Founders Imperial Stout

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Deep dark brown black liquid which is opaque and topped with a deep tan head. Nose is mildly sweet but roasty happy goodness. Taste is rich roasted bitters resolving into a nice wash of sweetness and finishing again with a really nice roast coffee taste. Mouthfeel is full and silky. Very thick and impressive stout.

What a surprise to see in my spreadsheet that after enjoying this beer for so long, I have never taken the time to rate it. Well, Founders is a favorite brewery of mine and has many impressive products. This certainly is one. So, I snagged a bottle and enjoyed. It pours pitch black with a foamy but small brown head. The aroma holds notes of bakers chocolate, roasted espresso, prunes, cherries, anise, smoke, and a hint of alcohol. Thick, robust, syrupy body that I love from a stout. The flavor was deep and intense with all the olfactory delights coming over in the gustatory experience. Excellent drink.

Oily black with an orangy brown head, fades to skin, no lace. Aromas are smoky, roasty, toasty malts, prunes, apples, molasses, alcohol and biscuit. Taste is malt all the way, with undertones of coffee, charcoal, earth, dark fruit, toffee. Although the malt is huge, it’s not sweet -- it has a strident bitterness throughout and an even more bitter hop finish. Mouthfeel is syrupy and chewy. One of the best I’ve had.

Pour is opaque black with a nice dense brown and tight bubbled head...smell is oasty with coffee and cocoa...some pine too...taste is not very sweet...strong coffee and milk flavors with hints of cocoa toward the moderately alcoholic finish...

A rich, creamy, dry imperial stout. Pours with a very small head, pitch black capped with light brown foam. Roasty flavor is complemented by subtle hopping. Very thick in the mouth, and quite drinkable. Not sweet at all.

bottle - Pours thick and black with a thin, brown head. The aroma is of roasted malts and coffee with a bit of alcohol. The flavor is intense dark roast malts and continues the coffee notes. The mouthfeel is thick and the 10% ABV, at least in my bottle, is fairly well masked. The finish is quite dry. It’s not too remarkable for the style, but it’s a damn good style.

12 oz bottle. Pours as black as sin with a small dark brown head that faded to a thin ring quickly. Very heavy aroma of black patant malt, molassas, alcohol, anise, coffee, and dark chocolate. Flavor hits you up front with roast, burnt malt, alcohol, and charcoal. Finish is molassas, dark fruits, burnt toast, and alcohol. Mouthfeel is thick and oily in texture with soft minimal carbonation. Overall, a pretty enjoyable Imperial Stout, though the alcohol flavor is a bit more prominant than I’d like. This especially became an issue as it warmed towards room temperature.

(Bottle 35,5 cl) Pours black and opaque with a light brown head. Vinous, raisiny aroma. Very full body with plenty of roasted malt, vinous notes and accents of dried fruits. Quite alcoholic but super delicious. 300406