Eel River Ravens Eye Imperial Stout

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

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.

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.

on tap at eel river. a decent impy which made a nice midday treat, very black, light hazelnut and burnt toast aroma, quite thick, coffee and vanilla, nice stuff

(22oz bottle) Black-cola body topped by thin tan head. Aroma is medium sweet, cocoa, coffee, some roast. Taste is moderately sweet, coffee, chocolate, some alcohol, earthy, burnt, light plum, grapefruit. Sticky full body, quite drinkable.