HopTown Old Yeltsin Imperial Stout

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

Darkest Brown Coloring with Tan Ring. Aroma and Taste are of Coffee Roasts, Barley, Hevy Malt...Medium Sweet Mouthfeel and Dry Hop Aftertaste. Nothing Fancy, Just a Wonderful Imperial Stout.

Black color with no head. Faint aroma of coffee which comes out stronger in the taste and couples with a nicely bitter malt. The hops strike me as very earthy. Almost salty on the end. Nice.

Ebony tinted brown with an immense brown head of foam on top. Keeps its top for a stint. Lace is very minimal, as most drips or fades off leaving only specks to decorate the glass. A thin collar always stays at the edges. Nice aroma of dry hopping and deep dark roasted malts. Touches of rye, molasses, and dark fruitified alcoholic heat feather about the edges. Taste is semi tangy, moderately roasted, fairly dark, and nicely drying. Flavors begin with a light dry rye sweep then dips right in with tangy dark fruit toasted fruits with dates, figs, and raisin. Partial chocolate makes a base under the fruity tangyness. Finishes with a tangy left over roast of grains and malts with an easy fading dryness of light, dry, leafy hops. Perhaps a smidgeon of coffee and chocolate creeps across the finish but tends to stay towards a sweeter, fruitier rendition of molasses and malts, yet maintaining a dry tone. Pretty cool finish. Feel is pretty big and juicy. Respectfully clean and bold with a well rounded medium/full character wrapped up in darkened malty tang and dry hopped noting all across its general nature. Goes down without much hassle. Perhaps a bit too much tangy, but as soon as I type that statement the dryness flows right in taking care of that notion with one favorable turn of dark, bold roasty stuff and drying of chocolate and hops. Nice. Glad I picked it up. A solid Impy Stout.

Very dark brown with a short lived brown head. Tart, lactic, alcohol and old leather aroma with a little formaldehyde. Slightly oxidized metallic flavor upfront (was shipped to me in the summer), some multi-vitamin, dark chocolate covered candied fruit. Smooth palate, nice finishing bitterness. Not bad.

Poured an opaque black color with a small, tan head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malt, dried fruits, chocolate, and nuts as well. Taste of chocolate, roasted malt, vanilla bean, and some tart cherries as well.

22oz bomber via trade with jazz88 - Thanks Eric! - Pours black with a nice creamy mocha head that laces a little but not too much. Aroma is of coffee, plums, and a touch of almond. Flavor is burnt malts, plums, raisins, some coffee. This is lighter than other imperial stouts I’ve tried but as creamy and mouth coating as any. Alcohol is pretty well hidden and this is a great sipper due to the smoothness. This isn’t the best impy I’ve ever had but it is certainly worth trying and very drinkable.

Jet Black color, near black pour, brownish tan head, no lacing. Nose of winey grapes and bitter chocolate, some astringent coffee notes. The flavor is an homage to the bitter/astringent notes of what roasted malt can be. Dry tail with a chalky mouthfeel. The finish is a bit subpar with a more overly bitter notes, too much long-term hopping.

Cork, Cedar and Coffee on the nose, a bit sweet. Mouth is medium bodied with some bitterness and sour notes, tannins, low on residual sugar. Finish is light and smokey and lasts for quite a while. Had it again Oct 8, noticed a bit of a burnt-coffee note on the mouth, I think that’s what prevented me from giving it a higher rating.