Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: Imperial Stout
Tadcaster, England

Bottle: Poured an almost black color with a light brown head. Aroma was a bit sweet. Flavor matches scent. nothing over powering just a deep rich full bodied stout.

Nice to see a good beer in a clear glass bottle! Rather tasty, I think. One of Lady Crabapple’s favourites, but hard to find in England, impossible in this part of the world. Extraordinarily strong; I shouldn’t have more than one of these! I simply cannot understand how the Americans can drink stronger beers. They probably can’t imagine a beer (let alone a stout) less than 4.00%. I would happily buy this again, but I’m unlikely to see it.

I managed to get a 4-pack of this stuff when I was in Florida over the X-Mas break for a swim team training camp. I wasn’t going to let unbelievably long and hard practices stop me from continuing my personal Imperial Stout adventures! While it did have some great rich, roasty malts on the palate, with noticeable anise and black licorice flavours, over-all it seemed a little weaker than what I was expecting. It was a great stout to sit and enjoy, but I don’t feel like I learned much from it about Imperial Stouts as I was hoping to (I’ve only recently been introduced to the style). Still, it’s not without its charm. EDIT: When the LCBO got this in as a seasonal in 500ml bottles it seemed so much more robust to me, weird, and still somehow drinkable for an Imperial Stout. Very solid and enjoyable beer I hope to have again next x-mas season.

Poured an almost opaque black with a medium tan head that never fully went away. The aroma was sweet with roasted malts and coffee. The flavor was a bit sweet and almost tart at times, but with a finish is pleasantly bitter and sweet. It didn’t have a very thick mouthfeel, but good carbonation and quite smooth.

12 ounce bottle in pint glass. Black with lasting brown head and lace. Chocolaty earthy mild port-like aroma. Complex flavors of chocolate, roasted coffee, raisins, port, earth, mild smoke with mild English hop bitterness. Medium-full body and medium-low carbo. Enticing and satisfying. Excellent.

Has a whisky soaked aroma about it. Very nice black with thick creamy head. Barely any carbonation on the palate. However, when you swallow this stuff it provides an interesting tingle down the hatch. Yes, imperial, but perhaps one of the mildest imps I’ve had. It’s relatively friendly and is palated well. uite easy to drink for a lager lover. Probably a good starter imp stout. Very surprizing. Overall, if this is really an imp stout, it is not insulting to my taste buds. I’ve tasted many regular stouts that were more offensive than this. One of the better imps stouts IMHO. Hides the alky content well.

One day I hope to visit the Yorkshire brewery and see some of the stone vats full of this goodness... Dark dark brown wiht a thin head... nose is roasted barley through and through... Smooth and creamy, with a mild alcohol bite. Mocha type flavors, with a sweetness that isn’t cloying. Good stuff... I’m glad that regardless of the idiotic beer laws in my area I can still get this in the liquor stores.

Great color, disappointing short lived head. Aroma promising chocolate. Flavor strong malt with a caramel off note. Mouth feel is flat, unexpected for an imperial. Vetter stouts available at lower price.