Alvinne Podge Belgian Imperial Stout

Deep super dark brown coloured body with tints of black and tan at the same time, all with a huge and perfectly lacing, structured and even luminescent (when the light hits the head right, it makes crystalline effects - very neat). Probably the best looking imperial stout i’ve seen, and this one even comes from Belgium. Aroma of great roasted malt, raisins, pit fruits, cherries, whiskey, scotch, vanilla and oak - very nice indeed! Medium to Full-bodied; Super effervescent taste up front with a lot of alcohol, a lot of pit fruits and a tonne of sweet caramel following behind. Aftertaste shows plentiful sweetness and a nice twang of scotch, vanilla and the nuances of oak. Overall, this is probably one of the best imperial stouts i’ve had. Without a doubt, blindfolded - you’d know this is a ’foreign’ imperial stout. It’s got signature qualities of a foreign, but the characteristics make it one of the best that I’ve had! I’d definitely recommend this to everyone, since you can find it here in the states! I sampled this 33 cL bottle purchased from West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, Illinois, sampled on 02-October-2008.

Black plum. Soapy, big-bubbled voluminous grayish head. Very sweet aromas of molasses, blackcurrants, and brown sugar. Hints of rum-steeped prunes, graham cracker, and candy sugar. Off notes of pen ink and plastic. Loose carbonation deposits a foamy residue on the tongue. Sharp alcoholic zing collides with clingy molasses-soaked bread. Rather dull and one-dimensional from the outset. Sugary to the point of becoming gritty, and certainly overtiring as there is no bright fruit character or cleansing dryness to help restore balance. Timid black malt bite lends a dab of crunchiness before giving way to the pervasive sugar-derived sweetness and limp body. Muted yeast character comes across as somewhat moldy, but fails to lend any supportive or defining character to the beer. Simplistic finish is heavily worty and perpetually sweet with molasses and cane sugar. Seems unfinished to me, and very, very simple to boot. No bright esters or clean depth of malt, among other things. There’s nothing stoutlike about this.

Bottle. Reddish brown with a creamy beige head. Aroma of prunes, raisins and other dark fruits. Creamy body with a soft carbonation. Flavour of overripe fruits, some malts, spices and a nice alcohol touch. Very nice.

Pours near black with a mostly receding wispy tan head. Tastes of tropical fruits, chocolate, and pineapple. Full bodied, wispy carbonation. I’m loving these Belgian stouts.

Bottle at Sune’s (Thanks Bager). Clear black - white edges. Licorice, poletter, lakrids confect, dry english licorice, red berries, lactose, peppermint, dryness.