 Mes_and_Sim (4320), Highgate, Greater London, England
Sep 23, 2007 Updated: Jan 3, 2008
A Mes rate: Bottle at Chris_O’s HogTownHarry minifest.
Huge thanks to Harry. You really are a legend. Jet black and totally opaque with an excellent thick tan head and lace. Huge heavy black coffee aroma with superb chocolate malt and really really nice smoky and roasty notes. Flavour is so so very good. Coffee and sweet sweet malt. No way is it 12% there is just a lick of alcohol and a slight burn at the edges. For big o.t.t. US beers like this I usually find them just all mouth and no trousers but this is fanbloodytastic. Stunning balance thanks to some amazing grassy hops. Tangy and just so fucking good. Velvety smooth and so soft for what it is. Ridiculously long bitter dark chocolate finish. Wonderful stuff. Such a huge debt to Harry for giving me the chance to try this side by side with a Bells Expedition. This won the day easily for me. Want more.
gbdub (30), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Aug 29, 2008 Pours deep black with the thickness of used motor oil topped with a very dense, medium brown head. You can smell this stuff across the room - sweet and bitter chocolate and coffee. Thick, viscous mouthfeel. Sweet roast flavor at first, with chocolate and rich fruit Finish is drier with a strong coffee note at the end and a touch of alcoholic burn. Awesome brew, though I’m not sure if I’m drinking a beer or a beer flavored milkshake.
NoiZe (893), Zeist, Netherlands
Aug 28, 2008 Brought this one back from the States. Very dark black brew, pours like oil. Nice bitter aroma chocolate and coffee. Flavor is lovely, very smooth well balanced bitterness. Chocolate, coffee, dark malts. I live it.
MrBeerFanatic (201), jamestown, New York, USA
Aug 27, 2008 Had a 750ml bottle of this in the fridge for a month or two and have been waiting patiently to try it. Pours an oily jet black having a dark brown frothy head that stays for a while. Awesome complex strong aroma of coffee, chocolate, caramel, hops, and roasted malts. Now for the taste. Texture is pretty smooth. Now this obviously is one of those beers you sip to truly appreciate the taste so if you take a big gulp you taste alcohol but when sipped.....Many of the aromas come into the flavor so what you have is this taste sensation of chocolate, coffee, burnt malts, hops, touch of vanilla, caramel, and roasted malts. Should be drank at the temp it was designed for like around 50 deg or the flavors don’t come out as well. Truly a complex and close to perfect well rounded Imperial stout. This might be my favorite Imperial stout. For the money I paid for this it was well worth it. I may just buy a couple more and age them for a year just to see how much smoother the taste will get. Nice appropriate bitter finish that leaves a burnt flavor on the taste buds. Truly a beer everyone should try, then again, almost all beers from alesmith one should try.
darkguardian (168), Florida, USA
Aug 26, 2008 22oz bottle. Shared at Coffee District. Pours a inky black with a small tan head. Rich and luxurious head. Nose is incredible. Espresso and dark chocolate, a slight note of soy and roast. Flavor is tons of coffee and bitter chocolate up front. A bit of vanilla in the finish and a roasty hoppiness with a sweet sticky smooth finish. Well balanced, this tastes big but it doesn’t have any alcohol burn its just huge on the palate. A hell of a well crafted impy stout. Very very impressive.
MuttyD (64), Cambridge, USA
Aug 24, 2008 Black as night, pours like ink. Huge coffee, chocolate and roasted malt flavor. Sticky and heavy on the palate. Complex and extremely drinkable. Great stout.
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