Berkshire Imperial Stout

Brewed by Berkshire Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
South Deerfield, Massachusetts USA

Poured a thick, opaque black with a think slightly off white head. Smells of chocolate, malts, dark fruits like plums and red grapes. Flavor is really sour for an Imperial Stout, sour like tart cherries and grapes. None of the primary flavors are that of a traditional imperial stout. Finish is sweet with residual sugar, almost like a glass of Reisling. Not your usual imperial stout and origionality did not make up for lack of a discernable flavor.

From a 22 oz bottle purchased in West Springfield, MA and hauled back to California in my suitcase this poured a very rich and black color into my Chimay glass and raised a nice tan head and left good lacing as it slowing diminished. Nose of roasted malts with chocolate and coffee on top, and just a little fruit. Mouthfeel is very smooth and silky, and it slides down the throat like melted butter. Flavor is much like the aroma with chocolate malts, coffee, fruit, and a slight sweetness. The finish however is slightly sour which makes this a real winner. Hides the alcohol well, resulting in a very nice imperial stout.

Bottle… Pours like well-used motor oil and sits menacingly black in my glass with no head. Fruity, chocolaty nose. Flavors of bitter-sweet dark chocolate, boozy-sweet Cognac and rich caramel malt. Teeters right on the edge of becoming cloying, but there is an easygoing bitterness that only just prevents this misfortune. Full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and mild carbonation. Finishes sweet, tangy and lightly burnt. Thanks, growler, for providing the bottle that put me right on over the edge this night! Thanks to Wendy, my wife, for driving me home and putting me to bed.

Bottle. Nearly black colour with a little head. Aroma of dust, malt, and roastedness. Flavour of roastedness, dried fruit, some hops, and bitterness. Very nice and tasty...

22 oz bottle pours dark and opaque as expected. Generous light brown head deposits curtains of lace around the glass. Aroma of milk chocolate, raisins, and a hint of roast. Medium body is lighter than expected. Zippy carbonation. Taste is chocolate, dark fruits, and some nuttiness. Roastiness is subdued here resulting in some brown ale character. Not as heavy as most examples of the style which increases drinkability.

Pours black with a foamy head, particularly how I tend to pour. Mild aroma of licorice and coffee and malt. Very smooth drinking and fresh, demonstrating that we just took it recently from the shelf. All Berkshires I have had bottled have gone done easily. Mildly roasted, not acidic or bold coffee at all.

Aroma and flavor is most distinctively black olives and cocoa. Not a bad beer, just mediocre.

22 oz. bomber. Pours an opaque black with a bubbly light tan head that quickly dissipated to a ring. Pleasant aroma of toasted malt and just a bit of chocolate. The flavor is toasted malt, chocolate, and jsome light coffee bitterness. The flavor is not overpowering and is actually quite enjoyable. Medium bodied with a lightly silky mouthfeel. The alcohol was very well hidden. Perhaps if this was mid-winter, I would have been looking for something bolder and more full bodied, but on a cool summer’s evening, this imperial stout fit the bill very nicely.