mikalooch (163), , New Jersey, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 17/20 | Nov 1, 2008 Pours pitch black with a very thin beige head. Smells of roasted chicory and coffee with a hint of spice. Nice start with chocolate, coffee with cream and sugar. Finishes with a smoky flavor with anise underneath. Very well balanced and smooth despite the intense flavor. Nice beer. chicagobears (336), Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 | Nov 1, 2008 Finally got my hands on this. Coffee and chocolate are of a fine quality. Great ingredients, great flavor. Drink it for Breakfast, drink it after Dinner. Either way you’ll be happy. xpimptastikx (41), Austin, Texas, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 | Nov 1, 2008 A very big thanks to CSmiley for this want as an extra. It was drank the morning after halloween.
Pours a thick jet black. Hardly any head is produced, what’s there is a light brown that’s almost frothy when swirled. Smells almost perfect. A nice balance between the roastedness and bittersweet chocolate. The taste is almost perfect. The chocolate holds up to the roasted malts, but the coffee could be a little stronger. I think this bottle was from last years production. When it hits your tongue it has a good amount of carbonation and leaves a silky feeling. The 8.3 abv makes this more drinkable than it should be. A pretty great beer overall. smashteroid (250), USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 | Oct 31, 2008 I tried this beer about three years ago at the Extreme Beer Festival in Boston. I declared it one of the best beers of the night, and have been searching for it ever since. Somehow, I located a store in NJ that stocks it. Served cold from a 12 oz. bottle. Pours black with a good brown head. Aroma is all chocolate, coffee, and caramel. One of my favorite aromas ever, maybe. The taste matches up well with the scent. Great chocolate/coffee flavor, with a tiny hint of hops. Creamy mouthfeel, a touch of alcohol at the very end. One of the better imperial stouts I’ve consumed. dvonaught (1), Malden, Massachusetts, USA does not count | 4.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 10/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 18/20 | Oct 29, 2008 Great beer, full of flavor coffee/chocolate. Chocolate taste really come out after a year. I could smell this all day Hugerat (432), somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| 4.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 10/10 | 5/5 | 19/20 | Oct 28, 2008 Stumbled upon this totally by accident at a locat bar - The Independent - despite looking for it for years. My first impression was not coffee, as other reviewers found, but a deep earthiness. The lacing on the glass struck me as more beautiful than any beer I’ve had, with a wonderful cathedral windowpane effect. Definitely have to get more. imadeadguy (378), back in NJ!, New Jersey, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 | Oct 28, 2008 12oz. from bmartin08. Pour is black with nice brown head. Aroma is strong of coffee, chocolate, and malt. Flavor is dominated by coffee. Awesome brew! HopsWhisperer (10), , North Carolina, USA
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 | Oct 28, 2008 The first comment I have about this beer is to make sure you let it warm before drinking. The drinking experience improves dramatically as this beer warms. If I were to close my eyes when smelling this beer, I would swear I was smelling a fresh brewed cup of coffee. Bittersweet cocoa and fresh ground coffee beans prevail. It is black as night, with a cinnamon (yes, the label is very accurate) colored head that is slow to build and leaves bits of lace dotting the sides of the tulip glass all the way down. As I drink this, I am reminded of dark chocolated covered espresso bean candies. Bitter cocoa followed by a bitter coffee flavor. A slight hint of alcohol is also present. Mouthfeel is fairly thick, with a definite warming all the way down. The flavor clings to my mouth, not wanting to really disappear even after several minutes. Overall, I had quite high expectations for this beer. I can’t say it has let me down, but I am also not sure that it is the best big stout I have had. But if you are an Imperial Stout lover, don’t miss it.
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