Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: Imperial Stout
Tadcaster, England

(Bottle.) A slight foamy head that quickly dies down. Not particularly strongly aromatic...but upon drinking it a lot of different tones emerge. There’s a sort of pleasant fruity character, almost like dates or other dried fruit. There are a lot of flavors, but it’s subtle at the same time. There’s only a hint of roast, and it’s not too sweet. More yeasty than sweet, which I like. There’s a hint of alcohol flavor but it is well-masked. There’s a little bitterness, not really a bite but more of a pleasantly bitter aftertaste. A tiny bit creamy too. I think this was a very good beer but I’m not sure I’d rate it in the 98-th percentile the way the other reviewers seem to have placed it. The other reviewer’s comments make me wonder about consistency, however...people talk of high carbonation; my bottle had little.

great stuff - big bottle - black out of the bottle - basically no head -little carbonation - great chocolatey taste -some licorice - different finish most other stouts - not as smokey i had a 4 pack of this a few years back and i recall the bottles being unexpectedly clear due to the beer’s dark color - am i thinking of another Sam Smith’s

My old standby. This is a fine dark chocolate stout with a good hop presence to round out the dark chocolate and coffee flavors. Tastes like an Imperial Stout should!

First time rating.nice aroma,almost black with a great taste, kind of bitter chocolate,good aftertaste almost (strong) coffee-like. a very good stout.

Strong aroma of vinegar/cider. Flavor most notable for bitter-sweet chocolate, with some cider. Carbonation a bit more intense than I expected. Had as a tasting sample, so would rerate if I tried a whole bottle.

Bottle: Literally black, small fluffy tanned head, distinctive chocolatey and roast-malty nose, supported by sourish cacao; stronger, not too dry bitter-sweet flavour, medium bodied; lingering, almost smooth finish with aromas of milk coffee, chocolate and dried fruits. Good, good, good.......

This was my first experience with an imperial stout so I may end up re-rating. Poured a beautiful, glossy dark black with a caramel colored 1 inch head that faded quicker than I thought it would. The aroma was rich and dark and a bit like coffee or chocolate. Very pleasant. From the first small sip, I knew I was in different territory. I was struck by the sheer richness and darkness and all of the different aromas and tastes tha I experienced while drinking this beer. As the beer slowly warmed, it got even better. I did notice the alcohol more than in the other beers I’ve rated but I thought it added to the experience. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful beer. I have another bottle out back to try later on and to be honest, its taking all of my willpower not to crack it open right now.

Pours black with a slight head. Roasty, slightly fruity, and slightly chocolate aroma. Taste is pretty sweet, but with a mild touch... doesn’t knock you out like some imperial stouts. Definite notes of chocolate, roasted malts, and a slight alcohol taste. Drinkable when cold, but better when warm... of course.