Porterhouse Celebration Stout

This was a very good and roasty IPS,with hints of coffee and chocolate and a nice strong abv was present as it warmed and poured a nice dark black with a small brown head and it had a nice bitter finish to it very interesting and enjoyable.CHEERS!

Bottle shared with Hogtown Harry - thank you to both Harry first and then Al originally giving me the opportunity to try this beer!!! Hint of ruby in otherwise pitch black pour, bubbly tan head. Licorice, tar, sticky syrup in aroma. Huge roast and hop taste - roof of your mouth sticky sweet molasses and malt. Despite the tar/stickiness, the body is actually quite light for the style, and this really accentuates the hops. This is a terrific, complex unique imperial stout. Not in your face like typical U.S. interpretations of the style, nor is it as sweet and overpowering as Baltic/Foreign Stouts/Porters. It finds a unique place somewhere in the middle of those two and the end result is a must try beer. Thanks again Al and Harry for this opportunity.

Bottle (500ml). Shared with tupalev, courtesy of Garthicus - danke, Al!. Poured near opaque ruby-black, not muddy, but very lively near the surface when swirled; smallish creamy tan head (4+). That’s quite an aroma - alcohol, but subdued, strong character of tar, molasses, gons of herbal hops, and a nice dry peatiness and undertones of dark fruit (cherry, cassis). The taste - yowza! - incredibly herbal-bitter, was not expecting that - good, though! - with roast coffee bean sweet caramel malt, fruit, port (the name suggesting?) and carrying the lot a strong wave of raw cinnamon and near-burnt malt - and yeah, it’s imperial strength in ABV. What made it unique to me was how light in body this was - more porter-like, but quite slick on the tongue, and definitely not shy with the alcohol and herbal/bitter astringency, which combined with the deep roast for a long finish, although of delicate weight. This is a VERY good imperial, and quite unlike most that I’ve had - sinfully easy to drink, too.

Bottle, courtesy of Garthicus. Dark brown with ruby highlights and a beige head. Butterscotch liquer-like nose. Notes of wood, some whiskey, chocolate, dark fruits, licorice, caramel and more wood. Medium bodied with smooth and subtle carbonation. Nice beer.

This is a wicked strong stout from the porterhouse..huge amounts of coffee cocoa on the palate...very complex and hides the 10% strength well..leaves a nice roasty finish..excellent stout