Alvinne Podge Belgian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Picobrouwerij Alvinne
Style: Imperial Stout
Heule, Belgium

Deep ruby. Dark sweet treacley aroma. Soft, with little noticeable alcohol. Full-bodied, righ and warming. Feels soft and nice on the tongue. A touch of dark malt acidity shines through the rich thick maltiness. Flavor is less treacle but there is definitely some dark fruit. Pretty good stuff.

0.33l. Dark mahogany, nearly opaque with a huge, sugary head that lasts. Aroma is musty chocolate-raisin-oatmeal cookie dipped in sherry. Taste is a nice blend of dark fruit, leather, roast coffee, licorice, charred wood and cocoa. Styrian hops, more roast flavors, and alcohol on the finish dries the whole thing out nicely. Palate is nearly medium, fizzy and tingly, with a dry-hop finish. If it wasn’t so fizzy, this would be a top 5 beer.

Bottle from SL. Pour was deep black, full brown colored head, super huge, difficult to pour this one in less than 5-10mins. The retention was solid, mainly be a streaming steady supply of carbonation, lacing a little spotty for the amount of head. The aroma was cocoa, light roast, some belgian candy type notes. The flavor was firm alcohol, milky cocoa, light roast, dark fruits (raisins and plums), faint astringency, but not in an offensive way. The mouthfeel was airy, overly carbonated, light lactic acidity. Overall a neat brew, but not the best of the Belgian Stouts I’ve had.

Nice, a bit unique. Of the small number of Belgian stouts I’ve had, I liked this one the best, but I’m not certain its a type of beer I’m crazy about. Light cocoa nose with hints of phenol and a vague prune or date fruitiness. Highly carbonated, fizzy to the point that the dark chocolatey malt flavors are carried off the tongue leaving only just a hint of their presence, into a drying, mildly chalky dry cocoa powder finish. Despite the high fizz, this does high a full body, that seems rounded.

330. Thanks, Boboski! Black. Thick, rocky, swiss-cheesed tan head. Ample lace up the sides of the glass. Chalk, chocolate, soy, and cherries on the nose. Medium, almost light body with chalky texture. Light carb. Chocolatey, bittersweet, licorice, light soy and prune notes. Fairly neutral finish.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 3   Light Brown(1)->Dark(5) : 4   Ruby : 3   Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 3
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 3   White(1)->Tan(5) : 1   Lasting: 3   Lacing : 3
Aroma:
Intensity : 4  
Yeast : 5   Bread : 3   Apple : XX   Esters : XX   Banana : 2   Phenols : XX   Leather : XX   Perfume : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX
Malt : 4   Biscuity : 3   Toast : XX   Caramel : XX   Toffee : XX   Maple : 2   Molasses : 3   Nuts : 2   Candy : XX   Pumpernickel : XX   Cereals : XX   Fruits : 4   Chocolate : 3   Coffee : XX   Vanilla : XX   Grapes : 4   Blackberries : XX   Dates : XX   Cherries : XX   Plums : XX   Figs : XX
Hops : 2   Noble(1)->American(5) : 1   Leafy : 1   Floral : XX   Orange : XX   Herbal : XX   Spicy : 2   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX
Notes :   Earth : XX   Wood : XX   Cloves : XX   Smoke : 3   Pepper : XX   Ginger : XX   Peach/Pear/Apricot : XX   Candi Sugar : 3   Anise : XX   Vinous : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 5   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 5   Sourness : 2   Bitterness : 1   Complex : 3   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 4   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 3   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : XX   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 2   Mineral : XX   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: A delicious, albeit very sweet. Strongly yeasty, but nicely fruity, fat stoutish beer with a dominant vinous character from which emanates excellent raisin bread notes. A weird beast, I enjoy its complexity, but the yeastiness and sweetness do feel exaggerated.

Savannah, Ga. - Habersham Beverage Warehouse - 11.2 oz bottle. Murky, very dark brown pour with an extra thick mocha colored head that leaves sticky lacing. Strong aroma of licorice, Carbona cleaner, alcohol and faint trace of overripe bananas. Flavor is full bodied and rib sticking with traces of dark baker’s chocolate, day old bitter coffee, brief hint of smokiness, some mild soy sauce, brief hint of vanilla and then some licorice. Very thick, creamy mouthfeel - coats your mouth. Excellent Imp Stout from a country not known for their stouts.

Bottle from Kingdom Liquor, FL. Poured cloudy brown color with an average frothy brown head that was mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate roasted chocolate and dark fruit aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture. Solid dark roasted flavor with medium bittersweet finish of long duration. Solid complex beer.