Lagunitas Black Rain Imperial Stout

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Petaluma, California USA

Deep brown/black pour. There is a lot of dark cocoa and a bit of herbal character. Dark sweet chewy malts with sweet chocolate and more fudginess than would be apparent from the nose. Sweet and cocoaish with a nice sweetness. Warming brings up a touch of booziness, but it’s nice.

Bomber from the Sam’s in Downers Grove, IL: This pours an opaque, dark brown with some clear mahogany around the edges and was briefly capped by a light tan head that soon reduced to a ring. It has an aroma of sweet dark roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, and weak coffee. The flavor has what the nose promised but seemed somewhat milder, thinner. Okay, but Sam’s should’ve paid them more for this contract brew.

Dark brown color with a somewhat fizzy, taller tan head. In a blind sniff, I would guess molasses or sorghum. After is settles I do catch a bit of roasted malt, but still a sweet scent. Fairly thick and slightly oily. Light grain and a bit of sweet alcohol in the front. Sweet dark stewed fruit, bits of roasted malt and some nutty flavors Finish is slightly acidic, with some dark grain flavors and hints of chocolate booze. I find this better than what I remember form the Lagunitas IS, but that is not necessarily saying much.

Bottle shared by alexsdad06. Poured clear dark brown color with an average frothy brown head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate licorice and roasted chocolate malt aroma. Medium body with a thick smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium licorice roasted sweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Interesting complex beer.

A deep dark stout with a thin lacing moka head. In aroma, cocoa malt with sweet fruity esters, meaty notes and lots of C-hops. In mouth, a sweet fruity chocolate, with light lingering bitterness, molasses, a bit short in mouth, but good. Simpled and clean. Bomber shared with probstk and Michael, Oct. 7 2009. Bought at Sam’s Wine and Spirits, Chicago, May 16 2009.

Bottle shared by Me. Pours a black bruin body with a thin tan head. Malty chocolate and char coffee character. Rather thin and light in flavor for an imperial stout. Vanilla and a mild roast and wooden note. Decent.

Bomber - not sure who shared this? Pours a mostly deep woody brownish near dark black- good toffee head. Aroma is on the sweet side for a big stout- lots of molasses, burnt pecan pie, oily, chocolate malts, light on the roasty side- and some light herbal hops. Flavor is also sugary sweet, toasty, roast malts, a bit burnt, caramel laden, with more molasses, yet still not a huge thick syrupy body, just medium mouthfeel and a somewhat clean bitter finish. Better than some of their other stouts, but still not great.

Bomber from EBay ($6.49 plus $5 shipping) Nose of chocolate, smokliness, and light licorice. Clear dark cherry brown with a medium cinnamon tan head that left quickly. Flavor was white pepperiness, light sweetness and smoke. Finish was lightly both smoky and bitter.