Stoudts Fat Dog Stout (Vintages through 2003)

Formerly brewed at Stoudts Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Adamstown, Pennsylvania USA

Bottle from Indy 12/10 gathering, thanks to BBB63 even though he couldn’t attend. Nice dark brown to black color. The aroma is really roasty and a bit of chocolate. There is a definate fruity flavor. Very active as it runs through the palate, almost too much, but a fairly full beer as well.

Almost see through black, over carbonated, roasty chocolate nose. Big and almost fruity and slight chocolate taste. But still over carbonated in your mouth.

Bottle. Thanks to BBB63 at the Indy Rateparty. Pours oil black with ruby notes in the light. Aroma is roasty chocolate that is sweet towards the end of the nose. Dark Chocolate flavor sweetens as it goes down. Leads to a sour finish with very light notes of apple and grape. Smooth medium to full body.

(Bottle courtesy ’BBB63’ Indy tasting 12/10/05) - label matches this one - Aroma is dark chocolate, cranberry, and roasted chocolate malt. Pours black with a ton of brown head (bottle was a gusher). Flavor is fruitier than I would expect. Chocolate and more chocolate with a bit of coffee in the finish. A bit one dimensional. Palate is carbonated to the point of offensive fizziness for an imperial stout. Tasty, but not an impressive imperial stout.

12.08.05 765ml bottle, dated 11/19/03. Black and slick as old motor oil below a lively and lasting canvas colored head. Aroma is dark, roasty, and mostly chocolatey. There is a certain note of oxidation that comes across as a fruity grain and a touch of cardboard. The flavor is dark and chocolatey, semi-bitter from the roast and maybe even the remnants of some grassy (now more cardboard) hops. A mineral character that comes in with the bitterness at the end lingers long on the palate, a slight earthy snap that reminds of fresh picked blueberries. How ’bout that? Anyway, this was a good find and a pleasing beer.

765 mL, capped bottle (can’t make out the vintage date): fluffy ivory head with large bubbles and hints of chocolate. Initially large, the foam dies into a grey film on top of the dark black body. Golden brown, transparent edges. Sweet chocolately aroma with freshly cracked black pepper, a hint of ginger, and toasted almonds and cherry skins. Rich flavours of dried figs, truffles, raspberries, crisp alcohol, and buttery roasted nuts. Smooth and creamy palate, I fear this is yet another example (several Dogfish Head examples and a variety of others) that are really amazing bottle conditioned beers delivered in large bottles, turned to a filtered 12 oz bottle that is not quite as good…perhaps they will do these again some day, because this is fantastic.

12.30.03 vintage. Pours an inky black with a big beige head. Aroma is roasty and rich, with loads of chocolate and cappucino. This is not ’Imperial’ by any means! Body is a bit watery, but very smooth and complex for a weaker beer. We Americans are so jaded thanks to big beers, but I think this brew deserves more respect than it gets. Perhaps its Imperial designation, which is wrong, makes raters come up disappointed. Anyway, this is a tasty stout, with a good amount of roastiness and plenty of chocolate and coffee in there, as all good stouts have. Finishes sweet and dry, with a slight twinge of hops.

Bottles 11/12/2001 - Black pour with lasting tan colored head. Slightly vineous aroma, roasted malt. Almost smells like a barleywine. Well, this is too bad. This is definately past its prime, acidic sour start, and that dominates. I catch some roastiness to finish, however this is nearly undrinkable.