Smuttynose Imperial Stout

A glass of black ink! Soft supple dark tan foam of a finger high is breathed upon the surface on a creamy north wind. Waves of lacing coat the glass in tiny branched streams. Aroma is quite dark, spicy, and definately wowful. Thick blackened molasses. Feveredly rich dark malts with a slimming coal-like roast, spritzed with dark orange and soaked in plummy juices. And some very nice spicyness of black licorice and anise that comes across quite peppery. Sappy, full, smoked, piney hops make for more unique bittering tinges and souring additions to the nose at in cinders in its well of smells. A never ending nose of dark, rich spices. Very reminiscent of Expedition, if not a mirror of it. Intense on the buds! A ride of thick, rich, flavors that doesn’t stop; it builds and grows and grows and impresses! Where to start? Complex for sure and much like the nose leads to, this has an immense dark malt profile. Hugely molasses and blackened in a pale, ghostly, charcoal smoke and tang with all sorts of wonderful and sturdy notes of deep pinewood hops, dark orange, plums and prunes, anise, pepper, black licorice, and a bittering, heavy, dark, Turkish espresso chocolate thats drying and lengthy. Wowza! So damn nice...I didn’t want it to end, and more or less, it didn’t. This stuff has some power and legs to it. You’ll taste it until the following day no doubt. This is a great beer! Lengthy chocolate tones surge well into the finish with all sorts of left over spice, smoke, and drying bittered piney orangey-like pithyness. Words here really can’t comprehend its complexitiy. Feel is thick, roasty, full, and drying; drying like forever, well beyond what you think is the finish. Finish? There isn’t one. It has an eternity. Holy sh*t, this stuff has some impressively long legs to it. That espresso chocolatey dryness is just that and more. Totally spiced, mega lengthy, and one very nice treat to behold! I’ve been a fan of the other Smutty brews I’ve had. Solid beers for sure. But this has got to be their best beer by far. At least from what I’ve had to date. Sure, I don’t get to have it around all the time like the lucky folks in (insert name of East coast distribution area here), but man, this is one very nice Impy Stout. World class in my book! I will need some more. Only thing slowing this down as far as draining the glass quicker is that it does have a thicker, super lengthier body and richness in flavor that goes dry and darkly bitter for a time and a half. !0% is no where to be found except in the head a while into it. It’ll soak and sooth in with that long finish. Nothing wrong with slowing down and taking this one in. Wonderful Stuff!

Bottled. Black, brief head. Extreme grapefruit aroma. Under the hop detived flavours of peach, lychee and grapefruit lies tar and licorice. The roasty malt plays second fiddle to th ehops, and in a blind test I could have mistalen this for an IIPA. Very bitter finish. Soft and relatively drinkable. Offering an interesting twist on the style, and a wonderful beer.

6 month old bottle. Full, coffee, hoppy aroma. Round and alcoholic. Decent pour. Flavor was more of the same, quite hoppy when cold, and bitter, lots of coffee, roast. Not horribly complex. Decently thick.

Pours black with dark khaki head. Very roasty aroma, almost smokey, and lots of coffee/espresso. Not sure when my bottle was from, but was not overly hoppy. Very smooth chocolate and coffee flavors with a smokey finish. Alcohol is very well hidden. Definitely my favorite from smuttynose so far.

Bar-none, best imperial stout I’ve had. Best stout I’ve had for that matter. I’m knew at this tasting thing, but I just counted and I’ve got at least 5 stouts under my belt, including Rogue’s Shakespeare and Chocolate Stout. This certainly bests NorthWest Brewery’s Old Rasputin Impy. It’s just so smooth. I expect that malty bite but it never comes. Beautifully done. Reaffirms my faith in Smuttnose. Keep it up.

Bottle. Opaque espresso/black color with an awesome beige colored head, nice lacing and decent retention. Aroma is malty and hoppy, soapy, earthy, slight coffee notes, alcohol, bitter chocolate, nutty (hazelnut?). Great flavor, smooth and balanced. Bitter chocolate, cherries, coffee, alcohol, malts, smoky, dry finish. Awesome. Nice on the palate, smooth and dry, warming, nice carbonation. This is a great beer, easily smuttynose’s best, and under-rated in my opnion.

Nice Impy Stout. Pours dark dark brown with little or no head. Aroma is huge hops and roasty malt. Flavor is much the same. Nice easy drinking Imperial Stout. Bitter hoppy finish. Very good.

(07.04.06) One pint 6oz brown bottle from Bierkraft, Brooklyn, NYC. 2006 bottled conditioned. Poured opaque black with giant tan head. Soft carbonation. Roasted malt aroma. Medium-to-full bodied stout that starts with light malt sweetness and cholcolate/expresso coffee/hop flavors. Finished with light bitterness and roasted malt fade. Smooth, rich and well-balanced. Deep complex character. Alcohol well hidden. This is one awesome tasty stout, one of my favorite beers.