Founders Imperial Stout

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

Thanks to JCapriotti for this one. Pours raven black with medium dark tan head. Definite 5 for appearance. Aroma of malt, chocoff, big hops, cinnamon, jalapeno oil. Tastes malty, with big chocoff, some licorice and raisins, oats, oak, corn flakes. Acquires a chocolate syrup essence at the finish, with more dark fruit and spice (raisins, licorice, cinnamon). The palate is dense, smooth, complex, and very well balanced. Well hidden alcohol. Sherlock Holmes said, "When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." For me, the saying goes, "If you cannot make any deductions, then the score must be perfect." Congratulations to Founders for jumping into my all-time pantheon, joining Three Floyd’s and Stoudt’s with 2 perfect ratings. I’d bang Oprah Winfrey for a case of this stuff.

Midnight black pour, no light comes through at all. Small brown head with plenty of lacing. There is a lot of complexity in the aroma, with chocolate notes present. Very thick mouthfeel, with a high roasted chocolate flavor. Alcohol is felt more than tasted. Lingering finish for several minutes, with a dark chocolate aftertaste. This is a glorious beer!

Style and Glass: Imperial Stout; Snifter ABV, Volume & Calories: 10.5% in 12 fl oz. estimated at 200 C Purchased at: Joe Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $2.75 Aroma: roasted malts, coffee, sugar, syrup, carbon, toast, winter evenings, fireplace Visuals: beautiful, exquisite packaging like all Founders brews, dark as midnight, absolutely black, light does not escape, starts with thick tan head, which dissipates over time but does not disappear, lace stays for a while. Taste: delicious balance, syrupy but not cloying malt flavor, deep and acrid hop flavor afterwards. Palate: Smooth, silky velvet feel. lingers upon the tongue and in the mouth. Coating, sticky, and delicious. Overall: What an amazing brew. I’ll have it again, at least 3 times, though I’d love to have it at least once a week. originally posted at: <a href="http://beercritic.wordpress.com/"&

Bottle from the beer depot: Pitch black, thick, with tan head... cascades, starts to overflow...Nose of chocolate Zingers, alcohol, hard water. Rich and roasty on my lips, vanilla and chocolate Zingers, tangy with some dry bitterness at the finish. Alcohol is really well masked in the taste. Texture is awesome, rich, strong roasty character is huge as it warms. UPDATE: Thsi, above all beers is my favorite. It is huge, but I can enjoy a 4 pack, or just sip on one after work. Perfectly rich and creamy, perfectly strong yet easily drinakable. "Prolly" the best stout out there.

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.

12 oz. Pitch with a small, lasting oil slick of fine bubbles. Aroma is espresso, light caramel, cocoa and char. Tastes of espresso, prickly mesquite/hickory char, caramel, chocolate, orange, light whiskey, vanilla, cured tobacco, oats and more. Heavy body is super smooth, tongue-tingly and roasty-dry. Dangerous.

much thanks to pailhead for hooking this up...this impy pours dark as night with very little chocolate head.the aroma was nothing short of excellent.roasted malts,raisins,chocolate,oatmeal,damn....it just keeps going.now for the flavor....DAMN!again,this is excellent.coffee,chocolate,roasted malts,and a tad bit of alcohol.this is one of the best impy stouts i have ever had.

Poured Black and thick. Not a lot of head, but it was dark brown and clung to the side of the glass. Aroma was of the style, roasted malts, chocolate, coffee. This was dry, sweet and bitter? It left my mouth watering for more. I KNOW I am serving this a little cold, but, damn, It was-2 degrees this morning, !!! As is warms more complex flavors are coming out. Bitter coffee is strong at the front of the tongue. The full body then turns sweet with an ever so slight bitter/dry finish. I am really enjoying this, if you can’t tell. It is so smooth, it could almost be a session brew. If dark brew is for you, trade-drive-cheat-steal to get this one. Mmmmmmmm! This is really Great!!! rerate on 3-22-05 I am completely bewildered by these ratings. This is my favorite Impy. Stout. Get with it people.