 Pigfoot (2225), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
May 12, 2008
Murky, inky black, with a big, creamy tanned head.
Not too much in the nose, a bit empty, actually, and I’m searching for things here, but....I’m just getting light cocoa, cream, ...roasty, coffee-ish, but not too much more.
Taste: big, beefy, roasty, toasty, ....very tactile and texturous...rather grittty. But about medium for an imperial stout, not exactly busting down any doors. But very warm and friendly in the mouth, nicely toasted, pleasant and congenial.
That’s okay, I guess...I like Imperials that torch the ground after they trod it, but that’s me...
Really, I wanted to like this, but it shook out as just average.
dchmela (695), Orlando, Florida, USA
Aug 27, 2008 12 oz bottle courtesy BeerandBlues2. Pours black and thick with a thin off white head. Roasted grain and a hint of chocolate aroma. Thick roasty malt and chocolate malt taste with a hint of fruit that gave this a unique touch. I like it, thought it was pretty tasty.
SuzyGreenberg (934), Seattle, Washington, USA
Aug 27, 2008 12 oz. bottle - thanks to brewczar for the bonus bottle; pours jet black and cola brown along the edges; big tan head slowly to the edges; deep, rich aromas of bitter chocolate and stale malts; a little weak and thin for an impy, but pretty darn good; flavors don’t quite live up to the aromas
FatPhil (2090), Espoo, Finland
Aug 10, 2008 355ml bottle (Beertopia, NE) - thanks Anna’s parents!
Jet black, tight beige head. Sweet roast malts aroma. Sticky cloying palate - very close to giving this a 2 but occasionally it was quite pleasant, so I refrained from punishing it. Vodka in the taste, that’s not a good start. There’s an almost porridgy burnt body. Some coffee, but some dodgy booziness too. Sounds not too good, I’ll admit, but it is fairly tasty in places. Their porter’s vastly better.
Crosling (1637), Loveland, Colorado, USA
Jul 30, 2008 Dark brown color with ruby edges. Very light tan colored head. If the foam didn’t last well, I would have given this a 1/5 for an appearance score, but since it did, I will score it a 2/5. Imperial Stouts need to appear black in the glass and the head should be much a darker shade. Nose of powdered chocolate with a light hint of fruit. Nice, but very sparse and lacking key elements. Flavor wise, it’s pretty brash (this sample even has some bottle age), poorly flavored and lacking richness. Very sparse flavors of light chocolate and fruit. I don’t get it. Odell is too good of a brewery to bottle this timid tiny beer. For next bottling, call it "Imperial Stout Light."
Retorp (2158), Tampa, Florida, USA
Jul 18, 2008 lb4lb bought this round. Very low key, hard to detect, aroma. Mild chocolate/malt sweetness and a bit of roasted notes accompanied by the scantest hint of dark fruit. The body is full on black and supports a large, two fingers thick, but very bubbly though still creamy head. The first sip is roasted/burnt malt bitterness, dark fruit and black chocolate. Biting alcohol burn through the middle and finish. You really feel the alcohol. The mouth feel is on the thin side and the flavor, though not as muted as the aroma, is not very wide ranging or intense. Still, it’s fairly enjoyable on the whole, if not great.
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