Beer Valley Black Flag Imperial Stout

Brewed by Beer Valley Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Ontario, Oregon USA

Upon its release from the 22 ounce brown bottle, the beer sets in the glass and soot black with a portly chocolate brown creamy head that slowly fades away leaving a thick coating of lace to obfuscate the glass. Nose has a large burnt grain aroma, bittersweet chocolate also present, and all backed up by a hint of malt and fusel alcohol, “Woo Hoo”, you gotta love it. Start is thick and chocolaty, heavy burnt grain and a definite alcohol bitterness, full in its feel to the palate. Finish is packed with hops and alcohol, the acidity pleasant. A “Stout Lovers Stout” this beer, and well worth a try.

Bomber from Wetherel. Thanks! Pours black. This is seriously black with no real head. The nose is rich and sweet with adequate roast to balance. I get nice undertones of dark fruits with spruce and faint forest. Mouthfeel is fairly thick and clingy. No real surprises in the way of flavor, but it’s completely solid. The viscous palate showcases dark chocolate, molasses, rum, and earthy coffee. Deep in the finish some hops struggle to come through and sparkle just a little with far-off pine and grapefruit. I really had to struggle to find it, but analyzing that lingering finish a few times triggered a connection to a hoppy American strong. This one is definitely all about the malts and is intense indeed. This is my favorite style and all the elements are here in a graceful, very bold package.

Black colour with a small thin tan head. Roasted malty aroma with notes of coffee, fruit and sweet chocolate. Roasted malty flavor with fruity and alcohol sweet notes. Light hoppy and roasted finish.

Bottled. Pours a dark, oily black with a razor thin tan head that quickly dissolves. The aroma was very hoppy. Malt flavor with a slight hoppy bitterness in the finish. Solid imperial stout.

Smells roasty, malty and biting. Looks great. Flavor is very roasty and hoppy, thick and sweet and quite nice.

Black. Black/brown edges. Not much carbonation, just a ring of brown bubbles. Dark chocolate, roasty malt, anise, marshmallow, huge resiny hops, light smoke, leather, subtle spicy menthol. Complex, aggressive brew. Full/medium body, balanced carbonation. Very nice.

Bottle from cbkschubert. Black pour, big ass tan head. Aroma is strong I smelled it from a foot away hoppy as shit, very leafy aroma. Taste is bitter with massive amounts of freshy green leafy hops. Burnt roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, espresso. This is an agressive imperial stout, I guess the way it should be. Mollasses and raisens in the aftertaste with espresso lingering and a caramel touch. Wow is this tough, but god it taste good and I like it. Thanks Craig, my first New Mexico beer.

22 oz bottle purchased at Beverages for Less in Santee. Pretty decent imperial.