Eel River Ravens Eye Imperial Stout

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

22 oz. bottle. Pours black with a large creamy tan head. The aroma has a large dose of roasted malts, caramel, dark chocolate, and slight char. The flavor is again heavy on the roasted malt. Other flavors are dark chocolate, espresso, some dark fruit, and a hint of alcohol. This is a solid,yet unspectacular stout. Medium bodied, leans to the dry side, fairly smooth going down.

22 oz bottle via LS. Pours almost black with mahogany highlights. Average size dense tan head. Nose is roasty/smokey with mocha notes. Taste starts with some vanilla, some roasted malts, some chocolate, some coffee, and finishes with a nice complex mocha that lingers into the aftertaste. A tiny bit of smokiness in there as well..There are some citrus hops as well but they are fairly subdued. Moderate carbonation. medium body. Alcohol very well-hidden for 9.5% abv...This is a very nice drinkable complex Imp Stout. Not over the top like most are..this is easy to drink but extremely tasty. Medium body, silky mouthfeel like a nice oatmeal stout...Think Alesmith Speedway Stout with less coffee and more roastiness....Pretty close to perfect. P.S. The bottle says ’Nitrogen conditioned’..not sure what that means since there is no widget....but it does seem to have a vry nice mouthfeel, so maybe they are onto something?

Nitrogen conditioned bottle. Pours a medium thick black with a medium tan head. Pitiful retention, adequate lacing. Aroma is rich, inexpensive chocolate, raisin, light anise, hazelnut, coffee and caramel in moderation. Flavor is lightly to medium bitter, burnt and unimpressive. Palate is creamy, though too fruity sweet. Finishes mildly drying. Alcohol is moderately concealed throughout. Coffee in the finale tastes cheap as well. Not my thing at all. Nitrogen bottle conditioning is not the way to go. A well made imperial stout could be substantially creamy without this annoying addition, it really detracts from the enjoyment.

22 Oz Bomber, red eyed raven on the label "product of Northern California" Fantastic looking beer as it sits in my Imperial pint glass. Mostly black with hints of mahogany..great huge light brown frothy head. Aroma is somewhat subdued for style but its all there and fresh too Great complex whirl of flavours here: coffee,blackberries,esspresso, dark cocoa laden chocolate, dark brown sugar, some hop in the after taste, good stuff. Very nice on the palate , great mouthfee, A very very good Strong stout from Eel River. I really did not think they had it in em tp produce this beauty

This looked nice and syrupy coming out of the bottle. Very dark, brown highlights. Thin head. Nice, typical IS aroma of dark chocolate, dark roasted malt and light coffee. Palate is dark fruit, is oily, then I get the more typical coffee and then heavy chocolate malt. Alcohol is totally masked. Body is a bit on the light side, but overall this is a very nice beer.

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.

Thanks to JCB for the bottle. Pours dark brown color with a small head. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, dark malt with a little dark fruit. Starts with chocolaty sweetness with coffee and a bit of liquorice and dark fruit, and finishes dry. No hint of the high alcohol. Really amazing stuff here.

22 oz bottle from Market of Choice. Pours black as motor oil with a fluffy tan head. Aroma of chocolate, coffee, maybe some light licorice. Big, smooth chocolate and coffee flavor with a nice roasty hint to it and a very smooth finish. Perhaps slightly too smooth, but that would be my only complaint with this tasty brew. Would have again.