Beer Valley Black Flag Imperial Stout

Septemberfest. Sample from a bottle thanks to nearbeer. Dark brown, lots of red, tan head. Aroma is roast, light chocolate, coffee, berries. Taste is dark berries, chocolate, roasted malt.

Pours a deep dark brown that’s almost pitch black and completely opaque with faint dark amber/mahogany edges when held to a light source. Two finger frothy, pillowy beige head with excellent retention, only slowly fading into a lasting ring that coats the glass with chunky rings of soapy lacing. Roasted malt aroma with a huge earthy floral hop presence with citrus notes. There is a bit of chocolate, toffee, coffee, licorice and toast underneath but this beers smells extremely hoppy, especially for the style. Their is a good bit of citrus peel and grapefruit along with some earthy pine. The hops even overpower the roasted notes of the malt. Chewy resinous full body with a huge bitter earthy hop blast up front that lingers over the roasted malt body into a dry bitter finish with plenty of alcohol heat. Lots of earthy dry pine notes as well as crisp citrus notes from the hops. Silky chocolate malt with hints of roasted coffee, toffee, oatmeal, nut and licorice. I wouldn’t say that this is well balanced because the hops are so dominant, but the malty body provides a good countering flavor. This is the hoppiest stout I’ve ever had, to the point where they almost overtake all of the other flavors. I would prefer if the malt presence was a little stronger but I still enjoyed this beer.

Taster at the contract brewer. Pours a thick, mocha colored head, over an almost opaque, (SRM 35) body.....nose rich in coffee, chocolate, dried fruits including cherry, raisin, mild hop tones as it warms....taste is similar with heavy early coffee, chocolate and dried fruits, finishing with a medium hop bitterness....mouth feel is thick and heavy, carbonation adds creaminess there is heavy stickiness throughout. An impressive heavy creation.

22oz bottle from the Boise co-op. Pours a very dark opaque color with a large beige head, lots of lacing and very creamy looking- nice! A surprisingly hop-filled aroma; citrus and pine, roasted malts and chocolate struggle to get through. A strong almost overpowering bitterness dominates the beginning, and it lasts, pine and bitter hops. A rich chocolate and ashy flavor as well. Very interesting, this has all the qualities of a imperial IPA, but many of those of a imperial stout. I guess I’d say black IIPA suits this beer. Quite drinkable and nice. Well made. I really dig Beer Valley (not just as a imagined utopia somewhere in Oregon, but the brewery as well).

Black color; medium head. Roasted malts aroma, later there are some hops too, and very light vanilla, light alcohol. Strong body, strong dark caramel flavor, dark chocolate, light liquorice, pleasant hidden sweetness; powerful bitterness. Straight but pleasant and powerful Imperial Stout.

Black with a tan head. Minimal aroma, of roasted malts but powerful flavor. Almost overpowering flavor of roasted malts, coffee, and hops.

Sample from July Beer Club Meeting. Very solid black/brownish color with a light briwn colored thick, frothy head. Very roasted aroma. Deep and dark. Roasted flavor with possible coffee notes down the center of the tongue. Smooth, and not too strong of alcohol.

Pours a dark black with tan head. Aroma of roasted malts, chocolate, caramel, dark fruit, booze. Similar taste, lost of roasted goodness.