Smuttynose Imperial Stout

Pours black with a very light bubbly sparse soapy tan head. Nose is definitely hoppy and roasty. Flavors of dark rich malty and dark chocolately bitter brownies and a very lightly bubbly but creamy flavor. Dry and cocoa like presence as well. Pretty highly hopped for an imperial stout, but still maintains the feel of the style from the massive rich dark malty flavors behind it. One of my favorites from a night of over 20 beers.

Bottle. Nose is big caramel and alcohol but very nice. Thick black pour with a swirly patch of a head. Huge sweetness into chocolate into coffee with a light alcohol burn in the finish. Good smooth palate with a dry finish.

On Tap. Just a very slight brown-ale aroma. Very dark brown appearance. Very smooth easy-drinking palate. Excellent flavor that is well balanced so as not to be too much in any direction, but dark and butter, yet almost completely masks the high alcohol.

Pours a jet black with a creamy thin milk chocolate head. Chocolate molasses and smoke aroma. Wonderful balance of dry dark fruit flavor, dark chocolate, and smoked malts. Palate is thick and smooth and interesting. Wonderful beer.

(Draught at Oliver Twist, Stockholm, 25 Feb 2008) Black colour with brief, brown head. Roasted, hoppy, citrussy notes with coffee, chocolate muffins, liquorice, pine needles and loads of piney, citrussy hops. Roasted, hoppy taste with notes of citrus, pine needles, resin, heavily roasted coffee, soy sauce, liquorice and serious amounts of citrussy hops in the finish. Slightly vinous with alcohol shining through towards the end. Lovely hop monster with the hops almost overshadowing the chocolate and coffe notes. Absolutely brilliant beer!

Nice and smooth for an Impierial. Very little alcohol burn and lots of hops for the style. Chocolaty and Smokey with a strong bitter twinge in the finish. A bit of a Vanilla and coffee background to it. Thick and dark molases pour, with almost no head.

July 4, 2006 - Could have been named Smuttynose Russian Imperial Pine Milk Stout. Lots of chocolate and roast and coffee flavor…but the memorable aspect was the strong pine hop presence and the lactic flavor. I’m not sure if I was crazy about this, but it was memorable.

Sampled on-tap. Pours pitch black with a lasting dark tan head. Rich malts on the nose. Flavor is extremely robust with heavy malts. Thick coffee grinds there as well. The aftertaste really lasts on this one. Feel is thick on the liquid and good with the carbonation. I seem to recall Kai at the Wine Gallery in Boston telling me I really needed to try this on tap. Well thank you Kai. This beer is tasty!