Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: Imperial Stout
Tadcaster, England

Poured into a pint glass. Mainly black in color with some reddish highlights. Mocha colored head leaves moderate lacing. Aroma is distinctly English, with less chocolate/coffee and more fruit/molasses. Taste echos the nose, with supple dark fruits, berry, sharp molasses, wood, coffee beans. Great complexity and yet so smooth. Easy to drink and well-balanced.

500ml from Whole Foods, Raleigh (on sale for 3 bucks!). Been a while since I’ve had this, and it’s a refreshing alternative to the ubiquitous roasted-to-infinity assassin stouts. Lustrous dark pour with notes of licorice and molasses, a substantial body and decent head. The woody flavors and molasses really do come through nicely, giving the beer a slightly sticky feel that suits the creamy body quite well. Chewy but still drinkable, and nicely complex.

In short: A very fruity and barely roasted “black beer”. Excellent.
How: Bottle, 550ml from HogTownHarry, aged unknown (although I believe this is 1+ year old). I don’t know about fresh bottles but this was truly excellent. Thanks Harry.
The look: Black body with a medium tan head
In long: Very smooth roastiness with some black liquorice, apple juice, dark fruits juice (plums, prunes) and raisins. Very juicy indeed, this thing is a lot more about concentrated dark fruits than it is about roasted malts. This bottle was from HogTownHarry cellar I think it was an aged vintage, but just like with a Filipino prostitute I don’t care old it is as long as I am having such a great time with it.

pours thick, very dark with a never-ending dark caramel head; aroma is of molasses; tastes of roasted malt, toffee, and a touch of dry smoky bitterness as you finish... One of the best stout ales I’ve tasted to date...

I really enjoyed this beer. Pours very dark with a tan head. Smells like coffee and dark chocolate, and tastes much the same. Nice malt flavor. Pretty easy on the palate, definitely one of my favorite imperial stouts.

Pours a dark black with coffee colored head. Aroma of malty chocolate, roasted coffee and toast. Flavor is similar to aroma with lots of roasted chocolate malt. A bit watered down though with a dry finish.

Solid imperial stout. definately more easily drinkable than a lot of imperial stouts i’ve had like the fat dog and siberian night. i can onl y drink 1 of those at a time because they are so damn rich and sweet, but i could definitely drink a few of these. pours black with a small tan head. aroma is light but chocolate, alcohol and raisins can be detected. flavor has just the right amount of sweetness balanced with the classic coffee and chocolate stout bitterness, with a slight smokiness in the background. mouthfeel is silky and smooth, wish it was a little thicker though . nice beer.

Black, tan head.Aroma of chocolate,dark fruit(raisin,prune),a bit of coffee,alcohol, and vanilla.Semi-sweet flavor with a dark chocolate bitterness.The chocolate in the aroma is amplified somewhat upon tasting.Medium body.Ok mouthfeel.Overall,a good beer.