Pumphouse Backdraft Imperial Stout

Brewed by Pumphouse Brewery and Restaurant
Style: Imperial Stout
Longmont, Colorado USA

GABF 2004: Pours completely opaque with a thick dark tan head. Rich roasty and caramely sweet complex aroma. Thick, sweet, rich caramel and dark chocolate flavors abound. Smooth, yet robust, complex, roasty, and very enjoyable. A fine imperial stout.

On tap @ Pumphouse poured an opaque dark brown nearly black with a small lasting brown head. Aromas of dark fruit, bitter chocolate, carmel and light licorice. Palate was medium to full bodied smooth and warming. Flavors of milk chocolate, fruittiness, light vanilla and a hint of carmel with a smooth warming lingering bittersweet finish.

Crushed with Jakebra at the brewpub. Why is this rated so low? Dark fruits, roast, booze, chocolate and vanilla on the nose. And awesomeness. Plenty of that. Flavor is sexy and the mouthfell might be the best I’ve had in any Imperial Stout. So thick and velvety. Unexpected and absolutely awesome.

This beer has improved. Malty, sherry-like aroma. Dense dark brown head. Great plum/sherry flavors, with some roastiness and alcohol. I had it beside Alesmith Speadway Stout and liked it better.

Nitro - smooth as to be expected from the nitro, however the nitro also seemed to rob the Imperial of any complexity. I can't say that I noticed the high ABV though, it tasted like a regular stout. RERATE: I went back to the Pumphouse and they had this off of the nitro. The flavors are much more evident now. I enjoyed it a lot more and bumped it up from my original 3.4. I got into a discussion with the bartender and a customer who said that they liked the nitro better because it was smoother; to which I replied that the nitro smoothed out the flavors too much for me and I liked it off nitro better.

Cask Stillage from the Jug at the GABF, Colorado Convention Center 26/09/2009 (2008 Vintage) Big coffee roast aroma. Beige head. Black strong in alcohol and rich on the palate with a little bitterness in a dry hoppy chocolate and coffee roast finish.

Nitro draught. Very near opaque, just a small amount of light passes through, and a tall creamy tan head. Dark roasted coffee and dark chocolate maltiness. Sweet caramel roasted malt flavor with coffee and an alcohol bite with oak notes. Full bodied and fizzy palate.

From a one-off keg at tha Falling Rock 6/2004. Called cherry backdraft, as it was a half keg with a bunch of pie cherries added to it. Sweet alcoholic aroma, merest hint of cherry. Sweet chocolatey malt up front. Not much roast. Then the cherry bomb hits and finishes long and slow. Dryish finish. Nice.