Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout

Brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Hood River, Oregon USA

My roomates stumbled upon a bottle of this in Glacier, WA of all places. Deeply infused with esspresso, this stout seems to take on a slightly thin/astringent character, although it gets better with warmth. The smoke comes through as well as some dark chocolate. The alchohol is there but all but buried under all that coffee. This definitely could use some time to mellow out, but with some roundness it could really be another excellent Full Sail.

Translucent muddy-brown body with a fading tan head. No noticeable viscosity. Deep and roasty with properties of rum raisin and ashtray. Comes across as fairly harsh and rough. Needs some softer, less roasty malt character to make this more complex, creamier and more palatable.

22 oz bottle-pours a deep brown hue with a faint tan head. doesnt really look imperial, more a big porter than anything else. not much going on in the apearance. nutty notes with some toffee and coffee. sharp burnt finish of black patent malts-very charr-y. some hops also in there as well with some notes of oxidization. average.

Bottle Black coffee, brown edges, large foamy beige head, enjoyable lacing.   Burnt malts, subtle chocolate - bittersweet, with a hint of alcohol.   Plum/fig/date like start, followed by heavily roasted malts and a dash of cocoa and apple skin.   Decent body, but the mouthfeel seems less than mediocre.   Picks up coffee at the finish.   Decent, just not thick enough.   Thanks Brian M!

Bomber pictured at the top left: Opaque black, tan head that looks like the bloom from freshly roasted coffee beans in the french press; clingy lacing. Nose of soy sauce, dark roast and fresh malts, a bit of alcohol, some toddlerish qualities. Brisk astringency, mild bitterness; I’m searching for any sweetness over those two. Finishes medium-well with with light tangy roasty notes. Kupo!

Rerate, aged 4 months: 22oz Bomber: Pours with not much head, aromas here include dark fruits (dates & raisins), port, and some mustiness; the flavor is heavy with burnt toast and charcoal, and includes some espresso and cola mixed in; ample piney hopping and dryish finish; the palate is acidic and slightly astringent, with moderate body for an impy; bitterness comes from highly roasted malts; aging really helps this. I’ll try my next one in another few months.

Warm - about what you’d expect from a typical Imperial Stout, but a little lacking in charred grain flavor and hops.

(bottle) Pours black with hardly a tan head. Coffee/chocolates were in the nose, same in the taste except it was sweeter then I expected. Alchohol was not well hidden, and it was very oiley, very syrupy, but not in a good way. I wasnt impressed by full sail this time. But, I’ll drink their barley wine anyday!