Founders Imperial Stout

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

This poured an almost black color with a big light tan head. Aroma was very roasted, hints of coffe and bitter chocolate too. Flavor was much the same, very roasted a bit smokey and very dry. i was hoping this one would have been a bit better.

Deep black, creamy pour with a very thin brown head that faded immediately. Very nice aroma - exactly what you’d expect. Chocolate and coffee flavors with a strong roasted base. Alcohol is apparent on the nose, and even more in the taste and finish. Not as creamy as I was anticipating. Maybe a tad too much hops.

12 oz. bottle courtesy of a trade with pnista. The cool nights we’ve been having on eastern Long Island this summer have allowed me to continue drinking these big beers very comfortably. This one pours a deep, dense black with a very thin brown head despite pouring down the center of the glass. The head lasted through the first sip and left a transparent film on the glass. The aroma is lovely with lots of bitter chocolate and coffee along with some roasted malt. The flavor brings the roasted malt more to the forefront with chocolate, coffee and tobacco in supporting roles. Fairly smooth at the finish. Interestingly, the alcohol doesn’t rear its head until about 10-15 seconds after the swallow. Then, a burning sensation emerges in my chest and lower neck which lingers briefly and then subsides. Keep the cool weather coming!

Black pour with a bit of tan head...Light coffee aroma...Intense hop and burnt roasted malt flavors...Bitter finish...Thick and rich...Bitterness detracts from the malty chocolate goodness...Lay off the hops, this ain’t a DIPA...Fair rating due to my mouth feeling like I just scarfed down raw ground coffee...

A big beer with the dark, very heavy typical, almost chemical founders stout character wich i quite like actually. Its black, it has a viscous, slick mouthfeel. The flavours are heavy, chocolate, coffe, some caramel and hops. The finish is warming with a big roasted character blending nicely with the hop bitterness. Suprisingly easy to drink and perhaps a bit too straightforward.

12 oz bottle into a Duvel tullip. Pours completely black with a nice brownish tan head. Smells like coffee and alcohol. Taste is very rich and warm. Tons of complexity and depth, yet well balanced. So many flavors its hard to separate them. Esspresso roast coffee with a bit of chocolate and alcohol and a hint of smokiness. Rich creamy mouth feel. Another great stout from Founders. This brewery fast becoming a favorite of mine.

Originally reviewed 1/16/2009...from 12 oz. into a Duvel tulip... Pours so dark there’s actually a purplish-black currant hue to what otherwise looks split down the middle between a triple espresso shot and spent 40 weight. Cinnamon-brown sugar head is about 1/2 finger and goes rather quickly with moderate lacing. Carbonation provides sweet alcohol burn at first. Then the incredibly huge chocolate (and many others, apparently) malts take over. Big coffee and dark chocolate tones with woody, piney hop presence and slight sweetness. Oooh, the complexity of it all. This has a great balance between the huge dryness of all this roasted malt, a decent alcohol wallop (sweet but clean) and the stealth grass and pine hoppiness. I’d be interested to see how it mellows with age. Give this one some warmth to calm down the slight alcohol burn. If the alcohol hits anywhere it’s on the palate feel. The slight burn is mitigated by huge malt and hop presence. Finish is long and full. This is best enjoyed at cellar/room temperative and by sipping and savoring. Having said that, it drinks very easily for its weight class.

Rich chocolaty and hops aroma. Sweet with some citrus and dried fruit notes. Very dark brown body with thickish dark tan head with a fine head. Flavor is sweet and rich with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, oatmeal, rye bread, toffee and caramel and some vanilla and a light alcohol on the finish. Palate is quite rich and creamy with a good long bitter duration with a load of sweetness along for the ride. Quite good and very drinkable. Rich and hearty but not syrupy. Well done.