Ballast Point Come About Imperial Stout

Formerly brewed at Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
San Diego, California USA

I had this as the oak aged version, and for once , I was surprised. Poured a deep deep brown almost black with almost no head. Flavors of espresso...no wait... more espresso and a little more dark chocolate with a nice warmth from the the bourbon casks.. Mouth feel was medium to full bodied. The only down fall to this brew was the palate... as with all ballast point brews, this brew has a strange, aftertaste. But this was the mellowness of all that I have tasted. Overall. the best beer that they have.

Tan head and a tar body. Coffee, anis, chocolate and alcohol in the nose. Very smooth flavor with tons of coffee and chocolat malt. A little sweetness and some earthy hops to balance it out. Roasted malts and Coffee dont seem to quit in htis one pervading all aspects into a long pleasant finnish.

Sampled at the Homebrew Mart: Pours an almost jet-black, dark brown color with a fine tan head. Aroma is pleasantly roasted bitterness, alcohol, dark fruit, some excellent hoppy spicy notes. Flavor mirrors the aroma almost identically. Hops, bitter roasted malt, chocolate, some light coffee, and some sweet dark fruits. Body is exceptionally rich and smooth with the alcohol tingling the cheeks on the way down. Good stuff.

Had a Speedway before this. This one is on nitro and is drier with a nice cocoa flavor. alittle dark fruit is mixed in there as well. Not as flat tasting as some nitros I've had. Taste is a little unexceptional, but there's nothing to complain about either. Aroma is lacking, but you never know when it's coming out of a pint glass, and is slightly too cold.

(Nitro Draft: O'Brien's in SD) Listed as an Imperial Stout on ratebeer.com, but the very smooth and comparatively lighter flavor in no way resembles a traditional American Imperial Stout; From start to finish, the flavor is mildly sweet, dark roasted maltiness with a fairly bitter overtone; Velvety mouthfeel that caresses the palate; Minimal nose; Dark brown and opaque with ruddy black accents along the edge; Thick creamy light tan head with exceptional retention that simply does not die and a thick lacing that completely coats the glass

4 oz sampler at brewery on nitrogen tap. Poured ebony with slight reddish brown highlights when held to light. Massive creamy tan head took a while to settle. Mild aroma - dark roasty malts, bitter chocolate and coffee. Smooth rich flavor, lots sweet and bitter tastes vying for dominance and ending in a nice balance. Thick, creamy mouthfeel. I wish they'd bottle this stuff!

Cask. Poured almost black with nice brown head. Coffee and chocolate throughout. Alcohol finish.

Sampled @ Strong Ale Fest San Diego

The beer pours the color of Onyx with the head creamy light chocolate brown and portly in size with the resultant lace a fine curtain to conceal the glass. Nose is that of rich toasted grains, coffee and bittersweet chocolate, fresh and pleasing to the olfactory senses, start is rich chocolate malt, sweet and the top thick and rich. Finish is mild in its carbonation with the hops purposeful in their spiciness, bitter-sweet dry aftertaste, quite a tasty brew tis' true!