 Murphy (1759), Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Feb 15, 2006 Updated: Dec 16, 2006
<b> Batch 1</b>
Pours viscous, dark oily brown with a medium head, brown with small bubbles and good retention. Aroma is both incredible and unique- molassis, gingerbread, light cocoa, ethanol, and just a hint of spice. Sweet, and slightly burnt. Initial taste is chocolate, cherries, and huge sweet and roasted malts. Large floral notes which I’ve never tasted in a stout, but balances here perfectly. Mild molassis balanced against bitter hops and roasted malt. Hints of coffee. Nice oak/bourbon thing going, certainly not overdone. Palate is undeniably a 5- smooth, velvety approach and in no way offensive, making the beer way to easy-drinking. Clings to the mouth, reminding you of the greatness you just drank. Avery’s main flaw, in my opinion, is that their high alc beers often don’t mask the ethanol at all. I guess they figured out how to do it, because this 15%er not only tastes like 10%, but is balanced against the rest of the flavors and redolance so well. The balance of every nuance of this beer simply cannot be overstated. Easily Avery’s best beer to-date, and a world class brew as well.
<b>Batch 2. 12-16-06</b>
Pours same as before, black with huge brown head. Aroma is very sweet, very alcoholic, hints of coffee. Taste is dominated by abrasive alcohol. Astringent. Possible coffee, licorice in there. Sticky mouthfeel. Finish is sour. A complete reversal from Batch #1
kopher (128), USA
Dec 3, 2008 very dark brown darkest head ever
super aroma of green olives
very heavy, warm, alcoholic flavor
bitter, but not too much.
everlasting finish
aroma of chocolate cookies
licorice!
not too full bodied,
well balanced other than the alcohol
starts to get a bit bitter
too much overall
bourbon!
poolboy (29), Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Nov 29, 2008 Not bad, but not my favorite imperial. Too much head and too much alcohol taste to compete with the best. Still good though. Roasted oak, molasses, chocolate. Maybe a hint of whiskey.
dnlsartin (9), Lakeland, Florida, USA
does not count  Nov 29, 2008 Black tar in a glass: brief, minimal head. Licorice smell. Heavy oak, bourbon, raisins, molasses, with an almost overwhelming alcohol finish. Not a traditional imperial, but a well-named raunchy character suitable for the most extraordinary of occasions.
Hophead22 (363), Redlands, California, USA
Nov 17, 2008 12oz bottle. Deep dark pour, dark tan head. Huge roasty, caramel, fruity aroma, very rich. Big dark fruit flavor, very big rich chocolatly with an alcohol punch at the end, quite good.
keepersj12 (463), Sicklerville, New Jersey, USA
Nov 1, 2008 Almost black pour with a reddish brown head. Nice aroma of sweet fruits, malt. Flavor is sweet with a bit of a dry finish. Alcohol is present especially as it warms. Pretty good stuff.
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