Southampton Imperial Russian Stout

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Imperial Stout
Southampton, New York USA

Courtesy of Boboski-Huge Thanks, Jason <P> 2005 Bottle <P> Aroma is forceful and includes mild hints of soy, huge cocoa, chocolate, espresso, roasted malts, dark fruits, unsweetened brownie batter, raisin and rich chocolate cake. Pours is motor oil gloppy and settles into a stygian blackness in the glass. The head looks like a Stout Parfait with distinct shades of mocha and tan (one atop the other) combing to make an amazingly lasting thumb thick beauty of a head. <P> The fore is extremely packed with dark chocolate, cocoa, esspresso, raisin, stewed prunes and light soy sauce. This segues into a cramier, sweeter tasting middle that is more creamed coffee and milk chocolate. The mouthfeel is divine and spot on. The finish lingers forever with lip smacking dark fruits, chocolate, esspresso, cocoa and that unsweetened brownie mix I swear I smell and taste. There are also hints of raisin and plum in the far finish as well. This beer just has amazing range, flavor intensity and depth. I really wish this was a more regular Southampton offering. Fantastic brew.

2005 bottle date, Sampled May 2006
Pours with a rich, chocolate brown colored head that is initially three-and-a-half finger thick. The beer is just plain black, about as dark as one can get. As I pour this beer I notice that this beer has a heft to it; it pours viscously into my glass. The aroma is defined up front by notes of concentrated burnt fruit; notes of raisins, prunes and figs intermingle with burnt, caramelized roast notes; as if the fruit had been caramelized and roasted under a blazing hot broiler. Wow the aroma is just so intense, yet so well balanced; lots of roast character resides in the aromatics, but it is tempered by the concentrated fruit notes. After a bit of intense schnozzing this beer picks up some toasted, dry, malty notes that never quite overtake the sweet fruit and malt notes. In fact there is a bit of alcohol towards the end, which just tends to accentuate the sweetness. The aroma on this beer is almost perfect, it is hard for me to ask more of the nose on an Imperial Stout.

The beer is thick and viscous on the palate; up front it almost has a lightness to it, but as the beer passes through the mouth it tends to stick to the palate and linger into a long finish. The finish is dominated by chalky roasted notes characterized by a burnt acidity and ample roasted grain character. Gripping note or dark roasted espresso dominate this beer. A touch of acidity stays through out this beer (most likely dark malt derived) and helps to accentuate the burnt, caramelized fruity notes that are found in the nose. The concentrated fruit notes are not nearly as evident as they were in the nose though. One gets the sense that this beer needs to age a few years in order to let the roast notes mellow out and to allow the fruit notes to come more to the fore.

There is something here that reminds me of tamarind; a sort of combination between the acidity and the fruit character. This is a really nice beer, nice enough that I am definitely wishing I had about a case of this beer to age and slowly sample from over the next 15 to 20 years. To my palate this beer has some of the best aging potential of any Imperial stout; ample roast character to fend off oxidation, and a complex malt and fruit character that should change and come to the fore over time. What this all means is that this beer, while over the top and intensely flavored, strike a balance that should carry this beer through many years of aging.

22 oz bottle, 2005 vintage, via EDA. Pours possibly the darkest color of black I’ve ever seen. Crude oil black with a very dark brown head that fell to a thin ring. Generous amounts of sediment in bottle. Aroma is burnt malt, bitter chocolate, a very dry yeasty chjaracter, a little soy, and some coffee. Not the most complex of aromas, but very intense. Flavor is huge on the black patant malt with cocoa, espresso, soy, and lighter touches of alcohol and yeast. Finish is all charcoal roastiness. Mouthfeel is very thick and viscous, almost chewy, but only after it rests in the mouth a while. The carbonation level is really excessive. Scanning the previous 10 rates it looks like I’m alone in thinking the mouthfeel is a little off, but it was not what I was expecting. Overall, this is one intense beer. 22 ounces is a bit too much for me to consume in one sitting though. All in all, pretty good minus the carbonation level.

This is one incredible beer! So thick, rich and creamy - heavy and very warming. The alcohol is well-hidden, but one can sure feel it after drinking this beer. I love it! Espresso, large dose of roastiness and very well-balanced.

Thanks Noah (htsprint1)! This beer offers an aroma consisting of coffee and cocoa with a hint of smoke in the background. It is a black solution with a thick cashew colored head. This thick beer is heavy and rich as it passes through the mouth. The taste is an infusion of coffee, molasses, and smoke. There is a sweet taste of molasses that perks the tongue as it is swallowed. The aftertaste is a mild smoked coffee taste that lingers well after the fluid is out of the mouth.

#1100 - 22oz bottle via trade with notalush! - Thanks Brandon! - Pours black as night thick as oil with a dark lush mocha head that stays very well. Aroma is coffee, a touch of chocolate, smoke, and much roasted malt. Flavor is rich dark coffee, dark chocolate, dark roasted malts, everything dark and beautiful on a nice thick palate not much carbonation and a smooth mouth coating feel. Nice roasted character hides all of the alcohol. Nice dark chocolate finish make this one memorable. A strong solid brew worthy of the top 50.

Huge thanks to Dickinsonbeer for sharing this looooonngg sought after beer! Deep, dark bloody black body and a sudsy muddy-brown head with a fast oily fade. Head refused to stand again with repeated agitation. Sharp alcohol leads in the aroma and overpowers. Nice elements of espresso beans, strong red wine, and dark rum gradually emerge. Flavor is of espresso beans, toasted raisins, dark chocolate, and well-roasted grains. Nice full body and pleasing texture. An enjoyable and distinct Imperial Stout. Thanks again Paul!

Thanks to Dickinsonbeer for bringing this bomber back from the brewery. Pours a dark black bubbly tan slightly lacing head. Aroma of chocolate, caramel an overall sweetness with some alcohol. Flavor of coffee, chocolate and a smooth creamy sweetness. This is a beer I wish I had the whole bomber of so I could site back, relax and take this one in on my own.