Ferment & Zupan’s Blend No. 34 – 50th anniversary imperial stout

2025 marked the 50th anniversary of Zupan’s Markets of Portland, and to commemorate the occasion the company partnered with Ferment Brewing to release its latest Farm to Market series collaboration beer at the end of the year—Blend No. 34, a barrel-aged imperial stout.

It’s “No. 34” because it’s the 34th collaboration beer Zupan’s has released with various local brewing partners under its Farm to Market label. I’ve reviewed several of them over the years, and as the company sent me bottles of this one, I get to review it too.

This imperial stout is 12.6% ABV, and it was “blended from carefully selected whiskey and red wine barrels and matured for up to twenty-two months on oak.”

Appearance: It pours an oily brown-black, thick, with almost no head at all—low carbonation that’s almost still. There’s a hint of light brown foam around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Dark and rich, with deep notes of dark roast coffee, bittersweet chocolate, licorice, a touch of charred oak, blackstrap molasses, stewed fig, and a hint of a red wine-like character. It’s surprisingly mellow and subtle; there’s a hint of alcohol in a lightly floral, estery note, but it’s well hidden.

Taste: Where it’s mellow in aroma, it’s bold in flavor, with dark chocolate and fruity notes blending bitter yet floral cocoa with a bit of red wine fruitiness and tannin, oily black malts giving roasted grain and slightly burnt caramel, a warming note of whiskey with the alcohol presenting red fruits and floral character. It’s rich and complex, with a bit of Turkish coffee, a toffee and burnt sugar sweetness, a hint of smoke, and a lingering subtle heat.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with a moderate viscosity, tempered by the barrel aging to thin it out slightly. Bold and long finish with a rich and oily coating on the tongue and lingering notes of roast and whiskey.

Overall: It’s an excellent beer, a well-brewed imperial stout that features balanced flavors and no one element overpowers another; the barrel aging likewise complements this beer without overwhelming the base beer.

I expect there are likely still bottles available at Zupan’s various locations; it retails for $15.99 a bottle, which is worth it in my opinion.