Drink of the Week: Sidellis’ Sticky Fingers

This week’s Drinks segment showcases unique types of beer, wine, and cocktails to try at one of the countless breweries, bars, and restaurants around the Basin.

The best thing about anniversaries is that you can look back on how many years you have achieved a certain achievement. The worst part about anniversary is that it only happens once a year, which means he’s only available once a year, like the feature of the week, for anniversary beer. That said, it’s reassuring to know that they’ve made a double batch of this year, so it’ll be a little longer, but admittedly this imperial stout won’t last forever.

Gold Medal Winner (Eldorado County Fair) 7th Anniversary Edition is a blend of two Maker’s Whiskey Casks from a very special whiskey made for a local restaurant. At 11.3% ABV you can feel all of that big body base, so if you’re thinking of sitting down and mowing a couple, you might want to cap it right away.

Immediately on your nose, you can smell the bold flavors oozing from the skin. After that first bite, I felt like Al Pacino in “Scent of a Woman” and spat out a big whoa. But even with all the deep, big flavors you get from an imperial stout (roast, caramel, chocolate), it’s surprisingly smooth and crisp without a heavy aftertaste.

You can definitely feel a splash of whiskey on the back end, but the balance in this beer is so good that all the flavors hit the harmony wagon perfectly.

If you’ve been wondering how this beer got its name over the years, it’s not from a popular Rolling Stones album, it’s all the sugar used in the brewing process. Because it left a sticky residue everywhere.

Sidellis Brewery and Restaurant is located at 3350 Sandy Way in South Lake Tahoe. For beer and food menus, please visit sidelis.com online. For more information, please call 530-600-3999.