Eel River Ravens Eye Imperial Stout

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

Bottle in trade. this was very goog. Loads of espresso, molasses and chocolate. Thick and chewy,really a great feel on the tongue. This was a brew to sip slowly and enjoy the comlexity and changes as it warmed.

Bottle provided by kenb. Pours opaque with a small creamy dark brown head that somewhat diminishes to rocky, fair to good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (molasses, chocolate, coffee, toasted), light hops (grass, perfume), average yeast (dough) with notes of smoke. Full bodied, alcoholic texture, average carbonation and a bitter finish. Average duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and bitterness; very nice toasted chocolate malt flavor.

Deep dark brown, almost black, body with an ample frothy brown head. Roasted malts, dark roasted coffee, hints of grapefruit hops, prunes, and alcohol all mix in the aroma and in the flavor. The alcohol is evident but not overpowering the flavor components. Well crafted.

Huge thanks to EcMagee for this one. Pours jet black with 2-finger brown head. This is an easy 5 for look. Aroma is chocolate malt, chocoff, hints of cherry, some nuts. Tastes dark malty, with chocoff, bourbon, noticeable alcohol, mild tart cherries. Not sweet, and stays rather dry, with a nicely smoothed out palate courtesy of the Nitrogenation, but a rather light in heft palate for the style, whch makes this one smooth to quaff, even though the alcohol stays prominent throughout, which lends this one an air of a slighty thin bourbon-oak-barrel stout. At the last dregs, a lot of brown lacing remained. Well done, yet again, from Eel River.

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.

Shared by OhioDad at the Columbus tasting #6. Very smooth velvety chocolate aroma.Pours black with a light tan head.Got some nice chocolate and coffee in the flavor.Medium to full mouthfeel with a roasted malt finish.

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.

(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.