intensity; blue cheese like Gorgonzola contrasts the sweetness with pungent salt; flan or crème caramel echoes the brown sugar and caramel character; and espresso-rubbed pork ribs mirror the coffee and malt backbone.

What sizes does Guanabara come in? Colorado Guanabara is available in a 600ml bottle, which is a standard large-format size common among Brazilian craft breweries.

Is Guanabara worth the price? Guanabara positions as a premium craft Imperial Stout with international award credentials, including Gold at the Brussels Beer Challenge 2021. For a beer recognized as Brazil's first Imperial Stout with a unique rapadura-driven flavor profile, it represents strong value within the specialty stout category.

Why Guanabara?

Guanabara holds a singular distinction as Brazil's first Imperial Stout — a claim backed by critical recognition at the highest levels of international beer competition. The use of dark black rapadura cane sugar is not a gimmick but a genuine production choice that fundamentally shapes the beer's flavor architecture, introducing molasses depth and a lighter body that separate it from conventional Imperial Stouts. Its Gold Medal and Best Brazilian Beer honors at the 2021 Brussels Beer Challenge, combined with Best in Show at the 2020 Brazilian Beer Festival, confirm that the beer delivers on its ambition. For drinkers looking beyond the usual American and British Imperial Stout landscape, Guanabara stands as one of the most distinctive and decorated expressions the style has produced.