 argo0 (6229), Washington DC, USA
Jul 22, 2002 Updated: Mar 6, 2008
(3/6/08, 750ml bottle, thanks Peregrinari) It’s been over five years since the last time I’d had this beer, and I worried that my appreciation of it may have been tempered by my greatly increased familiarity with the style. Fortunately this isn’t the case (I gave it a solid but not superb score at last month’s blind tasting, but given that it was the 22nd imperial stout of the night, i suspect my taste buds were seriously impaired at the time). If there was one thing about this beer that I would change, it’s that it needs to be available in the DC area. (9/4/9/5/18)
(RBSG02) No head to speak of atop a jet black body. Coffee and raisin sweet aroma, complex malty. Roasty, alcohol bitter, hops holding things up -- beautiful balance. (9/4/9/5/18)
dogfish120love (76), west hartford, Connecticut, USA
Oct 5, 2008 Poured black with a thick rocky 3 finger head that is burnt sugar at first then tan in color. Aroma is over poweringly coffee and chocolate, which dominate any other aroma. The tase is magnificant, huge chocolate and cofee flavors, combined with alcohol. The coffee and chocolate seem to mask the high ABV. This is the best beer I have ever had it is official.
timsilvia32 (244), from Michigan now in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Oct 4, 2008 Old engine oil black pour, dark tan head that lasted the entire glass. Looking at it from the side there were 3 layers, dark tan, reddish brown, then black. Roasted aromas, coffee and malt. Great creamy mouthfeel for such a big beer. Roast malt, some coffee, chocolate, mocha, a little lactic even. The alcohol is nearly non-existent for being 12%. Finishes much less bitter than many imperials. Lingering mocha latte. If there was an imperial milk stout, this could be it. The best of both, the roast, bittering and ABV of the imperial stout combined with the creamy mouthfeel and chocolate of a milk stout. At this point it is close, but I think this might be the best beer I’ve had nearly ever. I’ve rated the Bell’s double cream stout higher because it’s abv allows for more prolonged comsumption. This is the first time such a high expectation was met. That being said, I may be rating a little based on expectations. We’ll see after the other 3 I have age a bit. Will have to try the barrel aged.
BeerBunker (95), Burbank, Illinois, USA
Oct 3, 2008 Pours oily black with a brown head. Head dissapates quickly. Aroma is of raosted malt, caramel, chocolate, and dark fruit. Taste is absolutely delicious. Strong malt flavors, caramel, some hints of coffee beans, balanced with alcohol, yeast, and fruit. Nice alcohol punch, which wasn’t as strong as I expected. Lingering taste of chocolate lasts way longer than expected. This beer is amazingly drinkable for being a heavy stout that’s 12%.
Snojerk321 (1009), San Diego, California, USA
Sep 30, 2008 750ml bottle from BevMo Mission Valley. Not sure how I haven’t rated this yet, didn’t want to do it off of memory, here goes. Pours midnight black with a good sized tan/ chocolate head.....decent lacing. Bursting with Fresh coffee, cocoa, and espresso. Flavor was chocolate and fresh coffee. Finish was very smooth, full bodied....couldn’t be much better.
Doppelganger (1197), Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Sep 29, 2008 Bottle with Craig, Stella, Fin, Loz and Traci, at the "What’s This Label Supposed To Be Anyway?" tasting. Big thanks to Douglas88 for this one!
Deep black with just little shiny brown edges, modest layer of burnt tan fine bubbles with some good stick. Dry smokey coffee roast aroma, dry burnt toast, dark chocolate. Fuller body than the BA Speedway, and fuller, more dramatic roast character. Lingering dark chocolate. Green sappy wood. A stunning, beautiful beer. Compared to the BA Speedway: the nose on this is a little less luxurious, but the fullness of the roast character is just outstanding.
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