Avery Mephistopheles Stout

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Boulder, Colorado USA

This beer pours with a demonic darkness, covered by a shroud of tan head. Lace lingers in a purgatory state of being. Nose was pumping out sweet aromas of candy, fresh-baked yeast cake and freshly crushed vanilla beans. Mouthfeel was beyond amazing ... took me back to that first Beast, and then some. If you could swallow liquid silk, this is what it would feel like. I’d give it a 6 if I could. Man, where do I start? As I sip incessantly, I can’t type as fast as I’m thinking. Chocolate, black licorice, earthy wood, cooked raisins, quenchy apricot, brown sugar, plums, vanilla, toasted bread, creamed coffee, sweet grass, peat, very rich molasses ... it’s a swirled hurricane of flavors and aromas. Alcohol is hidden amazingly well, but it does surface beautifully in the background. Hops are healthy, but the hop boldness is very complementing ... enough to be classic Avery, but not "over-the-top," as some might say. The fat-ass malts have the advantage on this teeter-totter. Man, what an incredible beer! Mephistopheles pushes the Imperial Stout style to new levels, and it more than raises the bar. RERATE (Dec. 2007 batch; just bottled): They nailed it again; what a fantastic beer. Seems a bit fruitier than the sample I had months ago. I enjoyed it immensely.

Dark black with a medium dark brown head. Rich sugery aroma of roasted malt, candy, soy and dates. Flavor is really sweet and rich with raisons, dates, soy, roasted malt and licorice. Body is kind of oily and the 15% is well hidden. Raaly drinkable for a huge beer.

I promise I am not one of the overly enthusiastic types with the inability to be critical. I absolutely feel that this is the best beer I have ever had. I felt that the Czar was amazing, but this one is even better. There is really not a strong alcohol taste, surprisingly. I wish that I could get this in Tennessee. Don’t let my low number of ratings fool you. I have tried a large variety of beers from all around the world. I just don’t usually rate anything. I simply had to rate these two Averys.

12ozBottle. This is the best beer I have ever had. Thanks to BeerandBlues2 for showing me this one. Pours a very dark opaque Black color. Aroma is full of fruit aromas with a wonderful coffee and chocolate blend. The brew has a high ABV of 15.1 and has a great thick brown tan head that stays till the end. The best thing about this beer is the overall flavor and for it to carry such a high ABV that is perfectly hidden. This is just a great beer because after I had my first taste of this beer the next day I drove all day. To get to Boulder and back so I can have some before their all gone.

***2005, Pours like iodine, clings to the sidewalls like a rabid bobcat. Smells of malted lead. Super full nectar. Very metalic in flavor with cooked leather, copper, cassis, espresso. This is very sweet with a huge hop on the finish that tries to knock out the sugar but can’t. Reminds me of a blend of 100yr old Vintage Porto and an ancient Madeira. More like a bloody kick in the mouth with a boot cooked in espresso. Overall; this brew will kick your ass. I thoroughly enjoyed getting my face kicked in over and over again, sip after sip, kick after kick. Do it, do it ! ***2006, Pours bloody black w/ a medium, semi creamy froth that just sits there. Aroma is thick and chocolatey sweet w/ a nice citrus rind kick. Full nectar like sludge w/ well integrated effers creating a thick and chewy texture lik unset chocolate fudge. Strong flavors of cocoa, roasted coffee bean, sweet molases, vanilla, chocolate cake bread, moderate strength espresso, and a little bit of hopsy citrus rind to help balance it out. The finish is long and chewy sweet w/ a nice bittering componant.

Can you say perfect? One of the rare beers that I will ever give a perfect rating for, this one surely deserves it. I wanted to lick the bottle and my glass for every last molecule of this stuff. Absolutely incredible complex in the aroma and palate. Nose had notes of caramel, charcoal, roasted malts, dark fruits, vanilla, brandy, and rum. Appearance is jet black. There wasn’t enough light in the room to properly check to see if it was solid thru but who cares. Flavors were much the same as the nose but I could get chocolate coverd cherries, more malt, hoppy goodness and that mouthfeel was perfect. My 3rd time with Avery (3rd time’s a charm) and they hit a grand slam with this one.

Bottle sampled with Stegosaurus. Now i am no fan of stouts, but this is definitely the best i have ever tasted. Pours dark with a brown head, aroma of fruit, roast, and alcohol. Flavor is roast, carbonation, fruit, coffee, and smooth.

300th rating...make it a strong one!!!! 12 oz. bottle batch #2 - poured coal black as the commercial description states. Medium tan head. Aroma - damn this beer smells good!! a mixture of almaretto and grapejuice with chocolate, coffee. Flavor - chocolate covered cherries, dark fruits, coffee and many other flavors. Palate - Medium mouthfeel with good carbonation for such a high abv. Slight alcohol burn on the way down with dry finish. Aftertaste is smokey and lingers. Overall - This is the beer the devil would drink!! It is so complex and highbrow, it almost makes you feel more powerful drinking it!!!! This is one fine crafted brew and the $7.49 I paid for the bottle was well worth it. NOT FOR THE WEAK!!!!