SKA Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter

Brewed by SKA Brewing
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Durango, Colorado USA

Dark pour with minimal head that quickly dissolves. Aroma of coffee, chocoate on top of a slightly smoky note. The flavor is also one of coffree and chocolate with a slight sweet underbelly and a slightly bitter aftertaste. Body between thin and medium — too thin for an imperial. In fact, this tastes more like a porter than a Baltic porter with flavors too subdued.

Near black pour with little head retention. The aroma is flat and dead - noting some roastiness and earthiness, but what is there is subdued. More chocolate and roast profile come out in the body, but mostly restrained. Almost like a cold cup of cheap coffee at times - roasty but watery and thin. Hmmm, seems the "Imperial" tag was slapped on this for marketing reasons alone, as this isn’t anything above and beyond a decent porter with a boosted ABV. Aren’t Imperial brews supposed to equate to more, hops, malts and flavor and not just a higer alcohol? Average at best.

Thanks to BeerGuy101 for sharing at PP. Poured a clear dark brown with a reddish tint. Aroma of roasted malt and light notes of coffee. Flavor matches the aroma with roasty malt and some coffee underneath. Light body. maybe a little thin.

22 oz. bomber. Lots of coffee and mocha in the taste, but lacking a bit in aroma. I found to be bit thin in body also but otherwise OK.

12.10.05 bomber at RLB YEHA-05, also sampled in CO during GABF. Thicker looking root beer brown with loose beige head. Aroma of raisiny bread pudding with chocolate syrup, green beans. huh. Flavor is more canned veggies, nagging, plus some puddings, chocoalte, and a drizzle of kirsch. Not much body.

Initial impression scares me as it looks like the plastic/wax was caused the cap to rust. Even though there was a good pift with the cap there appeared to be rust on the inside of the cap. Dark brown color with a light garnet hue when held to the light. Smallish light tan head with a nice sheet of lace. Straightforward aromas with mild caramel roasted malts. Light sweet and mellow; not the heavy grab ya by the short hairs heavy baltic porter I enjoy. Fairly thin and less than complex. More roasted malt flavors that would lead me to believe this was a weak attempt at an imperial stout. Middle malt come out and add a small amount of depth, but not enough to think this is anything but a weak recipe that is just drinkable. Going back, the rust does not seem to be a factor, but it likely does not help.

Sampled at the Yeha. Poured dark brown with an offwhite head. Aroma is sweet coffee, chocolate and alcohol. Taste is alcohol, coffee, bit of bubble gum. Body is full and fizzy.

Got from my secret santa..thanks man. Pours out a dark black color with a slight reddish hue when you hold it up to the light. I like the hand waxed bottle, good times. The aroma is of chocolate and roasted malts. Taste is very smooth with a nice balance of roasted malts, chocolate and maybe a hint or two offruit here or there. A solid brew