Market Cross Excaliber Imperial Stout

Brewed by Market Cross Pub and Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA

Draft at brew pub. Poured almost black but it allowed some light to show it had an amber hue to it. Little to no head. Aroma is of roasted coffee. Taste was of nice roast chocolate and coffee. The finish was a little dry and slightly bitter. The body was a little thin for me to label this an imperial stout... then again, if it is 10.5% then it hid it very well.

on tap at the brewpub: aroma was suble for an imperial stout. Some roasted action going on and that was about it. came out very black in color with a nice dense kakhi colored head. Flavors was alright in the begining. Was severed a bit too cold, but it was very roasted, with hints of chocolate and coffee, no real hops showing through at all. but that’s okay. palate was probably a little thin for an imperial, but I would probably blame that on the honey. By the last coulple sips of this beer it had warmed and becomed very nice with lots of roasted flavor among, coffee. quite nice.

Draft pint at the brewpub in Carlisle: Very dark black with a maroon tinge and a thin milky tan head. Very milky aroma; if my eyes were closed, I’d want to pour this on my cereal. The first gulp is pretty good; slightly acohol-tinged, roasty and yummy, a nice robust beer for this bitterly cold Pennsylvania afternoon. (#2722, 2/19/2007)

Draft... Pitch black ale with a small, creamy, khaki head. Terrific retention. Toasted, chocolaty aroma with a splash of melted caramel. Chocolaty, alcoholic flavor with notes of charred coffee grounds... almost no residual sweetness. Full-bodied and velvety with mild carbonation. Finishes chocolaty and alcoholic. Other than it being a bit on the "hot" side and having traces of acetaldehyde, this is an extremely solid imperial stout! Pulls up just short of being world class!

Cask pour from the 2005 vintage served in an imperial pint glass! This 2005 vintage is the 10.5%, or so the bartender told me. Pours a nice rich dark brown almost black with a fluffy creamy tan head which lasted most of the way through. Aroma is chocolately, light on the roasted malt, nutty, yeasty and muddled a bit, with a light estery and fruity hint. Good full chocolate and lightly aged toasted/nutty malts, some very faint oxidation which was nice bringing out a bit more fruitiness, rounded malts and a nice dry acrid and slightly bitter finish. Smooth and full bodied all the way through. Very well made, but hard to stand up to the cask jolly rodger I had earlier in the day.

On tap, Taming of the Brew 2006, several samples. Dark, opaque black pour with a small light brown creamy head. Nose is caramel, chocolate, light alcohol, coffee, and a general sweetness. I also get an overall coffee cake like aroma. Flavor is very chocolaty,with light roast, caramel, and alot of sweetness from the honey. Finish does have some light bitterness with a touch of alcohol making it past the risidual sugars. Mouthfeel is a little thin and definately over carbonated for an Imperial Stout. Overall, not bad, a little light on the roast, but very well hidden alcohol for a beer of 10.5% ABV. Nice flavor, but the mouthfeel was the major detracter here.

This was kinda disappointing for an Imperial Stout. It was missing the Imperial part, as it tasted more like a regular stout. Did have a lovely dark colour, but taste was medicour.

Translucent caramel-brown body. Caramel and chocolate nose plus mild English hop aroma. Medium roast in the flavor. Light bitter, roasty finish. Another good Market Cross beer. Very light color, flavor, and body for an imperial stout. I seriously question that style designation. Good beer, though.