 Drnk_McDermott (1565), Downers Grove, Illinois, USA
Dec 11, 2006 Updated: Jan 25, 2008
Goblet at FS, Jan 24 ’08 as "Sarge." Last chance for this Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers Bronze medalist. At least 15 months in barrel. Pours a big brown head over black body. Heady chocolate smell with a bit of cherry and coffee. Taste delivers brandy-strength alcohol around a nice milk stout base, slippery and mellow all at once. No sourness as with many barreled beers. Just bits of char and some wood "sprites." Best beer I’ve had since—well, since I sampled this at FoBAB in November!
As Rating #1,001, this is the first runner-up to Rating #1,000. If, for any reason, a previous rating gets deleted, or Rating #1,000 is otherwise unable to fulfill its duties, this rating will take its place as Rating #1,000.
Goblet at FS, Dec. 11 ’06 as "Young Sarge." Ain’t we just all suckers for an Impy Stout? Add to it some coffee or chocolate. Then throw it in a barrel for awhile and we come drooling. Anyway, this has the familiar black mocha java color, supporting a nice bubbly brown head. A big bourbon and brown sugar smell. Taste is quite complex: leathery, oily, roasty and full of alcohol warmth. Just a touch of bitterness remains, with traces of an orange or citrusy hop brightness. Effect at some point reminds me of those little chocolate liqueur bottles. Give this one its props and toast the Sarge.
bu11zeye (3780), Frisco, Texas, USA
Sep 14, 2008 (Draught) Pours a black body with a small tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, oak, vanilla, and chocolate. Flavor of roasted malt, coffee, oak, chocolate, and toffee with a dry finish.
Philip (389), Illinois, USA
Aug 12, 2008 Great Taste 2008. Finally a chance to try Sarge after missing this a few times. I think this was just a step behind FFF Vanilla Dark Lord, but excellent nonetheless. Poured a great color with chocolate, oatmeal, dark roast coffee. Coated the mouth like drinking whole milk. Nice bourbon finish, that shows it’s 16 months of ageing.
badbeer (413), Iowa, USA
Jun 11, 2008 Black with a dark tan head that recedes to a ring around the glass and has spotty lacing. Aroma of dark cherries, licorice, bourbon, vanilla, and some oak. Taste is creamy milk chocolate, with bourbon, cherries, and vanilla; alcohol is pretty well hidden. Low carbonation and medium to full bodied. I wouldn’t hesitate to try this again, in fact, I would have ordered more, but they ran out by that time at Pre-DLD.
pint_size (1004), Austin, Texas, USA
May 28, 2008 4-25-08 tap at Flossmoor (pre-DLD party)
Pitch black pour with little to no head in my pour. Smell is nice and bold chocolate and vanilla and bourbon. Flavor is big chocolate and bourbon as well. Palate is thick and bold and almost syrup-like. Overall, another Flossmoor winner!
Glouglouburp (2006), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
May 23, 2008 In short: A heavy fruity Imperial Stout. Great body, too much alcohol. Very good but not excellent sipper.
How: Tab at brewpub. Pre-Dark-Lord-Day party 2008
The look: Black body with a medium tan head
In long: Full, big, huge, enormous body. Packed with lots of roasted malts with quite a bit of dark fruits flavours. Light-medium roastiness, less roasted sensation than average for the style. Some black chocolate and some black liquorice. Smooth carbonation. The beer looses points with me because of the alcohol presence. Too much alcohol warmth in the body and an bite in the finish I could have done without. This is a good Sarge but not a great Sarge. Not a great Sarge that would take a bullet for you, but still a good Sarge that will not snitch on you if you take a crap in the Captain’s helmet.
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