Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Munster, Indiana USA

’09 bottle thanks to granville tim for bringing it to one of the best man-caves in illinios. coffee/ heavily roasted malts on nose. palate is big dark expresso, with hints of java. finish is long & bitter and quite lenghty. impy stouts are not my favorite style, but this is an impressive beer

RBESG Sheffield 2009 Grand Tasting at the Harlequin. The star of the tasting. Or maybe not? 2009 Vintage. Black colour, almost no head. Aroma of molasses, sugar, bit of vanilla. Flavour is overly sickling sweet, sugar, molasses, a hint of roasted malts, a bit of vanilla, sweet alcoholic finish. But mostly just sweet. Where are the hops in this beer? This is nice for on a pancake or on vanilla ice cream. Big disappointment for me. I even have the feeling I’m being gentle with my rating. Still glad I was able to try this big beer though, so a big thanks to Craig for bringing this to the tasting! Top 50? Maybe the older vintages, but not 2009. Not even close.

Bottle, vintage 2007. Pours a black color with a small tan head. Has a roasted malty dark chocolate molasses and coffee aroma. Roasted malty oily molasses and dark chocolate flavor with hints of dark fruit and coffee. Has a roasted heavy malty molasses finish with hints of chocolate in the aftertaste.

On RBSG 09 BUS. Thanks kp. Poured very black, little thinner than I expected & very sweet. Dark fruits, dark chocolate, roasted malts, molasses, little vanilla.

Originally reviewed 11/5/2008 From a bomber into a Reidel Vinum Cab glass on Election evening... Huge, ultra-viscous espresso/motor oil body topped by a thin brown sugar/sweet potato-colored head. Impressive. Sweet husky double-espresso roasted malt with abundant hop presence of pleasant grass and even some leather. Alcohol blends well but makes its presence known. Definitely a pumpernickel feel with sweet hazlenut caramel finish. Some dates, figs...even some pomegranate? Salty, husky feel to an extent. Balance in over-abundance. Creamy, velety, silky huge 3XL roasted coffee/chocolate malt presence. Hops emerge in force with grass and slight pine notes. There’s even some burnt popcorn. Ya gotta a whole lot goin’ on here... Mouthfeel is well...involved...syrupy as hell with a whole lot of coffee grounds and grill char layered on top; with warmth this balances out with more brown sugar sweetness. A little more synergy would do this wonders; finish is of course heavy as an anvil in a Roadrunner cartoon. Some salty leather in here, too. One word for this: Bountiful. Maybe not a stellar example of Beautiful Chemistry but the abundance of well...everything has good closing speed and makes this a showstopper. Perhaps a little cacophony precludes extreme drinkability but this is one to experience. Holy crap!

2007 Bottle @ Anders37. Black with a dark brown head. Oily, roasted, coffee, vanilla, honey. Fantastic beer

2008. Pours black and oily. Dark brown head. Aroma of soy, chocolate. Oily taste, dark roastiness, sweet. Really good beer.

1. 2007 Vintage sample of 650ml Bottle at Logan’s Pre GABF Party, Denver 10/10/2007 Tan head. Berries chocolate and whisky aromas. Black smooth on the palate and very strong in alcohol with some bitterness in a warmng coffee roast finish. 2. From the Bottle at Tom’s Ultimate Glasgow Tasting 01/12/2007 Small tan head. Rich coffee aroma. Black strong in alcohol and fruity with some sweetness on the palate. Slightly dry lasting finish. 3. From the Bottle at RBESG Harlequin, Sheffield 19/07/2009 Rich aroma. Beige head. Black strong in alcohol and fruity with a little bitterness and dryness in a crisp coffee roast finish.