Fish Tale Poseidons Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)

Formerly brewed at Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: Imperial Stout
Olympia, Washington USA

2002 bottle - batch 4, sampled at WeeHeavySDs 2000th rating party, thanks Jon! Pours a deep black with a nice tan head. Sharp aroma, of toasted malt, molasses, brown sugar, under-ripe fruit, chocolate, coffee, and alcohol. Taste is sharp and sour, of malt, under-ripe fruit, cocoa, molasses, bourbon, wood, and sugar. Lingering sharpness. Different and very tasty.

750ml bottle. Batch 4 - bottle November 2002. Hell yeah! This is one of those beers that I thought I,d never get... yet here it is! Awesomely balanced aroma. The sweeter roasted malt and the wine barrel tannin are fighting it out for dominance. Slightly tart and vinous with a whole lot of roasted vanilla and chocolate. A touch of smoke. A definite intense tartness as the beer warms. Nosing blind, there is no way that I would think this as an Imperial Stout. I have to believe that the tartness is from the barrel... Very little oxidation here. Like a sour impy! Crazy good. Very little hop profile... just malt and barrel. Pours an oily, dark, opaque brown with a thick and lasting khaki head. Flavor matches the aroma: loads of oily, rich roasted malts and tons of tart wine barrel presence. Vanilla and bitter chocolate coupled with velvety grape tannin. Absolutely delicious. Full bodied. Delicate carbonation. Finishes roasty and tart with a pleasant alcohol warmth. Six years and this badboy is still awesome. Wish I had another to cellar for six years. Thanks John for the awesomely rare treat!

Shared by Ygtbsm94. Thanks Brad. Wine, oak, and roastiness with a vinous character. Not for me, but i can see what other people like about it.

750 ml bottle tasted at WeeHeavySD’s 2000th rate tasting. Crazy. I tried and loved the fish Tail BA Barleywine. Now the uber rare imperial stout. Huge thanks Jon! Sweet. Hint of tartness. Good, but not at it’s peak. Very sweet. Black, tan head. I’m starting to think that I’m confusing a beer that is sour from infection, with the cabernet wine barrel tartness, which is more likely. Anyway, I prefer bourbon and brandy barrels for imperial stout and barleywines, and red wine barrels are better for sours. in my humble uneducated opinion.

750 ml bottle shared at WeeHeavySD’s 2000th rate tasting. Dark dark pour with aromas of choclate, roasted malts and some woody character. Some hops may have been present, but they weren’t super pronounced. Flavors were sweet with much sweet malt and chocolate. More wood in the finish. Pretty good.

11/27/2008. Bottle, Batch #3, Nov 2003 that I picked up at the Bottleworks in Seattle. Pours black as night with a thick mahogany head. Strong smoke, chocolate and Cabernet smells. Almost harsh initial flavor in the first sip. After that wonderful cask/oak flavors, prune and dates, toffee, brown sugar. A bit dusty at times and a bit of acidity at times too. As it warms more the Cabernet flavors grow. A very long lasting sweet aftertaste. Lights a furnace in the stomach. So glad I went for it and bought this one, what a treat!!

2002 750ml bottle, I believe I got from Asteel8 ages ago. After4ever told me these were starting to turn so I poped it. shared at my 2000th rating tasting with Kmweaver and his wife, my girlfriend Cyn, dalekliz, fordest, toncatcher, and wetherel. Pours black with a light brown head. Nose is sweet and rich. Taste is super sweet and malty very nice ba impy quite rich amazingly well aged.

this smelled like an old ale, tasted delicious... i remember (from a few weeks ago) the wine flavors, not a heavy mouthfeel. enjoyed this more and more after i sipped it slowly while listening to some vinyl with my roommate. overall: i absolutely loved it!! i put the empty bottle on my kitchen window sill, thank it every day for being so memorable. my thanks goes out to old_mr_crow for this one from a trade many months ago!!