HopTown Old Yeltsin Imperial Stout

Formerly brewed at HopTown Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Pleasanton, California USA

2003 22 oz bottle. Pours a very dark black, light tinges of brown/violet around the edges. Big mocha/tan head. Smells of caramel, coffee and port wine? Definitely some hops influences as well, lightly spicy with some cocoa and black pepper notes as well. Flavor is big and assertive. Lots of rich dark coffee mixed with chocolate. Smooth, creamy, low carbonation. There is some note of vinousness, like a hint of port wine, or dark dark grapes. As BBB63 says, it is surprisingly drinkable, yet not light in any way. The hops are quite present, as this is very young, but they are not hugely bitter. Good stuff!

Bottle: Opaque with fading fizzy tan head and some lace. The nose has notes of toffee and caramel malts, mild Costa Rican coffees, hazelnut, mocha, anise, floral and piney hops, and woody yeast esters. Moderate alcohol phenols snap at the nose, vinous. The initial taste has notes of very bittersweet chocolate and burnt malts with a twangy citric background, almost berry in nature. The finish displays a vanilla, nutty, and sublime spicy nature with a final splash of alcohol snap. The fell is lively yet smooth until the finish which has an aggressive bite letting you know the beer is not to be taken lightly. So much more hoppy and drinkable than many in style, but still has enough depth and complexity to please this stoutie! Thanks Dave for the bottle, makes the wait worth it!!

Very black pour, small tan head. Aroma had hints of coffee and chocolate. Fantastic flavor, sweet with some nicely balanced hop bitterness. Alcohol is quite well hidden.

Thanks to Flipbrewer for this one. Pours black with a nice tan head. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, and cognac. Tastes of coffee, chocolate, licorice, and malt. Finishes very smooth. Nice complexity.

Bottle pours black as night, small creamy tannish head, along with decent lacing and minor yeasty bits.   Light carob and roasted malts on the nose, but a heavy aroma of alcohol.   Up front I get a sweet burnt caramel or molasses flavor.   This leads into a nice coffeeish taste, but unfortunately a slight medicinal taste near the end.   Good mouthfeel, good flavors up front, but the finish could use some fixen.   Luckily as it warms the finish gets more manageable.   Thanks goes out to cquiroga for the trade!

Poured black, thick completely opaque with a small tan head. Aroma is heavy on the dark roasted malts, some coffee, molasses and bitter chocolate with a somewhat surprising hop character. Flavor is bitter sweet, from the roasty malt and gives way to a nice hop flavor. This one got better as it warmed as well. Thick body and mild carbonation. A nice brew freshly bottled and I'm looking forward to seeing how it ages as well.

Near black with a moderate tan head. Initial aroma of bitter cherries, really out me off, but this dissipated and the dark chocolate, blackberry and marzapan aromas took over. Cocoa, and mild fruit flavors. Some piney hops mid gulp. Seems to thicken as it warms. Alcohol is perceived only from my light headedness.

Beer pours very dark brown if not downright black with a big thick fully retained light brown head. There looks to lots of lacing also. Aroma is deep, full, and rich. Nots of liquer soaked cherries, roasted malt, chocolate, alcohol, and a little hops. Flavor is initially quite sweet followed by a big dose of roastiness. The finish is dry and hoppy. This is excellent big beer.