Lagunitas Black Rain Imperial Stout

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

Bomber shared by Lubiere (merci!), served cool in a goblet. OC 07/09.

App.: Deep black, remnants of a tan head with yellow-green hues. Aroma: Lots of dark and milk chocolate, huge, thick rich, inky, meaty malts, tons of dark dried fruit, minty licorice and black strap molasses. Palate: Medium-full body, fairly soft effervescence. Flav.: Huge rum-soaked dry fruits, plenty of licorice and molasses, some dark chocolate and coffee (not much), oily thick, resinous; sweet with almost enough bitterness, some warming alcohol, light wood and thick oily malts that stick around, though there is a slight void in the mouth that I can’t describe.

Pretty darn good. Doesn’t seem to warrant the low ratings...

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.

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.

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.

When I grabbed this at the Sam’s I had no idea it was brewed for Sam’s only. Pours a clear brown with a thick tan head. Aroma of sweet malt, chocolate, and touch of coffee. Was a little sweet with some chocolate dominating. I thought it was a little thin also, which is amazing for an 8.2% brew. This beer was freaking cheap for a big bottle of Imperial Stout though. Worth the pick up.

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.

10/18/2009: Lagunitas Black Rain Imperial Stout... Aroma: Caramelized malt; sweet licorice; hard candy citrus. Appearance: Dark honey amber color; opaque complexion; thin beige head. Flavor: Sweet and slightly chewy heavily caramelized malts; some citrus; dry oakiness. Palate: Medium body; smooth. Overall: A bit too sweet; lack depth.

22 fl. oz. bottle shared by alexsdad06. Thanks Brad! Rating #21 for this beer.

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.