Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout

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

GABF 2008. Pours black with an average, rocky, dark brown head, mostly lasting with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (molasses, chocolate, nutty), light hops (herbs), average yeast (leather) with notes of prunes, dates, and smoke. Full bodied, creamy texture, average carbonation, and a chalky finish. Long duration, moderate sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

Bottle courtesy of Bobby91w. Pours a pitch black with minimal tan head that fades into a ring around the edge. Nose is roasted malt, smoke, dark chocolate and coffee grounds. Taste is dark fruits up front, with roasted coffee beans, dry cocoa and ash with a slight bittering hop finish. Medium creamy mouth feel. Alcohol is well hidden but ti does have a warming effect. A nice stout. Thanks Bobby!

12 oz. bottle. I owe a thank you to yem25 for sending me a complete set of all five stouts. Pours a dense black with a moderate dark brown head that lasted through three-quarters of the glass and left a partial coating of brown film with each sip. Very pleasant aroma of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee. The flavor is equally nice with again roasted malt, chocolate and coffee. A hint of black plum also in the flavor. Mild roast bitterness at the finish. Fairly smooth mouthfeel and full bodied. No hint of the 12% abv. Having now tried all five stouts, I’d rank this one and the blueberry as my top two choices. Thanks again, Ryan!

Bottle Shared with Gabe. Poured black with nice big red head. Aroma was chocolate, roasted malt, and a little alcohol. Taste was chocolate , roasted malt, coffee, and caramel. Finished nice and smooth. Very good!

Last of the beers provided by stfun, thanks josh! Wow big head on this one. It was also red/toffee in color. Weak aroma compared to the rest of the line up. Taste was good though. Vanilla/caramel, coffee, chocolate and roasted malts. None of the above over-powered or dominated the taste. Pretty much well blended together. Smooth creamy texture that was easy to drink. No trace of the 12 percent alcohol in there. Another winner by Dark Horse. Thanks josh for all the beers!

Bottle.

Black pour, deep brown head. Mmmmm. Inviting aroma with chocolate and caramel, pipe smoke. Rich full flavors, berries and all of the coffee/chocolate toffee you can shake a stick at, humus....wow. Very, very nice. Alcohol well hidden; it’s a bit hot but more like 9% hot than 12% hot. Yummy stuff indeed.

<i>From a 12oz Bottle.</i> Courtesy of Stine. Pitch black, opaque, oily pour with a finger of fizzy, roasted tan head. Aromas of black chocolate, molasses, toasted oats, and a whiff of mint. Shades of tobacco, dried prunes, and soft whispers of raspberry scented esters. Medium full bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel with a smooth, oily texture. Flavors of chocolate and roasted malt ooze over the palate, supported by a charred raisin and prune underlying fruitiness. A touch of molasses sweetness makes a brief appearance mid-palate before finishing with a wave of intense roastiness, moderately warm alcohol, and a lingering grapefruit bitterness. Well integrated flavors, awesome mouthfeel, and an enjoyable malt complexity come together with flawless execution. Thanks, Eben!

bottle from mmm///beer, thanks! Black pour with a choclate colored head that disappeared pretty quickly. Aroma is chocolate, molasses, roasted malt, raisins and a slight hint of booze. Flavor is very, very good. Flavor is bitter chocolate, molasses, toasted bread, and some espresso. Very nice. VERY nice.