Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Marshall, Michigan USA

Black pour with a short lived, 1 finger, tan head. Definitely has the classic rich coffee/chocolate aroma of a good imperial stout but leads more to the chocolate side. There’s just a slight wafting hint of the alcohol too. The flavor is very intense and hot. 12% alcohol is very evident. There is huge, bitter black coffee and baker’s chocolate notes. Oily full mouth-feel with a fair amount of carbonation and a strong alcohol warming sensation as you swallow. This is very intense and would benefit greatly from some aging to mellow it out.

12 oz bottle courtesy of GCurlow. Thanks, Grant! Dark brown pour with a tiny tan head that evaporates immediately. Nice chocolate aroma with a light hop backbeat and a small bit of coffee. Tasty coffee, roast and chocolate flavor with again a mild hop bite. Smooth palate with a bit of a bite at the back. Another Michigan winner.

12 oz bottle. Came highly suggested by General66 as the best Dark Horse stout (compared to one, too, tres, and fore). Pours an opaque black with a small chocolate-y tan head that dissipates quickly. Smells of roasted chocolate, malt, some hops, and a hint of coffee. Tastes of roasted malt, some chocolate (I mistakenly switched those on the aroma), a hint of coffee, and a fair bit of alcohol (though not as bad as 12% in my opinion). Goes down pretty smoothly, with a nice aftertaste, but I was hoping for a stronger mouthfeel. Still would have to say that it is the best of the DH stouts though.

[Bottle] Pours absolutely pitch black with an amazingly dark head. Aroma is primarily roasted malts, with a little bit of vegetative aroma and some alcohol in the background. Flavor is mostly just roasted malts, a touch of chocolate, and alcohol. Lots of dry bitterness from the roasted malts. The alcohol is present, but I never would have guessed 12%. Mouthfeel is extremely full.

Pours black with creamy dark brown head. The head is mostly diminishing with good lacing. The aroma is coffee, cocoa and a roasted nuttiness. The flavor is big, creamy, bitter, coffee, dry roasted chocolate taste. A little alcohol kicks in at the end.

Pitch black coloured body with a very small deep brown head. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee and very dark chocolate - strong as hell. Full-bodied; Very potent roasty flavours dominate this with nuts and molasses the strongest. Aftertaste shows licorice, coffee and a strong blast of alcohol warmth for a long time. Overall, a good beer, very strong and flavourful - even for THIS style! I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from West LakeView Liquors in Chicago, Illinois in March 2008.

12 oz bottle to finish off the One, Too, Tres, Fore, Fifth. Pours black with a light brown head. Creamy and roasty aroma with coffee, chocolate, and some dark fruits. Flavor is chewy chocolate, aniseed, grape, cream, and coffee. Some hops in the finish and a touch of alcohol. It’s nice to see an imperial stout give a little more focus to the anise and dark fruit flavors, and this is a fitting conclusion to the Dark Horse stout series.

a great imperial stout. pours blacker than black with thick, heavy tan head that sticks to the glass like frosting. nose is smoke, sweet, dark chocolate and molasses. mouthfeel is heavy and oily. taste is sweet molasses, smoky chocolate and mild fruit like fig that gives way to a heavy alcohol finish. recommended for fans of amazing beer.