Avery The Czar Imperial Stout

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

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: JAN 30, 2006 Vintage 2002. Black with ruby highlights around the edges. Initially robust head faded to a thin sheet. Aromas of strong coffee, nuts, and anise. The flavors span a complex range including coffee, chocolate, licorice, molasses, alcohol and some mild hop bitterness in the finish. Rich, smooth, sweet, and pleasing palate. A bomber of The Czar treats you kindly.

Pitch black hue with the exception of some ruby tints around the top and bottom, very little head and no lacing. Aroma hints of molasses, licorice, prunes, expresso, and leather. Rich and oily mouthfeel led to a sweet malt and twangy ripe fruit taste, spicy and woody on the finish. The alcohol is dangerously hidden, surprising smooth. Full-bodied. Initially my impression was that the beer was overrated, but as the glass warmed up, the aroma and taste grew more complex and wonderful. Recommended, thanks Acrodizer for the trade!

pours black with some light comming through at the bottom of the glass, and no head. aroma is of coffee, plums, and chocolate. flavor is very sweet with coffee and chocolate at the forefront, and hops and alcohol in the background. very smooth considering the high alcohol content. also seems like there is very little carbonation. this is a great imperial stout and i will definately drink it again.

UPDATED: APR 13, 2007 Bottle, 2002, fresh
Deep black with shades of ruby at the bottom of the glass. Smells of sweet teriyaki sauce and licorice. Smooth upon the lips, medium-bodied up front and more syrupy in the finish with a crisp alcohol bite in the middle. Sweet taste of black licorice and smoke. Overall it covers the ABV very well, but is far to consumed with a sweet syrup taste and texture. 6/4/7/2/14 = 3.3

Bottle, 2002, aged 2 years
Really well developed molasses and sweet sticky plums and dark chocolate. I enjoyed it a lot more after a couple of years but it still was not the easiest IS to drink. 7/4/7/4/14 = 3.6

Bottle, 2004, fresh
This was a horrible experience. Nasty lactic yeast and mold everywhere in the aroma and the flavor... hot and young, no well developed flavor, just a bad combination of old fruit and mold and hops. Bad experience, I’m glad I didn’t have to drink the entire bottle. 5/4/3/3/7 = 2.2

What a wonderful beer! The initial hazelnut buttery creaminess hooked me immediately - almost like an excellent desert barley wine. The alchohol here was incorporated wonderfully, any more or any less would detract from the flavor. God...that buttery hazelnut just freaking blankets the palate like some steaming elfish draught you read about in Tolkein novels, just amazing.

Tan, foamy head. Slow pouring. Sweet aroma, plums, figs, etc. Very rich. Definitely dark/black, but not the darkest I've ever had. Some ruby tones. Smooth drinking, the alcohol is apparent on the back of throat. There is a smokey nuttiness that is lurking in there, but definitely an as asset.

Deep black- no head- smoky nose. Smooth, nice viscosity on the tongue. The alochol is definitely wanting to make itself known- hi how ya doin?

Deep black in colour. Aroma of grains, chocolate malts, caramel, licorice, coffee, and alcohol. The flavour has a nice hop bite to it, very complex, smooth, with a bit of alcohol. Finishes quite bitter, very big, and warming because of the alcohol. Many thanks to my friend hopscotch for letting me try this one.

UPDATED: AUG 22, 2008 nice bottle sets the stage for high multi-sensorsy theatre; cracking the foiled crown, i half expected music (something from handel’s water music). the pour was solid, but i was surprised to see some light dance through this imperial, bogging down in deep umbers certainly, but shouting out arabesques of crimson as well. a brief dollop of light sandstone colored head. expansive aroma filled the environs, pernot anise mingling with chocolate and coffee, cherries, and well-oiled furniture. alcohol was everywhere, cunningly so, never in the way, never to be climbed over; yet as i nursed this one in salubrious tandem with an evening’s relaxed prose, i interrupted my reverie at one point to enjoin this non sequitor: "jeez, this is kickin’ my ass!" . a barley wine imperial stout cross over, a beer built for two, very balanced, sweet, good carbonation with arcing trajectory from brisk to soothingly smooth; great flavor.

Light brown, minimal head, short lived. Black, opaque. Fruity, sour nose with some alc. notes to boot. Medium body. Dry slightly roasty, grapey, fruity. Not much more. Ok Imps