 mdi (573), Nebraska, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 |
Jun 17, 2006
12oz bottle, I stole it from Kevin! I figured this would be a barleywine...but I was pleasantly surprised! Pours oil black with a solid brown head...I can smell liquorice before I’m done pouring my glass. Strong aromatics...some sort of doughy roastiness...a bit chalky or musty. Chocolate too, with a little earth tinge. The massive thick sweet body is certainly there on this beast. Some coffee lingering. Mouthfeel is a bit odd as it jumps from huge sweetness into dry, warming tannins w/ coffee like bitterness hanging around for minutes after each sip. I don’t particularily enjoy that long lingering. Maybe I’m just jaded, but I don’t think this is wonderful. Massice...yes...delicious...I’m gulping it down instead of sipping it...but wonderful I’ll reserve for a beer that has a little more utility than this beast. The malt really does show up the more I drink it. But because of the relatively few times I could drink a beer this thick, sweet and strong, I can’t give it a lofty status, and I need to go back and reconsider many of my earlier ratings on beers like this. My growing feeling for Imperial Stouts is somewhat akin to how I feel about long classic rock or blues guitar solos...they soar on & on & on...and so many people think they are inspired...but to me, they are nothing more than guitar masturbation...they’re doing just because they can, not because it makes any sense...must be done in small, tasteful doses!
bhensonb (4392), Woodland, California, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Dec 24, 2009 Bottle from Styles - part of a great trade. Pours dark black with a slight tan head. Aromas of dark malts and dark fruits. More than full bodied. Mild carbonation. Flavor is dark malt, treacle and medicinal herbs. Coffee shows up in the finish. Chocolate eventually. Startling. Excellent.
bvc (355), Kenmore, Washington, USA
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 14/20 |
Nov 25, 2009 12oz from riversideak...thanks man! Medium thick body with light tan head. Huge sweet roasty, prune, cherry, vanilla, dark cocoa, molasses, coffee. Creamy tart cherry burnt flavor. Boozy, thick and crazy strong. I am ’chewing’ my way throught this...happy to have tried it and it has great complexity as well as being well made but I’m glad to be drinking only 4oz. Thanks Alex.
riversideAK (2806), Shoreline, Washington, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 |
Nov 25, 2009 Dark fruit, dark chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, soy, some alcohol warmth. Strong sweet robust aroma. Black w brown creamy head. Sweet chocolatey, soy, dark bitter roast, earth, dark over ripe fruit, booze. Full syrupy body, boozey hot finish. Soft carbonation. Wow intense. Too much for me.
17thfloor (1514), Chicago, Illinois, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Nov 23, 2009 Bottle thanks to...? don’t remember, but thank you! Okay, I must be in the minority here to think that this did not age wonderfully. Aroma is big dark chocolate, oily, with obvious smokey leather oxidation notes. Flavor is dark bitter chocolate with a soy notes and just a hint of coffee. Very oily feeling.
kramer (2530), Sunbury, Pennsylvania, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 17, 2009 12 oz bottle. Pours a pitch black viscous body with a smallish brown head. Lots of sediment in the bottle. The nose is very intense, I can smell it a foot away! Crazy amounts of roast, coffee, earthy yeast, and some light oxidation at first. As it warmed some deep plum and dark fruit with chocolate and moderate alcohol vapors emerged. Heavy roast and dark fruits work in chorus with the coffee and yeast to provide a really layered complex Imperial Stout. Not dominated by any one aspect at all. Thick, soft, and chewy body with a nice mouth coating finish that lingers on for ever. A very nice beer, much smoother and softer around the edges than Expedition can be at times, even with a similar amount of age.
malrubius (1005), Valley Stream, New York, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 3/5 | 8/10 | 3/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 14, 2009 Bottle shared by Dickinsonbeer (?) Black with very dark brown head. Rich woody very dark roasted coffee chocolate eath aroma. Bitter dark roasted coffee dark fruit wood and chocolate with bitter roasted finish. Complex. Slightly oxidized. Very good.
ditmier (1120), Boise, Idaho, USA
| 4.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Oct 18, 2009 Bottle thanks to the dark benefactor motortoddhead!!!...Thanks man!...Pours thick and almost black with a slowly apprearing head that starts orangey tan and slowly lightens in color...aroma is big and bold, chocolate syrup, molassas, port wine...coats the mouth like frosting, flavour is similar, bitter cocoa, coffee, vanilla, burnt wood and molassas...flavour does not let up, lingering bitterness that lasts close to a minute...a beautiful brew that still has plenty of legs...
thewolf (5838), Kolding, Denmark
| 4.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 18/20 |
Oct 10, 2009 Bottle. [thank you, madmitch76]
Pours utterly and completely black. Wonderful, creamy, beige-brown head that just stays for a looong time. Wonderful aroma of oak, sherry, dark chocolate, some cellar, bourbon, dust, prunes. Low carbonation, fat and just totally impressive creamy/oily mouthfeel. Flavour is equally impressve, vinious, chocolate, bourbon, sherry, prunes, raisins, coffee, cocoa. Very much still a brilliant beer. This is really a great experience!
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