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.

From notes 9/27/05: Mmmm, roasty! Pours a jet black color, virtually impenetrable to light. A modest chocolate milk head formed and exhibited some meager staying power. Lacing was sparse and loose. Aromas...roasty. Roasted malts, coffee bean, and chocolate bar dominate. A faint whiff of alcohol. Flavors...roasty. More roasted malts, roasted barley, some char. Alcohol seems more hidden to me in the flavor vs. the scent. Smooth chocolatey Ovaltine finish. Aftertaste...roasty. A lingering roasted note. Very drinkable and smooth. A fine offering from Jon. A quality first brew post-Cap popping.

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.

Draft at the Durham World Beer Festival. Black with a brown foamy head. Big roasty malt, coffee, something like teriyaki notes. Flavor follows the nose. Rich thick mouthfeel. Odd about the teriyaki, but somehow it seems to work. I liked it.

Draft at the brewpub, October 24th, 2005. Was told this was the first beer brewed by this brewery after the percentage law changed. Poured dark brown with black oily highlights and a small waning head. Incredibly fresh and captivating aroma, after my far too cold glass warmed a bit. Scents of creamy chocolate dominate, with smaller notes of roasted malt and mld hop bitterness, fresh Venezuelan coffee peeking through. Flavor follows suit, focused on roast and chocolate notes, alcohol only popping its’ head up for a moment to scope out the scene. Perfectly rounded body, not too thick, nor too thin. I found this to be a dynamite first try for a brewer who was doing largely unimpressive beers prior. Hopefully this is a sign of better things to come.

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.

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

Pint @ brewpub. Good aroma, roasty. Very vinious, baking chocolate, got a little banana as it warmed. Brownish black color, small head that quickly reduced to a ring around the edge. Minor lace as it went down. Bitter flavor, Big baking chocolate flavor, a little viney. ABV makes it a bit brash. Medium body, smooth mouthfeel, bitter roasty finish. Leaves you warm. Very tasty and while not as chewy as some impy’s it was a nice sipin brew.