Fish Tale Poseidons Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)

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

Bottle, Batch 4 (Nov. 2002), kindly shared by David! Poured black with a tall, deep, well-retained dark brown head.. just lovely!, with intricate lacing following it down. The aroma was of rich dark chocolates delicately intertwined with darker grapes.. some sherry was also present, and the oak made itself known.. the vinous presence was greater than anticipated, but was fantastic!

The flavor was also rich, with well-roasted darker chocolates and heavy vinous notes at the core.. sherry and increasing vinous notes ride out the roasty finish with drier chocolates and cocoa.. this was like candy to me! The body was not much heftier than medium-bodied, but filled out a bit as the drink progressed.. great roast and barrel influence!.. creamy middle balanced well with sour oaky accents. Brilliant!

Name: Poseidons Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)
Date: 02/06/2000
Mode: Bottle
Source: Belmont Station, Portland

black, big tan head, stronq roasted malt aroma, rich lingering roasted malt flavor, slightly sweet, chocolate character, bitter finish
-------- /> Name: Poseidons Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)
Date: 12/15/2005
Source: tasting
Vintage: 2001

black, whispy brown head, sweet vineous roasted malt aroma, rich malt flavor, nice sweetness, touch of woody character, vineous ripe fruit starts to come through upon warming

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Tried at the Great Canadian Beer Festival, a batch that had aged 6 months. Sweet and smooth.

Re-rated from bottle 02 provided by springslicker==RBSG 07. A deep brown/black pour with a medium tan head. Huge chocolate nose with a hint of abv. A nice semi sweet chocolate flavor that comes through. A solid palate and good carbonation. All round good beer a bit of sour on the front of the taste takes away a bit for me, but still a very good beer.

Batch 4, 2002 vintage. Pitch black with a tight brown head - a very pretty pour, a bit foreboding, like a really hot "bad girl". Very complex nose, sweetly fruity with black cherry plum, fig and grape seamlessly integrating with a rich chocolate. The flavor is all of the above and more - blueberry and light coffee join the mix, creating a beautiful amalgam of chocolate, coffee and fruit that thrills the tongue. A tad too sweet overall, but still a stunning beer. I’m not as gay for this as my buddy Boboski, but it’s close... Mad props to whoever I traded for this rare beauty (I’m sorry I forget who it was).

Batch 3, 2001. Black pour with a strange glow, like a light with no color, a void in the center. The edge has a blood red composite that sparkles with sediment under a bright backlight. A dark tan head slowly diminishes, leaving thick circular lace. The nose is very powerful. Sweet notes of red wine-saturated oak barrels, spicy vanilla, fruit-infused liquor, soft roasted grain and sugar-smacked coffee all propel forcefully from the glass. The vinous quality is staggering in its complexity and ferocity. Nuances of grapes, sun-drenched grape skin, tannins and ancient oak all gather together to create a solid punch. Alcohol is heavy but the entire aroma is so sweet and lush that it matters very little and isn’t bothersome. Both tart and sweet, fruits abound, ringing loudly with scents of black cherry, apricot, raspberry and blueberry. Yeast is barely evident, obviously docile after a long while in the bottle. Chocolate notes that seem to form a thin candy shell around the entire aroma are dulled and dotted with traces of nuts and caramel. the most memorable part of this is the vinous character, it is so vigorous that each inhalation is cause for a brief shudder. Wow. The flavor is just as spectacular and even sweeter than the aroma. Wine barrel notes are at full throttle as soon as the first sip graces my tongue, soured fruits and bold spice forcing a stranglehold on my palate that really takes a few moments to even begin to comprehend. Different components of the flavor try and try again to find their way through the maze of vinous qualities so dominant. As soon as chocolate, roast or caramel emerge they are pounced on by the aggression of the wine and barrel flavors. Bitterness is light, sometimes nearing mild, but mostly is subdued by heavy sweetness. Some astringency from mild acidity, no doubt a byproduct of tannins and residual sugars, is evident. A thin line is glared at but never crossed, a showdown between skillful brewing execution, adequate and beneficial aging, near cloying flavor that is greeted by a ferocious assault of wood and wine. The glimpse is close, thankfully the line draws nearer with each sip but is never breached. The mouthfeel is completely full bodied, peppered with spices, inky and oily. Carbonation is low but plays a vital role is the notable size and nearly cheek-busting expansion of flavor in each sip. The finish is very sweet, with lingering chocolate and roast. Light alcohol warmth dots the throat on it’s way down. Long after the last sip, dry Cabernet notes dance wildly across my tongue, a reminder of a bold undertaking that couldn’t really have turned out much better. Were the flavor less weet as a whole I would’ve adjusted the overall score to a higher total. As it is, it’s too sweet to drink any way but extremely slowly, which suited me just fine. After all, satisfaction like this should be savored and doted upon. This is an absolute marvel to behold, a wonderful employment of aging in wine barrels and a giant step forward in flavor from the original incarnation of this beer. A fantastic, unforgettable experience.

Thanks to Immy. 750 ml bottle. Batch 4 November 2002. Pours black in color with brown head. Aroma sweet and chocolate. Taste of sweet fruit and chocolate with bitter after taste.

Could not find this anywhere in Washington or Oregon during the ABA ’07 trip. Not even at the brewery in Olympia. Luckily someone brought this brew to the RBSG ’07 Grand Tasting. Pours an opaque dark brown brew with a creamy light brown head. Aroma of dark chocolate, some oak wood, dark fruits, and some cherry. Could not detect any bourbon. Taste is very thick, very light carbonation, syrupy and smooth. Flavor is very sweet, more dark fruits and dark chocolate malt. Finish is smooth, creamy and more heavy alcohol in the finish. A fine sipping brew for the Minnesota winters.