Shoreline Lost Sailor Imperial Stout

On tap at Shoreline and served in a snifter. This beer poured a near black with a one-finger thick head of creamy, lasting tan foam. Some attractive lacing was left behind. The aroma of the beer was made up of mild chocolate, coffee, and some dark fruits. The flavor consisted of strong notes of molasses and soy sauce. The soy sauce flavor covers up most of the roastiness and coffee. The mouthfeel was smooth and full-bodied with light carbonation. I really wanted to love this, but in the end I was a bit disappointed.

From the tap this gem pours an intensely dark brown but has little of any head. There’s alot to the aroma, coffee, milk chocolate, roasted malts and barley, smoke, Bourbon, dark caramel, vanilla, dark dried fruits. It’s amazingly light yet very smooth and creamy in the mouth. Everything mentioned in the aroma appears in the flavor, all neatly merged into one tasty sipping beer. Interestingly, the strong ABV makes no appearance until the brew hits the bloodstream. Very well done and enjoyable.

<font size=-4>Shoreline Brewery, Michigan City, IN<font size=-1>

Brewed and then aged in a bourbon barrel. On draft at the bar. Sam says there’s not much of this so I won’t be able to bring a Growler to Dark Lord Day 2007. Maybe I can steer a few people back here to try this. Opaque. You can slightly smell the bourbon from the barrel. Not much of a head. Slight licorice taste, very nice palate. Doesn’t leave a massive aftertaste on your tongue, just a nice hoppy brush.

RERATE (2nd Batch) 3.4 rating: Seems more fruity and has a bit of a diacetyl character on the nose. Currant, fig, prune, pipe tobacco, coffee, and roasted malt vapours (missing much of the chocolate from before). The taste is a bit more medicinal and not as rounded as before, sweet and syrupy with a molasses twang. -1 appearance, -1 aroma, -2 Flavor, +1 mouthfeel, -2 overall.

Original review (3.9 rating): Basically opaque with just a hint of ruby highlights topped by a thin beige foamy head, oily upon the glassware. The nose detects rich coffee, smoky black and chocolate malts, hint of prune, some grassy aromatics and a pinch of pipe tobacco. The taste is a combination of espresso flavors over rich sweet malt that as a major bittersweet cocoa kick. Found a nice layer of smoke and earthy qualities towards the finish and some light handed hop bitterness. The mouth feel is oily and lush but not a tongue coater, the alcohol is mostly well hidden. A very solid offering from Sam, to bad they would not sell me a growler. Gotta work on that...

On tap .WOW my favorite style on tap and served in 10 ounce glasses.Great chocolate taste with hints of coffee but not overwhelming,alcohol well hidden and good till thge last drop.CHEERS