Arcadia Imperial Stout 4Pk

Arcadia Imperial Stout 4Pk is a 9.0% ABV open-fermented imperial stout from Michigan's Arcadia Brewing Company, sold in a four-pack format. This robust ale earned a Gold Medal for Bottle Conditioned Ale at the 2002 Real Ale Festival and a Silver Medal (88 points) at the 2003 World Beer Championships — credentials that cemented its reputation among American imperial stouts.

Quick Facts: ABV: 9.0%  |  Origin: Michigan, USA  |  Style: Imperial Stout  |  IBU: 59  |  OG: 1090  |  Brewery: Arcadia Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Arcadia Brewing Company — also known as Arcadia Ales — built its reputation on English-inspired brewing traditions executed on a 25-barrel Peter Austin brewhouse, a system prized for its ability to produce characterful, malt-forward ales. The Imperial Stout undergoes open fermentation in the brewery's cellar using a traditional English ale yeast, a method that allows complex ester development and a rounder mouthfeel than closed-vessel fermentation typically achieves. A generous hop addition at 59 IBU provides structural balance to the beer's substantial 1.090 original gravity, and the brewery noted that with proper cellaring, this stout matures gracefully for up to four years. Following Arcadia's closure in September 2019, the brand and intellectual property were acquired in June 2020 by Superfluid Supply Co., a division of Elk Rapids–based Short's Brewing.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark roasted malts lead immediately, followed by waves of blackstrap molasses and bittersweet cocoa. A faint smoky undercurrent and charred oak nuance linger beneath the heavier aromatics.

Taste: The entry is thick and palate-warming, hitting first with roasted coffee and dark chocolate before expanding into black licorice, prune, and black currant flavors at mid-palate. A creamy, full-bodied texture carries these flavors forward, with the malt sweetness balanced by a firm bitterness that keeps the beer from becoming cloying.

Finish: Pleasantly astringent with a long, drying tail of charred wood and baker's chocolate. Residual molasses sweetness echoes quietly before fading into lingering roast.

How to Drink Arcadia Imperial Stout

Serve at cellar temperature — around 50–55°F — in a snifter or tulip glass to concentrate the aromatics and allow the beer's full body to open up. Pouring too cold will suppress the molasses and chocolate complexity that defines this stout.

• Beer Float: A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream amplifies the coffee-and-chocolate backbone into a decadent dessert pairing.
• Black Velvet variation: A half-and-half pour with dry sparkling cider creates an interesting contrast of effervescence against the stout's density.
• Stout Flip: Shaken with a whole egg, simple syrup, and a dash of nutmeg, the Imperial Stout's roasted depth translates into a rich, cocktail-style serve.

Best For

• Cold-weather evening sipping alongside a fireplace
• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates English-influenced American ales
• Vertical aging experiments — cellaring successive vintages side by side
• Pairing with a multi-course dessert tasting

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Arcadia Imperial Stout taste like? It delivers a bold, layered profile dominated by roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and blackstrap molasses, with secondary notes of black licorice, prune, and black currant. The mouthfeel is full-bodied and creamy, finishing with a pleasantly dry, astringent roast character.

How does Arcadia Imperial Stout compare to Old Rasputin? Both are American-made imperial stouts with significant roast character, but Arcadia's open fermentation with English ale yeast produces a rounder, more ester-driven body, while North Coast's Old Rasputin tends toward a sharper, more hop-forward bitterness at a similar ABV range. Arcadia also carries a more prominent molasses and charred-oak dimension.

Is Arcadia Imperial Stout good for sipping neat? Absolutely — at 9.0% ABV with a dense, creamy body and layered flavor complexity, it is built for slow, contemplative drinking at cellar temperature without any additions.

Where is Arcadia Imperial Stout made? It was originally brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company in Michigan using a 25-barrel Peter Austin brewhouse. The brand was acquired in 2020 by Superfluid Supply Co., a division of Short's Brewing based in Elk Rapids, Michigan.

What foods pair well with Arcadia Imperial Stout? Slow-smoked brisket benefits from the stout's roast-on-roast harmony. Dark chocolate truffles mirror the cocoa notes without clashing. Blue cheese — especially Stilton — plays off the malty sweetness with pungent contrast. Espresso-rubbed short ribs echo the coffee backbone, and bread pudding with caramel sauce complements the molasses undertones.

What sizes does Arcadia Imperial Stout come in? The standard retail format is a four-pack of individual bottles.

Is Arcadia Imperial Stout worth the price? It positions within the mid-premium tier for American imperial stouts, and its dual award pedigree — Gold at the 2002 Real Ale Festival and Silver at the 2003 World Beer Championships — along with its distinctive open-fermentation production method, give it strong value credentials in a crowded imperial stout category.

Why Arcadia Imperial Stout?

Open fermentation with traditional English ale yeast is increasingly rare among American imperial stouts, and that production choice is the single biggest reason this beer tastes different from its peers. The Peter Austin brewhouse — a system specifically engineered for English-style ale production — gave Arcadia a mechanical advantage in achieving the dense, creamy body and layered malt complexity that define this stout. Two competition medals validated what the process delivers: a stout that balances 9.0% ABV warmth with genuine drinkability. For anyone seeking an imperial stout with genuine English brewing heritage executed in Michigan, this remains a distinctive and well-documented expression of the style.