 jefcon (997), Arlington, Virginia, USA
Sep 16, 2009 Draft. This is a tough beer to find fault with: black in the glass, deadly aromas of coffee and chocolate, slight floral hops and caramel. A lot of coffee on the tongue and a hint of vanilla, too. But here is the catch: at 12 percent, the alcohol in this beer is too much. It intrudes on the aromas and the flavors, and the palate is slick and hot. Sure, the taste of the beer is great, but with this much alcohol, the whole experience slips away on the finish. Unfortunately, all the downside of so much hooch leaves the impression that this beer is not all that difficult to make. True or not, it’s a sad detraction from a beer that would otherwise impress.
tekhna (100), California, USA
Sep 16, 2009 Excuse the personal narrative here, but I’ve drunk a lot more beer than I’ve rated, and I am beginning to wear out on RIS. This is the beer that finally did it for me. It’s an excellent beer, but it’s finally too much. Too much malt, too much alcohol.
On to the beer at hand.
Lots of coffee, chocolate, roasted malts, sticky mouthfeel, the usual assortment of RIS adjectives. I wasn’t blown away, but it’s very good. Add it to the list of RIS I’d rather have than Dark Lord.
TearsforBeers (171), Ohio, USA
Sep 13, 2009 8 month old bottle poured for my dad’s 50th birthday. Pours black with milky-chocolate head that lasts a while. Aromas of chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, alcohol, sweet apricots, and hot chocolate milk are present. Flavor is sweet, acrid, bitter, coffee, some roast - not nearly as complex as I imagined it would be. Mouthfeel is coating and thick. Overall, good, but not the level that of excellence I expected from a top 10 beer. Perhaps I’ll just have to try another bottle...
Strykzone (1459), Wood River, Illinois, USA
Sep 13, 2009 Thick and rich in appearance. Almost black. A bit thick rippled dark tan head that just does not go away. Aroma is huge coffee and chocolate with a big dose of hops. Flavor is very much the same as the nose. Dark fruit. Mid bottle the huge beginning zing fades leaving a very smooth stout with cocoa leading the way. The alcohol is not really tasted but is evident in warming and head spinning. This is a wonderful beer that starts out with powerful flavors that smooth out as a top tier impy stout. So well done!
ansermadide (496), Kyle, Texas, USA
Sep 13, 2009 Sample from September 11, 2009 Beer Club Meeting. Thick! Coffee-like, bubbly head. Thick, solid lacing. Aroma of chocolate, but uber-malty. Flavor really pleasant. Coffee not overdone. Almost milky... suspect lactose, but imagine it’s just an illusion.
jbye4334 (652), Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Sep 12, 2009 (bottle from Beervirgin72). Black color. Medium tan, creamy head. Strong roasted coffee aroma and flavor. Long duration. Slightly bitter finish. Thin texture. Soft carboantion. Fair lacing.
cprochak (388), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Sep 12, 2009 750mL bottle from John’s Marketplace (Portland). Pours Jet black with about 3 finger mocha bubbly head. Great lacing and the head lingers long into the pour. Aroma hits the nose with deep dark roasted molasses, with chocolate and coffee coming through strong as well. Touch of earthiness and dark fruit (raisin). As it warms, much more deep dark chocolate comes out. Very full-bodied, only a touch of sweetness. Then, a pleasantly bitter coffee comes bursting through. This fantastic espresso mocha finish stays long on the tongue and makes me want more. Very drinkable imperial stout.
zizzybalubba (338), Elizabeth City, North Carolina, USA
Sep 11, 2009 750 mL bottle from South Bay Drugs (purchased February 2009; rated September 2009). Thick, black pour with a beautiful, bubbly tan head. Aroma of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a hint of booze. Wonderful coffee flavor. Creamy mouthfeel. Alcohol surprisingly non-existent for such a high ABV beer. Beer is easy to rate when it’s this good.
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