Alesmith Speedway Salted Caramel Stout 4PK

AleSmith Speedway Salted Caramel Stout 4PK 16OZ Cans is a salted-caramel variant of AleSmith's acclaimed Speedway Stout imperial stout, bottled at 12% ABV in four 16-ounce cans. Built on the same coffee-forward imperial stout base that earned Speedway Stout a loyal following among craft beer enthusiasts, this variant layers in salted caramel character for a dessert-driven take on the original.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12%  |  Origin: San Diego, California, USA  |  Style: Imperial Stout  |  Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

AleSmith Brewing Company was founded in 1995 in San Diego, California, and has grown into one of the city's most respected craft breweries. Peter Zien took ownership in 2002 and expanded the operation into a larger facility in San Diego's Miramar district. The base Speedway Stout is an imperial stout brewed with locally roasted coffee, and the Salted Caramel variant introduces caramel and sea salt additions to that robust foundation. The result is a high-gravity stout that balances roasted intensity with confectionery sweetness and a savory salt edge.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark-roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate dominate the nose, followed by a distinct wave of buttery caramel. A light saline quality emerges beneath the sweetness, keeping the aromatics from tipping into cloying territory.

Taste: The entry is thick and coating, with espresso bitterness meeting rich caramel and toffee across the mid-palate. Bakers' chocolate and brown sugar build toward the peak, while sea salt punctuates each sip and amplifies the malt complexity. The 12% ABV is well-integrated, providing warmth without harsh alcohol burn.

Finish: Long and lingering with roasted grain, residual caramel sweetness, and a final flicker of salinity. The mouthfeel remains full-bodied through the close, with coffee bitterness providing a clean counterpoint to the sweetness.

How to Drink Speedway Salted Caramel

Pour into a snifter or tulip glass at around 50–55°F to let the complex aromatics open fully; this stout rewards patience and a slow, contemplative pour. For cocktail-adjacent serves, try it as a float in an Espresso Martini for amplified coffee and caramel depth, blended into a Beer Milkshake with vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert drink, or used as the stout component in a Black Velvet variation where its salted caramel sweetness contrasts beautifully with dry sparkling wine.

Best For

• After-dinner sipping alongside rich chocolate desserts
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who collects imperial stout variants
• Cold-weather evening sessions where a high-ABV sipper is appropriate
• Stout tasting flights comparing Speedway Stout variants side by side

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Speedway Salted Caramel taste like? It delivers bold roasted coffee and dark chocolate flavors layered with buttery caramel sweetness and a distinct sea salt accent that balances the richness. The 12% ABV provides warming depth without overpowering alcohol heat.

How does Speedway Salted Caramel compare to the original Speedway Stout? The original Speedway Stout centers on coffee and roasted malt, while the Salted Caramel variant adds a pronounced caramel sweetness and savory salt note that shifts the profile toward a more dessert-oriented experience. Both share the same high-gravity imperial stout base and San Diego-roasted coffee character.

Is Speedway Salted Caramel good for sipping neat? Yes — its full body, layered flavors, and warming ABV make it an ideal standalone sipper, especially when poured into a proper snifter and allowed to warm slightly from refrigerator temperature.

Where is Speedway Salted Caramel made? It is brewed at AleSmith Brewing Company in the Miramar neighborhood of San Diego, California. AleSmith has operated in San Diego since 1995 and is one of the region's most established craft breweries.

What foods pair well with Speedway Salted Caramel? Flourless chocolate cake mirrors its dark chocolate notes; salted caramel brownies echo the beer's own caramel and salt profile; sharp aged cheddar provides savory contrast to the malt sweetness; smoked brisket stands up to the stout's intensity; and vanilla bean crème brûlée plays off the toffee and caramel elements.

What sizes does Speedway Salted Caramel come in? This release is packaged as a four-pack of 16-ounce cans, which is the standard retail format for the Speedway Stout variant series.

Is Speedway Salted Caramel worth the price? It positions as a premium craft imperial stout, and the 12% ABV, specialty ingredients, and AleSmith's reputation in the category place it in line with other high-gravity variant stouts from top-tier American craft breweries.

Why Speedway Salted Caramel?

AleSmith's Speedway Stout has long been regarded as one of the benchmark American imperial stouts, and the Salted Caramel variant demonstrates the brewery's ability to push that base recipe in creative directions without losing its core identity. The interplay of coffee bitterness, rich caramel, and sea salt creates a genuinely layered drinking experience that avoids the one-dimensional sweetness common in many dessert stouts. At 12% ABV in a full 16-ounce can format, each pour delivers serious intensity and complexity. For drinkers who already know the original Speedway Stout, this variant offers a compelling new angle on a proven foundation.