Eel River Ravens Eye Imperial Stout

Brewed by Eel River Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Fortuna, California USA

Black with big bubbly white head. alty aroma. A bit prickly carbonation. Nitro,and very drinkable is the interesting highlight. Baker’s chocolate, chocolate malt.

I have tried quite a few organic beers before this one, and had yet to be impressed. This was the first organic I’d seen that was "big," and had high hopes for it. And while it was good compared to the other organic beers I have tried, it didn’t compare favorably with other non-organic imperial stouts I’ve had. Nonetheless, it is not an unlikeable beer, and there is something redeeming in the bottle. Color is dark, and head is minimal. Aroma is a bit subtle for an imperial stout, but offers some roastiness. Flavor really emerged when the beer warmed up a bit, and was a good amount sweeter at higher temperature. Flavor was very mild for the style and predominantly a nice roastiness. Mouthfeel was a bit watery/thin. A pretty good brew, at a pretty good price, but by no means best in what is a very competitive style. I bought this bottle at 3 Cellars in Franklin, WI.

Prunes right away in the smell. Look is midnight black with a decent tan head. Also roastiness and coffee are in the smell. Taste is dark fruits, roasty, coffee, pudding. Nice creamy feel.

Organic Beer Tasting at Three Cellars Milwaukee. Very Smooth and mild. Chocolate character without being to sweet

Bottle: Pours a deep brown with ruby in the light (good amount of light gets through for am Imperial Stout) Has a creamy tan head. The aroma is fudgey, with good chocolate character and some coffee grinds in the background. Fluffy body. Fudgey taste with dense chocolate flavors. Milky chocolate character without being sweet. Roasted flavors with chocolate cookie dough and a mocha character. No evidence of alcohol, and it’s easy to put away a bomber. Straight forward, somewhat simple Stout, but tasty.

Pours black with hints of ruby around the edges. The head is thin and bubbly and recedes quickly to a minimal swirl on top with a little lacing. Smell is very sweet for an RIS - big on sweet roasted malts with dark chocolate and dark fruits very evident as well. Maybe a hint of smoked wood in the nose as well. Taste is also very sweet and dominated by the sweetness of dark fruits, vanilla, and roasted malts up front. There is a bit of dark chocolate and coffee as well and a faint hint of hops in the finish, but not much. Mouthfeel is sticky sweet and very creamy with decent carbonation. This isn’t the most complex of RIS’s but it’s very drinkable if you’re OK with sweeter stouts. Enjoyable and recommended.

Bottle. Pours black with a one finger tan head that leaves good lacing. Aroma of roasted malt, dark chocolate, and coffee. Taste is the same as aroma. Medium full mouthfeel with a moderate amount of bitterness and smooth alcohol. Very good.

Tap @ Bailey’s Tap Room... Poured almost black with amber highlights and an off-white head. Aroma of nuts (almond and hazelnut) with roasted malt. Flavors of caramel and buttery toffee, minute hops (but definitely there) which blend with toasted malt and almonds. Finished with an amaretto sorta alcohol warmth.