Carolina Brewery Imperial Stout

Brewed by Carolina Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA

Bravo to big craft beers in North Carolina! This one was on tap at MacGregor’s in Cary. Deep obsidian pour, with a great roasty chocoffy malty aroma. The mouthfeel was nicely dense, with solid flavors of chocoff and some molasses. Very well made.

This was a very good beer. Poured in a snifter because of the higher alcohol level. Smelled like alcohol. Hoppy and dark.

On tap at the brewery. I really enjoyed this one. Black color with a brown head that left good lacing. Slight malty aroma. Delicous flavor of coffee, chocolate, caramel, and licorice. Creamy texture with good carbonation. Very smooth with no bitter aftertaste. Not as many complex flavors as other imperial stouts (would be better with more alcohol), but overall a very good beer.

On tap at the brewery. Thick black color with thin brown head. Very little aroma, even as it warmed up. Tasty flavors of roasted malts with licorice and chocolate chewiness. The mouthfeel, however, makes this brew; very thick and chewy, without too much carbonation. Alcohol is either well-hidden or not very present, which is a plus but might have enhanced the flavors and aroma. An excellent beer, but missing some characteristics of an imperial.

Draught at the brewpub. Served fairly cold in a small snifter. Dark bown color with thin brown head. Moderate carbonation. Roasty nose and flavor with licorice undertones. Not as much alcohol flavor or aroma as I had expected.