brewski519 (395), Morrisville, North Carolina, USA Feb 24, 2009 Pours a motor oil black with a thick brown head... Nose is rich with fig, molasses and chocolatey malt. Taste is like dessert in a glass - chocolate, licorice, coffee, and malts with the alcohol hiding in the background ready to come out and kick your ass if you don’t pay attention. Raisins come through for me in the after-taste. Nice thick mouthfeel with decent carbonation but not overwhelming. Overall, an awesome brew. I’ll have to pick up some more to store for a while to be enjoyed at a later date to be determined.... dutch23mp (160), Mount Prospect, Illinois, USA Feb 22, 2009 I’m very surprised to see the high ABV on this and not taste it. A wonderful mix of coffee, licorice, chocolate taste to mention a few, with a perfect blend of malts. This isn’t a beer its a soup and I agree with all the high ratings. Almost a shame that it has such a high ABV because i would like another but am sure I’d have to take a nap. SamGamgee (1396), Santa Cruz (La Selva), California, USA Feb 19, 2009 12oz bottle to celebrate rating #800. Seems like awhile since I did a proper milestone beer. I really wasn’t terribly impressed with Bells’s other stouts, but this is pretty damn good stuff. I’m going to skip the beer color and go right to the head because that’s really all that sets stout apart; I mean, you know it’s black, right? has a good sized brown head off the bat, but settle into a solid ring of tan foam in a couple minutes. Big, vinous, chocolate, port-like aroma, with cherry and other fruity accents. Like a delectable black forest cake in a glass really. The flavor is the same rich dark chocolate with fruity, port-like complexity. You can tell that there are plenty of hops to balance the malt, but they don’t really protrude at all. There is a light alcoholic bite in the finish that reminds you how strong this is and dries enough sugar off on your tongue to invite the next sip. Thick, mouth-coating body. Definitely the most balanced imperial stout that I have had to date. Amazing beer actually. jamvin23 (162), chicago, Illinois, USA Feb 15, 2009 Bottle. Pours black with almost non-existant head. Aroma: well-balanced between coffee and sweet notes. Noticeable coffee through the entire drinking experience. Rustyham (545), miami, Florida, USA Feb 15, 2009 I feel like this is what I have been searching for my whole life- everything that I want in a beer is here- unprecedented maltiness l;eaving caramel surgar, coffee, toffee, and creaminess that will blow your mind, you have close your eyes as you drink it so that it can solefully permeate your wghoole body, saturating every tissue down to your feety- you can taste this beer in your feet! we were so happy with this beer that we all watched as our friends $200 dollar longboard got run over by a car and we did nothing to stoip it. This is liquid heroin. I can now die after trying this beer. bvc (227), Kenmore, Washington, USA Feb 14, 2009 12oz bottle from hoppymeal. Pours a very thick and dark black with a dense tan head. Nose is of roasty malt, chocolate, licorice and coffee. Tasting it just brings all of these nose flavors onto the palate with some faint hints of dark fruit in there. The 10.5 is well hidden in this one for sure. Looking forward to revisiting this one with some age on it. randolphjj (88), Raymore, Missouri, USA Feb 14, 2009 Yep. It’s big. A nice creamy head. Taste comes off well with chocolate, roasted mild coffee, cream, and more chocolate. Well worth a try for stout lovers. sirpsycho (342), Murrysville, Pennsylvania, USA Feb 14, 2009 Bottle, batch # 8183. Pours a dark brow / black, nice dark brown / tan head that developed. Aroma is roasted malt, slight coffee notes. Flavor is roasted malt, chocolate and slight fruit in the background. The body is a little thinner than I personally like. Finish is bitter, but not overly bitter.
|