t Smisje Great Reserva

Brewed by Brouwerij De Regenboog
Style: Imperial Stout
Assebroek-Brugge, Belgium

Bottle thanks to Dmac. It pours out a muddy reddish hued brown with a slightly off white lacing head that lasts throughout the beer. I had to do a double-take of the label....imperial stout????? Aroma is of some toffee, light bittersweet chocolate, some yeast, slight fruit and a slight alcohol note, 0 for 2 so far, neither the aroma or appearance tell of an imperial stout. Taste is of some light baker’s chocolate, a lingering nutty note, some yeast and a little bit of fruit, slight alcohol creeps in there on the finish. Nothing about this beer says imperial stout, I’m thinking more of a BSA.

Many thanks to Marc for the bottle!! Rating #3700. Like the Catherine, just about the lighted colored imperial stout I’ve ever seen.. medium reddish-brown (clear, at least initially), but this had an awesome head to it (sticky, creamy medium beige that left sticky lacing on the glass). The aroma opened with a lovely impression from the barrel treatment in the form of redder vinous notes and aged French oak.. sour and engaging.. the "stout" was deep down, with semi-sweet chocolate and nutty character.. vanilla and brown sugar sweets were interesting on the back. The flavor opened with tangy oak and rich cognac with a mild metallic hit (not necessarily a flaw.. more like part of the booze was aged in stainless).. aged caramel, nutty notes, and brown sugar rolled across the middle.. vinous notes were laced throughout, and play a great part on the finish. Medium-bodied and well-carbonated on the palate.. sweet overall, but it also had lots of tanginess from the barrel. The cognac for the most part took over the less-than-substantial stout, but I gotta say that it didn’t do so in a dissapointing way.

Bottle. Pours a hazy murky dark brown with a big foamy tan head. Aroma of yeast, wood, light fruit and some funk. Flavor was dark malts, wood, vanilla, light fruit and some faint spices.

Hand Grenade. Pours a murky brown body with a tan 3 finger head. Some light chocolate, wood, alcohol, whiskey and a light apple and brandy character. Moderate warming with a chewy sweet spiced character. Good stuff.

Bottle at Spuyten Duyvil shared by Larry or something. Dark pour. Kind of tart, wheaty, charcoal aroma. Notes of red wine. Sweetish flavor, coal and ash, minor wine and barrel character. A neat attempt.

Good aroma. Fruity. Very much like a dubbel. Candi brown sugar. Flavor starts out similar to aroma, but then a charcoal campfire flavor comes in, and the finish is very chocolaty and somewhat roasty. It’s the only stout part of it. A little too carbonated but it works well with the dubbel nature of it.

Murky brown pour with a solid tan head. Aroma of wood, tart berries and very mild chocolate. Flavor begins with cognac and sour fruit, but transitions quickly into oaky chocolate. A nice bit of acidic bitterness makes for a long, but pleasantly clean finish. Solid palate mouthfeel works well for the beer. Pretty interesting beer.

Hazy dark amber color with a frothy head. Aroma is almost like a belgian. Very sweet with tart fruit. The flavor is similar but with a very dry, woody finish. It’s certainly not what I would think of as an imperial stout.