Eel River Ravens Eye Imperial Stout

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

Bottle. Head is initially average sized, frothy/creamy, brown, mostly lasting. Body is black (non-opaque, flashlight-tested). Aroma is moderately malty (chocolate, caramel, roasted grain), lightly hoppy (grapefruit), with notes of alcohol, vanilla, and plum. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, creamy texture, soft/lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. A nice example, but not quite on the top shelf for me...the alcohol sticks out more than expected; usually Impies (esp. American ones) are massive enough in body and flavors to hide quite a bit of alc, but even at under 10% it’s still a bit of a poke in the eye (and throat). The aroma is pleasant but a bit on the light/meek side. Overall a nice effort and could definitely be a real winner with only a little more work.

Someone brought this to a Blind tasting in NY, thank you whoever. This ended up being the first beer of the tasting so I think my rating might have been a bit reserved in preparation for all the Imperial Stouts we were about to consume. Aroma is hoppy, leafy, and only lightly roasty. Taste is again hops-centered (not overly hoppy, that just comes out most) with a regular Imperial Stout hiding somewhere behind that. A lightly slick mouthfeel and a small tan head.

Jet black with a thin brown head. Aroma of cocoa and espresso. There is definitely more than a "hint" of espresso in both the aroma and flavor of this one. Accompanying the roasted espresso overtones are hints of bittersweet chocolate and earth. A touch of sweetness compliments the espresso nicely. Not the most complex IS, but very enjoyable nonetheless.

Smells like a fresh brewed pot of coffee. If I paid closer attention and saw this was organic, I never would’ve ordered it. Just don’t care for the organic stuff. Anyway, no lasting head to speak of and not much depth of flavor. A little roasty. Little bit to boozy for my taste. Not terrible but not great either. My aroma rating will skew this one’s rating higher than it deserves but whatever.......

Thanks to me, whee! Pours a rich brown color with medium off white color. Aroma is light fig, coffee, sweet malt. Taste of rich caramel malt, light hops, toffee, mild fruit and some alcohol. Finishes pretty smooth. Good stuff.

Esspresso, jerusalem almonds and cocoa nose. Brown sugar and big roasted cocoa notes are very predominate on the palate. Big rich mouthfeel with some mild astringency. Lingering roasted finish.

Courtesy SoLan. Pours pitch black with a light brown head. The nose has some banana, dark roasty malts, and some light chocolate. The taste is rather mellow for an imperial stout i thought. Seemed to be missing something. Still nothing to pour out by any means it was rather enjoyable. Nice roastiness to it, with some chocolate in the background. Maybe needed just a tad more body to thicken it up a bit. Still very good though.

Bomber. Poured medium-deeper ruddy brown with a cap of deep tan head. The aroma picked up deeply-roasted yet sweeter coffee (perhaps some lactose sweetness in there).. toffee and caramel roll in behind, picking up some baker’s chocolate at the back.. sweeter overall with moderate roast and nice balance. The flavor was more about the roasted coffee with a sweeter chocolate and caramel appeal on the edges.. the back-end found a milky, almost oaty sweetness.. warm coffee and chocolate on the finish. Heavier-bodied and grainy on the palate with the alcohol well-masked.. higher carbonation.. just an OK feel and flow. This was a decent impy stout that I’d gladly drink again.