McNeills Imperial Stout

Formerly brewed at McNeills Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Brattleboro, Vermont USA

Poured from a 22 oz. Thick black with a head of root beer float. Cranberry and acrid cold press aroma; milk chocolate, sugarless caramel. Understated and underwhelming. Bitter diet cola, mint and french roast define a flavor typical of stout crushed under black malt; it presents more than its share of soapy astringency. The roasted grains don’t impart much warmth or rich smoky tones to provide any counterpoint; rather, it contents itself with the ashen impression of a dusty cigar on its last dregs. Dirty, and mild. Palate is overstretched and licks with synthetics and plastics, dry and bitter in that falsified sense. More unattractiveness and off putting soap in the finish. Boring and underdone. Thanks for sharing, Ken!

22oz bottle, courtesy of eclectic. Thanks, Kevin!! Pours a very dark, brownish-black color; fizzy, medium tan head with good retention and medium-bubbled lacing. Plenty of dark chocolate and bittering citrus in the aroma; baker’s chocolate and some roasted malts. Fizzy, medium-to-full mouthfeel: milk and bitter chocolate upfront, with some roasted malts and light toasty grains coming through; way too much carbonation at this point, with a roasted / charred malt character that takes over at mid-palate and doesn’t add much to the mouthfeel; scattered and unimpressive imperial stout. More like an overcarbonated oatmeal stout. Lengthy, sugary and dark chocolate finish.

In short: Creamy round stout with assertive free green piney hops. Excellent.
How: Mtl-crew Halloween-tasting session. Bottle from Rastacouere.
The look: Black body with a medium tan head
In long: Usual assortment of dark chocolate, coffee beans, thick caramel and some dark fruits. Not a lot of roastiness, more on the smooth and round side of things. But what really makes this one stand out to me is the hopping. Generous amount of fresh green leafy hops with a assertive pine-tree flavour that works very well with the rich and round malt profile. Must be very good because I don’t remember having the previous beer at the tasting session and I clearly remember this one. One should not drink (even great beer) passed a certain limit. Take my advice, I’m not using it.

Bottle. A black beer with a dense brown head. Very handsome beer and a super aroma. Kinda soft and dry with notes of tobaco, roasted and bitter chocolate, coffee and hops. Very nice.

Thanks to notalush for bringing this one out. Black beer with a brown head. Aroma is of licorice and a very herbal character. A bit overcarbonated. Herbal and dusty smelling. Moderate bitterness, thin body. Black licorice and light coffee and dark chocolate. Fairly bitter. Not the greatest. 6 3 6 4 11

I found the dregs of this in my fridge the day following the tasting... it was much improved. Dark chocolate has come forward quite a bit and the lowered carbonation increases the perception of the body. Herbal bitterness is still very prominent, but there is also a coffeeish component that works pretty well. If you’ve got a bottle of this, open it and leave it open for an hour or two before drinking... I think it will be improved. 7 3 7 4 13

@ blind tasting - Black body, light brown lasting head; Quite big very fruity nose with overpowering prune aromas; Fruity sour, very hoppy bitter, a little thin; Very fruity prune finish, very acidy, lots of bitter burnt coffee bean, late dusty earth aromas.

Bottle. [#25 Blind tasting session @ Sk8viking] Small fizzy light brown head that mostly diminished. Spare lacework. Black color. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, coffee, toasted malt, molasses, wood, licorice, vanilla and port wine like notes over the palate. Medium bodied with a light alcoholic texture and flat carbonation. Moderated sweet flavor with light bitter notes. Bitter and somewhat sour??? Finish. 07-09-2007

Blind tasting at sk8vikings porter / stout tasting, beer no 25. Pours dark brown to black with a brown head. Sweet raisin and chocolate aroma. Chocolate and subdued liqourice flavour. Cheesy flavour with a slight malty note, roasted. Dry blended chocolate and malt flavour finish.