Full Sail Top Sail Imperial Porter

Brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Hood River, Oregon USA

Bottle 65cl. @ post Borefts BF 09 hotel tasting [ As Full Sail Imperial Porter ].
[ Trade by Papsoe ]. Clear dark black color with a average, creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate to light light heavy malty, dark roasted, burnt, coffee, light to moderate hoppy, vanilla notes. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is watery to oily, carbonation is soft. [20091031]

’09 bottle. Poured black with a moderate beige head. Aroma is distinctively mocha like. Flavor is more chocolate and coffee, smoke, toast, a bit of acidicness, and a little hop bittering on the end. The finish also has an alcohol warmth, and I found that after it lingered a while there was a touch of grassiness to the hops. Has a nice full mouthfeel.

Bottle at post Borefts BF 09 tasting. Black brown, lasting beige head. Really lovely choccy flavours. Awesome really. Really good choc.

Pours a deep dark brown, almost pitch black with slight mahogany edges when held to a light source and a two finger frothy pillowy tan head. Very good retention, only slowly fading into a lasting cap that coats the glass with sheets of soapy lacing. Deep roasted malt aroma with lots of dark chocolate, rosted coffee bean, lactic cream, toffee, nut, oatmeal, slight alcohol and earthy pine hops. Chewy, slightly viscous medium body that is very hop forward, especially for the style. Lots of dry piny hops up front with a silky chocolate malt body with a very strong roasted coffee presence. Hints of toffee, oatmeal, caramel, licorice and slight alcohol heat. Very bitter with a lot of earthy and citrus hops, bitter dark chocolate and roasted malt. The hop presence is a bit too overpowering and the bitterness takes over the silky chocolate malt flavor that I love in big Imperial Stouts and Porters. Very complex but not as balanced as I would like and way too bitter.

pours a slightly thinned black with a good brown head that leaves some good lacing. lots of chocolate on the nose, plenty of roast and toast too. flavor is nice, some hints of tarry smoke too. hops are absent, would make a nice addition. palate is nice, goes slightly thin/alcohol in the back. nice and creamy in the very front though.

Bottle, shared with Parksy. Near black pour, moderate tan head. Chocolate and cherries aroma, estery undertones. Fudgey, sweet palate, lots of burnt malt bitterness. A little harsh alcohol creeps into the finish too. Not as smooth as I’d hoped, and not as complex or as nicely hopped as Gonzo IMHO.

22oz. bottle poured into a Snifter at 45°. Color is a solid black with good carbonation and a small tight tan head that has fine lacing. Aroma is sweet with alcohol and deeply roasted malt. Taste is creamy and mellow. Starting with a bold medium body it goes down with a smooth feel. Finish comes in with a big roasted taste that gives off flavors of coffee, burnt toast and a touch of smoke. After taste is dry with a smooth bitterness. Overall its a good brew with nice deep roasted flavors.

Full Sail is just calling this the "Imperial Porter" for its 2009 release. No "Top Sail" and whatnot. Nomenclature aside, what do we have here? We have a good example of what I have determined is a fine style. There’s an awesome dry dusty burnt unsweetened-chocolate character to the palate. A little boozy on the tail end. As memory serves, Flying Dog Gonzo compares well with this.