 Old_Mr_Crow (1016), Seattle, Washington, USA
Nov 6, 2006
Bottle, approximately 8 months after purchase.
Pours a rich deep black wth a small tan head. The aroma is simply massive, right up there with the biggest I’ve experienced even on an imperial stout. The dominant aroma is a deep roasty malt chocolate, with powerful plum wine coming in right underneath and a vanilla oakiness throughout; I also get a bit of soy saunce and, of course, a ton of alcohol on the nose. It’s certainly an intense aroma, and a relatively nice one, though I could do without that alcohol blast and perhaps with a bit more subtlety.
Unfortunately, the flavor is just way too sweet. I realize that the brewery has aimed at a sweet cordial taste, but it catches me by surprise even after the aroma. In addition to the sweet chocolate, we get plenty of cherry, again some vanilla, woody notes, hints of whisky, grapes on the finish.
The mouthfeel is both sticky and hot; overall it does not impress though it definitely conveys the message that this is a high-gravity beer.
In the end, I’m didn’t particularly enjoy this one. One 4 oz snifter was enough for one night (compare with some of the other imperial stouts, where a 22oz bomber doesn’t seem nearly enough!) and the sweetness ruined it for me. The 15% alcohol seemed to hurt more than it helped, and I’m left thinking that there are probably a dozen Imperial Stouts available locally that I would prefer to drink if given the chance.
timsilvia32 (211), born in Michigan, North Carolina, USA
Sep 7, 2008 "Batch 2" Black pour with a deep brown head and ruby accents around. Dark fruit, roast/burnt malt, alcohol aromas. There is a lot in this one, really attacks the taste buds. Some roast malt and coffee, bakers chocolate. More plum and port wine, with some barrel like characteristics. Long lingering with some alcohol burn in the finish. Split the first bottle, not sure I could drink an entire one myself. An impressive offering from Avery, of which I’ve been pleased with many of lately.
Flyer (108), Hartland, Wisconsin, USA
Sep 7, 2008 Brown-tinged black pour with a thick, coffee-froth colored head. Prunes and anise on the nose. Flavors of dates and prunes and some burnt oak, followed by chocolate, cherry, and the as-advertised "double espresso finish." Sweeter even than liqueur. A sipping beer in the most literal sense. More than 2-3 ounces would be too much, and more than 1-2 times a month would lbe too often. In that context, excellent.
cmillward (170), Orlando, Florida, USA
Sep 6, 2008 Bottle, batch 1. Sampled summer 2008, thanks boboski.
Pours pitch black with a brown head which quickly fades away. On the nose, caramel, butterscotch, dark fruits, chocolate and some sherry notes. In the flavor, chocolate, caramel, butterscotch, figs, dates, raisins, quite sweet, alcohol is evident. Quite strong, but high on flavor! A little cloying and heavy in the mouth.
FROTHINGSLOSH (1488), GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania, USA
Sep 1, 2008 Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured thick, black and oily with a medium sized dark brown head. The aroma was sweet bourbon, roasty malts and floral hops. Very complex on the nose but a bit of the alcohol shows through. The flavor was richly complex and intense with notes of port wine, cherry, licorice, roasty malts and honey. There is an incredibly intense and long finish of port and licorice. The flavors practically sear themselves on to your tongue. Almost too intense. Remarkable!
CaptBier (252), Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Aug 31, 2008 A pitch black beer with no head. The aroma is very sweet with primary notes of coffee, but also with light notes of vanilla and alcohol. The flavor is very sweet with a powerful presence of alcohol (no wonder), which burns the mouth slightly, the flavor also contains quite strong chocolate notes and lesser notes of wood, leading to a dry end. A very complex beer.
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