Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown Ale

Brewed by Tommyknocker Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Idaho Springs, Colorado USA

Many thanks to Matta for this, a beer that deserves a lot more accolades, and one of the top 10 I have quaffed this year, or any year for that matter. The pour starts things off in a great way, showing a deep burnt sienna color with a 3-finger tan head that beautifully contrasts the color of the beer, like an early morning fog rising off the surface of a muddy Georgia marsh. The aroma greets the olfactory receptors with a complex medley consisting of huge roasty malt, corn flakes, brown sugar, almonds, toffee, and an underlying maple syrup element. The flavor is rich and complex, giving taste notes of roasty, corn flakey malt, with a mid-palate hit of brown sugar, almonds, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, and nutmeg. The palate is perfect, a nice hefty beer with great layers of interlacing flavors and aromas. I would never have pegged this as almost 10% ABV, that’s how well made it is. This is a beer for the ages, abeer that I would gladly stand in line for. Also, I consider this to be an Imperial Nut Brown Ale, as the label states, not an American strong ale.

355 ml, notches may indicate 2nd week of May? Nearly opaque chocolate with a small but lasting head with crusty lace. Aroma is malty molasses and cocoa. Flavor is cocoa, sour cream, earthy maple, slight gunmetal and charred wood, light fruity alcohol. Palate is creamy smooth with just enough hop dryness on the end. Great, highly underrated beer.

I visited the Tommyknocker brewery in Colorado after trying the Nut Brown ale. I got a single bottle of the Imperial and fell in love with it. It’s got a perfect balance of everything a nut brown should have. The aroma is dark and malty and the flavor is roasty and not too sweet. An amazing beer

Dark brown, little head. Very carbonated. You can taste the sweet maple syrup with a little chocolate. Great beer.

A beautiful reddish-brown with a thin, tan head. The color itself is a precursor to the flavor and aroma of this beer. Aroma is very toasty and warm (like sitting next to the fire place). There is also a beautiful sweetness to the aroma with components such as hazelnuts, cinnamon toast, earth, and plum increasing the complexity. Palate is chewy and light at the same time. Malt is buttery in its sweetness with whipping cream, chocolate milk, malt sugar, wood, and caramel creme (the liquid equivalent of creme brulee) as flavor components. Bitterness is in the background and allows the malt to shine. I think Tommyknocker may have released this one too soon. I had it a month ago and was unimpressed, last night it was ambrosia. Worth trying again.

(06.14.06) One pint , 6 oz brown bottle from beergeek.com. 10th year anniversary ale 1994-2004. Bottle labeled as best consumed within four months of June 1005. Hazy dark brown with medium off-white head. Soft carbonation. Aroma of sweet malt, fruity, and sour milk. Full bodied ale that starts with light malt sweetness and toasted malt/nutty flavor. Subtle maple syrup flavor noted in the middle. Finished with light malt fade and light hop bitterness. Creamy, rich, and smooth. Well-balanced. This is an excellent brown ale, one of the best that I’ve enjoyed so far.

22 oz. brown bomber. No freshness date seen, but it’s a very fresh sample. Poured out a deep brown, with red highlights.My pocket beer engine produced a healthy tan colored head. Aromas are of maple syrup, toffee, caramels, and malts galore. No discernible hop aromas. Flavors are of maple syrup, Brach’s caramels, sweet malts. Alcohol is well hidden. Thick, creamy mouthfeel. Slick, but not oily. Decent body, especially for a syrup beer. Aftertastes are of maple syrup. Decent beer overall. I’m impressed.

Wow, darn good beer. Very smooth mouthfeel with extremely well hidden alcohol. I get a lot of caramel and chocolate flavors. Very drinkable. I would guess this is more around 6-7% alochol.