Beer Valley Black Flag Imperial Stout

12-4-2007 - This latest bottle was the first to actually be brewed at the Beer Valley brewery in Ontario. Pete used an Irish Ale yeast for this bad boy. The immediate differences were the low carbonation and the rich creamy mellow chocolate maltiness. It still has the punch in the face arrogance. *********6-21-2007- Vintage #3 w/ 11% abv. This batch pours thick and blackish brown w/ a modest head. Hangtime is good and so is the lacing though it’s not intirely lasting. The aroma is where things start to change. I take a whiff from the bottle righ after I open it and immediately know this is gonna be a treat. Beautifully balanced aromas of dark sweet cocoa and hopsy leather. Outstanding! Full nectar (chokingly like batch 1) w/ soft and creamy residual effers that only show themselves at midpalate. Very conservative and refined I must say. More like shy. A humongous malt component driven by a balancing asprin hop factor creates a brew of classic proportions. As I sip, the brew lays down a coat of oil so thick and slippery as to only allow the stinging hops to barely scratch the surface, and boy do they. After reaching ground zero the asprin hops dig in and flash burn all living flesh. Destroying anything available the hops leave behind an onslaught of burnt buds and a lingering scortched feeling to the point of novicane. Mildly sweet cocoa w/ only a mild roast component. The finish lingers around like a lazy hound dog with sharp teeth and is bittered perfectly. Overall: This brew is generous, thick and chewy, warming, well balanced and ready to go. If you’re having no luck with the dating scene, sip on a Black Flag and all you ever wanted will be granted. You might even be visited by Davie Jones himself. Highly recommended to anyone.************** Vintage #2 w/ 11% abv scores 4.6 -- Noticably different on all angles. The aroma is very bold w/ abusive hops that open my sinus cavity like prying open a tin can with a bottle opener. Then come the malts w/ a baconfat richness that’ll put a Big Mac to shame. Theres a nice full, semi creamy froth that slowly reduces to a thick creamy puddle that just sits there, reluctant to move like a stubborn burro on the Highway to Ale. The weight of the malts seem to keep the effers at bay and finally releases them on the palate. It’s like putting the barrel of an air gun at 200psi in your mouth, now pull the trigger for a split second and watch what happens. Thick and creamy, latherous and chokingly viscous. It’s still has the same old choke on it density which is the only thing incommon to it’s older sibling. Now for the flavor. This is a mother of a brew and should carry a disclaimer on the back. Not only is this brew hoppy but is taken to a new extreme to include hop acid that tares down the molecular lining of my mouth. Theres a huge roast character that invites this extremely obese malty skank over to play a game of twister while you throw copper and lead shavings on them. The nectar that is produced from this very challenging game produces extreme flavors of old leather, espresso, tar, roasted nut shells, and bitter chocolate. Other nuances of nectarines, peach pit, and sodium. A bit of molases is produced but the sweetness factor is more on the mild side. As you can imagine, witnessing a game of twister with these two componants would leave a high degree of bitterness in ones mouth to the point of scalding. The finish is long, very long and bittered w/ asprin that digs out a cavity and then sutures itself in for good. It’s been 40minutes since my last sip and the bitter asprin is still kicking and screaming. Overall: This brew takes home the Grammy, Oscar, and Jonpol’s choice award for being the most obtrusive brew in the biz.********************* *******Vintage #1 w/ 11.5% abv (scores 4.4) -- Killer name! Pours the color and density of 30wt motor oil with 100K miles on it and only a few bubble clusters that take up about a third the ring around the glass. As I swirl this elixir in my goblet it leaves an oily layer of iodine film behind. Aroma is moderately roasted w/ coffee bean, leather, and grilled steak with a touch of brown sugar. The nectar on this is so thick you have to swallow the same sip twice. This has to be the most full bodied IRS I’ve had to date. You practically have to chew on it to get it down. Residual effers are soft to non existant. Flavors: upfront is a nice moderate hop bittering immediately followed by massive amounts of thick roasted malt. The bitterness turns to asprin and digs in while the flow of sweet malt, not unlike a lava flow, overcomes the palate with complex flavors of leather, cocoa, espresso, beef jerkey, tar, pine, caramel, black cherry, brown sugar, and a sprinkle of sodium. The hops really dig in deep and leave a brisk asprin bitterness to help out with the next sip. Alcohol is not detectable at all. Overall: thick as molases with a defined hop presence. Decadent, everything you love IRS for. This brew deserves recognition. I highly recommend this to all stout lovers.

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

I love this beer. One problem. It’s 11%. The bottle I got poured with a perfect, dark brown head. I expected this beer to be completely overpowering but it really is well balanced.

Pours a complete opaque black-out with a perfect 1-inch head. There’s really nothing to find wrong with this imperial stout; This stuff is fuckin’ good. A very rich complex of roasted chocolate, chestnuts, gourmet espresso, tobacco tar, and leather. All that deep funk that one hopes for in an impy. Not too conspicuous on the booze either. Could’ve been a pinch sweeter I think. Other than that, near flawless. Will have again, despite being $10 for a bomber. World class. Nice job, Beer Valley and thank you.

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.