Triumph Imperial Stout

Brewed by Triumph Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Princeton, New Jersey USA

Yes! I drank this one on tap at their New Hope facility on a cold rainy day, just what I needed. The brown head was almost creamy, unusual in an imperial, and it lasted and lasted as I admired the sip lines and lacing. An appealing, earthy aroma preceded a hoppy strong malt flavor that lightly coated my mouth like 10W-30. The chocolate and coffee flavors are faint, in the right proportion. The finish is strong with a bitter-sweet aftertaste.

So my 100th rating. We made the trip down to Triumph in New Hope. They had the Imperial Stout and being my current top style of beer I figured it was a nice way to ring in my 100th. This beer looked great. Just like an Imperial Stout should. Dark as night with a tan head that stays around the whole time and laces the glass like paint laces the side of a paint can. Aroma of coffe and dark chocolate. Really smooth at first with a bit of a bite at the end. Slightly thin, but still great.

New Hope location. Listed as 9% ABV and served on nitro. Deep black body with a creamy dark tan head that settled into a nice, speckled, silky sheet. Great aroma of chocolate, smoke, roasted fig, and coffee beans. Milky, rich flavor. Fairly sweet and not overly roasty (although it’s all there) with subdued hops and moderate bitterness. Ultra-smooth, full bodied texture. A great rendition of the style and a nice break from the burnt squash versions that I’ve been finding of late.

On tap at the brewpub in New Hope. Pours a very dark brown with a thick, creamy tan head. Very flavorful brew with lots of malt and coffe flavors. There is a touch of smokiness that comes through in the aftertaste. Well balanced and enjoyable.

[At GABF, 2004] A pitch black beer with a small disappearing brown head. The aroma is sweet roasty with slight coffee notes. The flavor is sweet and roasted with weak notes of chocolate and coffee as well as hints of alcohol, but the alcohol burns slightly in the finish. Too sweet and too simple for me.

Aroma: tannins, coco, dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and smoke
Appearance: dark brown-->black, tan head
Flavor: honey, smoke, gelatin, and some dark fruits
Palate: smooth but thin, lacks depth

Draft at the Leigh Valley Brewfest in Easton, Pa. From the New Hope, Pa location. Good beer. Nice sweet roastiness flavor. The only drawback was it was a tad to thin flavor wise.

GABF 2004: Nearly opaque, thick dark brown with a light tan head. Aroma is full and sweet with a touch of toffee, caramel malt, and dark chocolate. Starts with a hint of lactose sweetness and sticky caramel. FInishes sweet and milk chocolatey. Nicely balanced and pretty complex, an enjoyable imperial stout.