From several samples at the ’08 MBG festival. Orange color with a nice white head. Nose of caramel, light toast and alcohol. Nice flavors of burnt caramel and big bread. This is bigger than your average Maibock, and maybe even a Doppelbock.

tap at the livery. went straight there after steelhead triathlon so i was really thirsty!.... poured a medium orange brown with a thin milky white head....aroma of sweet dark malts and an alcoholic punch.... sweet wheat and banana flavors along with light peppery spice. medium carbonation and a little hot overall.

Draft sample at brewpub. Poured hazy dark copper color with an average white frothy head that mostly lasted with excellent lacing. Good toasted nutty malty aroma. Medium to full body with a sticky texture. Good well balanced roasted malty flavor with a moderate to heavy smooth balanced bittersweet finish of moderate to long duration. Good drinkable beer.

on tap at the brewpub. pours hazed amber with white head. aroma of floral and caramel, some sweet alcohol notes. flavor is sweet, caramelly, cotton candy, touch toasted. sort of dry boozy finish cleans off the palate. pretty good but too sweet and needs a big noble hop character for balance.

Review #2 &#40;tap&#41;: Much better carbonation and clinging lace. Improved the appearance, palate and overall 1 point each. <br /><br /> ----------- INITIAL REVIEW------------<br /><br /> &#40;3.3&#41; Growler and served in my NB Worthy glass: Pours a hazy deep coppery hue with a minimal head and lace. The aroma has notes of apricot, pear, starfruit esters, grassy and spicy hops, bready and caramel malts, with a noticable alcoholic phenolic nature, very aromatic nose. The taste starts malty and fruity with syrupy character before a healthly dose of noble spicy hops come about to play. I get some earthiness and vinous notes as well. The mouth feel is a bit of a letdown honestly, needs a bit more carbonation, sticky and oily. All in all, not bad for the style but this "imperial" Maibock just missed the mark.