Back Road Christmas Ale 2003

Formerly brewed at Back Road Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
LaPorte, Indiana USA

Thanks to BBB63 for this one. I was extremely impressed with this one. Pours dark brown with a big tan head and a lot of carbonation. Aroma of malt, cabernet, nuts, some hops, and fruit. The taste has hints of roasted malt, a solid chocoff flavor, and some almonds. The palate is great, with a firm, medium body. The finish throws even more chocoff, and I noted some almond/halelnutty/toffee flavors. This one is 1 part brown ale, 3 parts Impy stout, and 4 parts delicious!

Very black with light only coming through brown at the edges. The head is thick and dense and a nice light tan color with a slight grayish cast. It eventually fades, but takes forever. Prunes, chocolate and coffee in the aroma. With char and coffee taking a little free rein over the chocolate in the flavor. The flavor is a little thin, but overall a good beer.

Nice black color,small brown head that faded quickly.Fruity,malty aroma with coffee and chocolate.Nice malty chocolate coffee taste,decent hop showing with a mild hint of alchol towards the end of the tasting.Nice bitter dark chocolate,coffee after taste.This is a very nice brew that was surprisingly easy to drink and fairly balanced,well worth having a few more of these around for later.Thanks to BBB63 for sending this fine bonus brew my way.

opaque as can be, thick creamy dark tan head. has a big chalky aroma very reminiscent of freeminer deep shaft, not that much roastiness, but enough you can tell this is going to be thick and rich. surprisingly not sweet. mostly dry with a numbing moderately thick mouthfeel. thanks BBB63!

bottle-pours a pitch black with fairly smooth tan head-aroma of licorice, spice, nutmeg, plum, coffee, cinammon. Doesn't smell like an imperial at all. a spice stout? flavors ave very good and represent the aroma nicely. my only objection to the brew was the palate-kinda thin and over-carbonated. Slight metallic notes on the finish. I think aging this would do good work. Thanks BBB63!

Dark ruby with walnut highlights. Thin, tan foam ring. Lackluster aroma with emphasis on the roast and soured plums and not much else. Mild toastiness with peanut, black malt, yeast, and ink hints. Rather airy and acidic. Soft, gentle carbonation. Very watery. Interesting balance of flavors between the light acidity and phenols. Phenols persist through the middle and onto the finish, managing only to be softened by a touch of chalky black malt. No fruity esters, caramel, mocha, java, or chocolate to speak of. Finishes acridly malty and plasticy with a semi-redeeming smidge of peanut and seared malt. Lingers with raw malts and tongue-numbing acidity. This is a mediocre stout at best and maybe the farthest thing I’ve ever witnessed from an aspiring Imperial.

Interesting- pours opaque dark brown, but not syrupy, with a thin ring of light tan carbonation. Burnt roasted malts and dry chocolate aroma. Although thin-bodied, there is plenty of flavor to be tasted here. Dark fruits, sweet roasted malt, and an almost vinous character emanate from the murky depths. Alcohol evident in the flavor and on the tongue after the sip. Doesn't have the body of an Imperial Stout, although the malt profile reminds me of Old Rasputin. Thanks Mike (BBB63) for yet another new beer!

Thanks Big Bad Bear. I like how this does not contain the word "holiday" in its title. Great aroma, balanced, but with big hops and dark malt. The flavor is no surprise after smelling it: again, big, bold hops and dark malt flavor, but wonderfully smooth and balanced. Very good stuff.