Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: Imperial Stout
Tadcaster, England

Poured bottle, from Bristol Farms in Long Beach, California My first Imperial Stout, I got my first bottle from Bristol Farms. Being new at the time to craft beers I immediately knew to get it, it was covered with a fine layer of dust. I had read that Imp Stouts don’t really get old so I got it assuming that it would not taste skunky, plus I noticed it was in the back of the fridge shelf in the dark. I poured the bottle in my Stone shaker glass and immediately smelled a sweet dark roast,banana and vanilla. I was excited to taste it since it had such a new smell to me. The intial taste was dark roast and chocalate and followed by a strong taste of banana and a vanilla aftertaste with a soft bitter ending. Since that time I haven’t found another Samuel Smith Imp Stout that was as sweet, flavorful and so high in banana taste as that 4 pack that I got. I hope I find another old 4 pack to taste with my more developed palate for beer :) .

Very nice stout. It’s jet black and pours a decent head which eventually will fade before you finish. The flavor is of cocoa, coffee, and a little bit of bready undertones. I’d have preferred something a little bit more bitter like I’ve had in other imperial stouts, but this was good nonetheless. I’d recommend this along with a slice of creamy cheesecake or rich chocolate, or just by itself. If you haven’t tried this, you definitely should buy at least one bottle.

Aggressive pour gave a modest but thick and frothy head. The nose is not unlike chocolate covered cherries, then the flavor hits with some fig added, and you get a perfect and yet subdued melding together of a tiny bit of alcohol burning and a perfect amount of hops to clean it all up without ever getting an alcohol or hop flavor on its own. The balance in this brew is fantastic. This is much less extreme than other Impy stouts I’ve had, but I would have to say that it is fantastic. It’s also kind of cool that the bottle is clear. I had no idea until I poured my glass. Anyways, a great beer.

Pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a tan head. Aroma of roasted barley, coffee, and a hint of chocolate. The mouthfeel is great, thick and creamy. Taste is similar to the aroma, with a dry finish. Excellent imperial stout!

One of my favorites! Pour a 18.7 oz. bottle in a 25 oz. snifter and I am set. Pours solid black with a beige head. Aroma is chocolate, coffee, and malt, and the taste is likewise. Strongly recommended.

This is an outstanding, rich, full-bodied stout while still being smooth and without being at all harsh or burnt tasting. It is black with a short but dense light brown head that lasts forever and leaves some lacing. The aroma is rich prunes, chocolate, with hints of wine and steak sauce. The taste is similarly rich and strong, but smooth, with only hints of bitterness and alcoholic warmth to give it fullness and punch and to balance the sweetness. It tastes of chocolate, earth, leaves, stewed caramellized fruit, especially prunes, and spices, with a faint coffee element in the finish. There is no burnt or unpleasant taset at all, maiking this incredibly smooth for an imperial stout. Outstanding and complex, but not something I can drink a lot of, unlike their Oatmeal Stout.

pours dark, and lovely...a thin head, wheatish in color.... delicious aroma....chocolate hints, caramel....sweet and really beautiful smell. oh....amazing taste! So sweet...and malty. This tastes so crisp and perfect....it’s roasted, yet clean....just amazing....I think this is the best beer I’ve ever had! My tastes must have really developed over the last year, because I couldn’t imagine drinking this before. But now....this is brewed perfection. Thank you God for blessing us with brewed love!

One of, if not the best beer I have had. I love the easy to drink, yet complex flavor. Compared to say a Guinness extra stout it is not bitter and taste great.