Eel River Ravens Eye Imperial Stout

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

Bottle. I dont know how I got this, someone sent it to me I think. I think it was Ken, but I am not sure. Anyway, thanks whoever you were. Pours out a dark black color with a brown head on it. Smell is full of chocolate and coffee and some sweet caramel flavors. Taste is thick and rich, probably a better candidate for a snifter than the shaker that I drank it in. Took me a while to drink this bomber, but it was good stuff. Perhaps a little underrated. No real hop bitterness so to speak of. Good stuff, now that we can buy it in NC I may get another bottle or two of it.

Bottle. Pours ruby brown with a tan head. The aroma is lightly roasty with some fruity and caramel sweetness. The flavor starts on a sweet note of caramel, fruit and molasses, and finished with a light roasted coffee note. Pretty weak if you judge it strictly as an imperial stout, but if you ignore that, it’s really a pretty good beer.

Pours a two finger light head that fades to a ring leaving no lace. Black color. Light carbonation and heavy bodied. Slight bitter chocolate nose. Starts almost sweet nice balance with the hops gives it a bitter chocolate flavor. Smooth, easy to drink, the high ABV is hidden. $4.50 for a 22oz bottle from Liquid Solutions Tigard, Or.

Small brown head with fair retention, lacing was spotty. Black pour. Light nose of roast and coffee, lightly fruity. Medium body, lightly oily on the palate. Laid back roast and coffee flavors, light pineyness with some berryish and sweet malt notes. Lightly sweet malty roasty finish. Props to captaincougar for the bomber. Thanks Tom!

(bottle from ledgers)black body with a nice dark brown head.as the head sits i see some small lacing.aroma is loaded with molasses and caramel.followed by coffee,roasted malts,and a tiny alcohol finish.flavor is a very nice blend of coffee,roasted malt,powdered cocoa,sweet chocolate,and a slight smoke finish.to bad i only bought one bottle cuz this stuff is pretty tasty.

22oz bottle pours out almost black topped with a small tan head. Aroma of coffee and dark chocolate. Tast of dark bitter chocolate, roast malt and a touch of smoke. thanks Jake65

Both on draft at the brewpub, and from a 22 oz bottle. This first review is from the draft. Poured jet black with a medium tan head that left heavy lacing. Nose is very powerful, and is of chocolate and coffee with a llittle vanilla. Mouthfeel very rich and creamy. In fact almost oily. Rich flavor of dark malts, chocolate, coffee, and fruits. Finish is nicely bitter. Hides the alcohol very well. This is an outstanding Imperial Stout both on draft and in the bottle but the bottle was a little better. Read on. This rating is from a 22 oz bottle purchased directly from the brewpub. Poured in Duvel glass at 55 degrees it was jet black with a huge tan head that left heavy lacing. Nose is very powerful, and is of chocolate and coffee with a llittle vanilla. Mouthfeel very rich and creamy. In fact almost oily. Rich flavor of dark malts, chocolate, coffee, and fruits. Finish is nicely bitter. Hides the alcohol very well. This is an outstanding Imperial Stout. What is interesting is that the bottle was better than the draft. Two reasons. First they serve their draft too cold for this type of beer. Second, it seems brewpubs always try to give you your money’s worth and so fill the glass to the brim leaving little head, and that diminishes the appearance. Guess I had better post this on trades as Eel River has limited distribution and others are going to want to get their hands on this one.

Found this little gem at Ledger’s in Berkely. New Years Eve was as good a time as any to pop it open so I shared it with a few of the guys. The beer pours out a deep black hue, with a nice one-finger thick khaki head. Perhaps a more agressive pour would have resulted in a thicker head, but I was happy with what I got. First aromas I got were dark roasted malts, an impressive display of hops, a good dose of coffee and molasses. Mouthfeel was nice, but with the alcohol burn I’d prefer it to be better masked. Still, it’s nitpicky. Flavors were chocolate, roasted malts, coffee, molasses and just a touch ashy. If it were any more ashy I don’t think I would have enjoyed it nearly as much. Finishes a bit hot.