Tröegs Scratch 5

Formerly brewed at Tröegs Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania USA

Bottle from miketd on 12/19/2007. Thanks Mike! Pours with a small bubble head that quickly dissipates to thin cloud over a dark black-amber liquid. Aroma is malty almost barleywineish. Aroma shows hints of chocolately roastiness. Medium to heavy body. Some lingering bittterness. Lots of hops, possibly grapefruit hops. Not sweet, but the thick body implies an illusive sweetness. Drinkability reduced a little from young age, higher alcohol and offcenter bitterness. Should get better with age, but I think a hint of oxidation beginning to show may limit the amount of aging, and would encourage aging at lower temperatures.

Bottle: Poured a Dark dark brown with a coffee colored head. The aroma was that of coffee. The flavor was full of coffee, chocolate, and malts. Very smooth and not overly roasted. A very drinkable stout.

Bottle courtesy of hopdog. Thanks Steve! Murky dark brown to near black pour. Small tanned head. Aroma is roasted malts, dark, bitter chocolate, and burnt oatmeal. Taste is bitter chocolate, hops, roasted malts, and burnt, oily coffee. Body is light-medium with a creamy carbonation and a lingering bitterness. Doesn’t really "feel" like an imperial stout. Finishes with strong roasted malts, oily hops, and dark bitter chocolate. Rather uneven overall but still tasty at times.

12 oz bottle via trade. One of the lightest imperial stouts I’ve ever tasted. It’s a fairly good beer, but not excellent for an Impy Stout. Aroma of milk chocolate, dark fruit and pine hops. Pours dark, dark brown, close to black with a thin off white head. Dry hops and lightly roasted malt on the tongue. Some chocolate sweetness. Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Really not an imperial stout, but relatively tasty nonetheless.

12 oz. bottle via trade with jasonmech77 - You can see the cloudiness of this beer as you pour it. There is even some floaties in it. It’s a brown color with lighter edges when held to the light. The head is light tan and is a 3/4 finger thick. Light lacing. Aroma is light toasted malt, esters, and faint smoke. The flavor is malty sweet, esters with a nice hop balance. Palate is fairly smooth. Medium body. I think this beer leans more toward a Barleywine than a Imp. stout. The alcohol isn’t overbearing. A good beer. Thanks Jason.

bottle from mj. dark maroon brown body with a light tan head. fruity nose, that is a bit earthy. a lot of plum & and a little chocolate. light strawberry & coffee bitter flavors are there at first. chocolate is there underneath it all. thin body. slight bitter smoke & mint in there too. an interesting stout. not really one that is very appealing to me though. i can easily drink this with no problems, but it’s not one i will go in search of again. sidenote, i saw this was 9.6 % as i was entering my notes. i am shocked, there was no alcohol discernible while drinking this, and i didn’t "feel" it afterward. maybe i have a drinking problem afterall? 4 6 5 2 12

Very dark brown body looks nearly black in a dense snifter pour. A tan head is thick, creamy and resilient. The nose is timid when cool, releasing hints of sweet chocolate and luscious caramel, as well as moderately roasty grains and a dab of smoke and dark/black fruits. Alcohol is lightly detectable but only noted due to pleasant esters. The flavor is much roastier, charred grains leading in bitter chocolate and more caramel. Loads of molasses and a nifty licorice bite swirl within each sip. Sweetness is mild, bitterness medium and balance within stylistic parameters is achieved with elegance - this is very tasty and drinkable to boot. Astringency is rather high but adds to a unique overall profile and is therefore not bothersome. The finish is hoppy and roasty, drying quickly and leaving bittered cocoa lingering. The mouthfeel is modest, but heavy carbonation is a pleasant velvety curtain and movement enhancement upon the palate that offers an illusion of heft in body. A potent little package and a very interesting recipe.

Date: 12/22/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

dark brown, wispy beige head, sweet dark caramel and chocolate aroma, creamy body, rich chocolate flavor, caramel malt brings in some sweetness, balanced with bitter dark chocolate and roasted malt, touch of alcohol for extra sweetness and a spicy edge, bitter dark chocolate finish

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4