AleSmith Speedway Stout

Got it on tap in Pacific Beach, CA. Black as night with the taste of strong coffee and maybe some roasted and a little of the carmelly flavor. Great beer, one of my new favorite Imperials.

750 ml bottle thanks to Padrefan98. Poured absolutely perfect, thick viscous body, black as moonless night, light ring of light brown head. Aroma was great but I must admit that there are a few Impy Stouts out there that I would prefer in the aroma department. To make maters worse there are several Impys out there I prefer in the flavor department. This is one fine beer indeed that I would gladly drink every day if I could but unfortunately I can’t.

Bottle. [ Courtesy of drewbeerme ] The night Nicki did win his second worldchampionship in speedway ;o)). Dark black color with a average to large, creamy, excellent lacing, fully lasting, light brown head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, caramel, dark chocolate, strong coffee, vanilla, licorice, alcohol. Initial flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter, middel flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter, finish flavor is moderate sweet and moderate to heavy bitter with a long duration. ( Coffee and chocolaste bitter ). Body is medium to full, texture is creamy, carbonation is soft, finish feel is light alcoholic. ;o) (220907)

THE most complex beer I have ever tasted. Opaque black with a solid half-inch of espresso-colored head, thick fruit and clean fuel in the nose, and a mind-numbing combination of the darkest chocolate and rich black roast coffee on the initial swig. So lush and complex is this brew that you have to get a few swigs into it in order to fully appreciate its flavor profile. Flavor evolves into more ethanol and caramel malts toward the bottom of the mug.

75cl bottle, silver foil (2006?), ingested 10/8/07. Pours black with tan foam that has decent retention and good lacing. Aroma is full of roasted malts, little bit of hops in there. Flavor is woo-haa rich, big stupid amounts of malt, a little more malt and then some more malt on top of that, never gets to the point of cloying, keeps some sort of balance some how. Mouthfeel is just about velvet, very nice beer, but my $ would still go to Expedition.

750 ml bottle (2006 vintage)

Rating #600 - I’ve been saving this for a special occasion. A 600th rating seems like a great reason to open a bottle which has been in the cellar for 18 months now. It is drinking fabulously; I can’t wait to get to Ohio and pick up another one. As it says on the label this one is huge. It took over two hours to work my way through a single. If you must share it with people who appreciate great beers - don’t let this go to waste on a palate that won’t enjoy it.

Aroma / Appearance - The body was pitch black and very oily. A sandy colored head sheltered the fluid underneath. Creamy tan lacing clung to the sides as I worked my way through glass after glass. It left layers of sediment that made it clear where the full level was. The nose was expresso, anise, cocoa and plums. Figs, cherries, smoke and vanilla also contribute. A dusty vinous feel permeates everything.

Flavor / Palate - The mouthfeel is dense but not suffocating. Black coffee, anise, licorice and plums hit the tongue soon after taking a sip. Blackberries come next followed by a lingering expresso flavor. The malty feel is strong and intense; this is not a subtle beer. The finish of dark chocolate highlights an incredible experience. With easy access to this I may have competition for my current favorite - a two year old bottle of Expedition.

bottle. pours an opaque black with a thin cinnamon colored head that goes away quickly but leaves a good lacing. smell is huge but of only a bit of chocolate and coffee and a lot of alcohol. taste is the same, with alcohol dominating a bit mightier of a coffee note than is in the smell. finishes with a dry, hoppy bitterness that lingers for a while with the warming of the alcohol. quite carbonated, with a creamy mouthfeel that seems to leave a thick oily film. as an IS lover, this isn’t nearly as good as i thought it would be. rerate: let’s try again! opaque black pour, with a huge fluffy tan head that maintains a bubbly froth while i sip, and leaves generous heaps of lacing. great chocolaty/roasty malt smell, with cocoa, some woody notes, a bit of a coffee background, and a hint of alcohol that blends well with the scents. the coffee comes out a lot more in the taste. a decent amount of roasted malt. the chocolate in the nose is conspicuously absent in the taste. quite a bit of alcohol in the taste; i don’t see how people can say you can’t taste the alcohol. fairly bitter finish. there’s some sweetness in there, but it’s not quite enough to balance the bitterness of the coffee, alcohol, and hops. warming to the point of being hot. thin, airy mouthfeel considering the body, which, while not being as thick as some other stouts, isn’t exactly thin. nice lively carbonation. i still don’t dig it as much as everyone else. and i still think it’s a bit of a booze bomb. but i like it better this time than i did last time. personally, i prefer jahva.

Bottle - pours beautfully solid and black with a full head. pungent but not overwhelming to the nose. each quaff delights the palate like a delcious chocolate beer pudding. had numerous times and its wonderfully consistent.