Jack of the Wood Green Man Imperial Stout

Brewed by Green Man Brewing (Jack of the Wood)
Style: Imperial Stout
Asheville, North Carolina USA

Pours dark with a tan head, Roasty aroma, tobacco, chocolate flavors w/ a caramel/toffee and coffee finish, excellent imperial stout w/ overall creamy texture

(On cask at the Green Man brewery). Appearance: Jet black body with a small, powdery, light tan head. Smell: Melted semi-sweet chocolate morsels with dark caramel, vanilla, a puff of smoke, and a restrained roastiness. Taste: Dark maltiness yielding flavors of rich semi-sweet chocolate, dark caramel, and vanilla. Light dusting of powdered sugar. Pleasant roastiness emerges along wtih a medium earthy roastiness. More chocolate and roast at the end for a mocha-like finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Mild carbonation. Drinkability: The non-cask version was quite good, but on cask it’s exquisite. If you can’t get down to the brewery to give it a try, then, I’m sorry, my friend.

Tap at the brewpub on 2/3/08: Pours an opaque black with dark brown edges and a stringy-lacing tan head. Sweet dark caramel and chocolate nose has some dark fruity complexity and licorice notes. Body starts fairly full and earthy dark caramely sweet with rich dark chocolate complexity and some molasses and raisins before a slightly bitter, but mostly sweet finish. Nicely balanced and flavorful. The cask version has an even creamier head and mouthfeel with good licorice flavor.

Date: 08/12/2005
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewery

black, good tan head, sweet roasted malt aroma, sweet malt flavor with a tart edge, strange sweet character in the flavor, maybe lactose, vanilla, diacyitl, nice roasted character leading into a light bitter finish,
-------- /> Date: 01/18/2008
Mode: cask
Source: brewery

black, thick and creamy tan head, lots of patterned lace, rich dark chocolate and roasted malt aroma with a touch of dark fruit, creamy velvet body, rich chocolate flavor, dark chocolate bitterness is balanced by a milk chocolate sweetness, nice plum character rises out of the sweetness, rating reflects cask version
-------- /> Date: 01/18/2008
Mode: draft
Source: brewery
Score: 3.5

black, fine tan head, streaks of drippy lace, dark chocolate aroma with a touch of dark caramel sweetness balanced by earthy hops, rich dark chocolate flavor with lots of roasted malt, touch of milk chocolate sweetness, hint of fruity character, as it warms the chocolate gets richer, bitter finish rises out of the dark chocolate, so much better blended and balanced on cask plus the body smooths out the rough edges,
-------- /> Date: 02/03/2008
Mode: cask
Source: brewery

a hint of alcohol comes through, touch of stylistic tartness,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 10/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 10/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 4.1/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Draft at Jack of the Wood. Jet black with a little light brown head. Burnt coffee and some chocolate on the nose. Not as overpowering a smell as many imperial stouts. Warming, smoky coffee flavors with some sweetness...maybe caramel? This guy’s really well balanced and creamy and overall a great beer from a cool brewpub.

Draft @ brewpub. Labeled as an RIS, but wasn’t poured in proper glassware (I’m picky). I thought this was a standout while I was drinking in Asheville. Dark pour here with an alluring and creamy tan head. Deep, roasted chocolate malts round the palate with a slight burn on the front end. After I drank this I was impressed by the balance that made it dry and bitter. A slight hint of ashy smoke on the finish. Great brew.

Draught. Pours black with mere rubies appearing in the body a whispy khaki head. The nose is heavily roasted with loads of bitter coffee, toasted oats, and sweet chocolate to boot. The mouthfeel is hefty and warming which compliments all the roasty flavors. The initial sip is sweet of chocolate, but quickly transitions to a lingering, smoky bite. This is very nice.

On tap at Jack of the Wood. Black, with a thick brown head. Really pleasent aroma of coffee, charcoal and dark chocolate. Very full bodied and satisfying palate. Flavor is coffee at first, then a bit ashy and chalky, and some chocolate notes. Very tasty and satifying on a cold Saturday afternoon!