 kramer (1888), sunbury, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 3, 2005
12 oz bottle, 11/2004 vintage. Pours completely black, very little head that disappeared to a thin ring clinging to the inside of my snifter. A few chunkies fell in from the bottle, but a good amount of yeasties forming a cake in the bottom of the bottle. This is what an Imperial Stout looks like. Aroma of bitter dark chocolate, dark roasted malt, coffee, molasses, some alcohol, and licorice. Flavor is really well balanced for the amount of malt and alcohol in here. Burnt toast, roasted malt, coffee, deep hop bitterness, dark chocolate. This beer has it all. Mouthfeel is oily and full bodied, but not cloying at all. This also has the perfect amount of carbonation for me personally. Almost still in the mouth, with soft carbonation. Finish is dominated by roasted malt but a sufficient amount of hoppiness to cut through and reveal the full range of flavors. With 11.5% alcohol, you’d think that you would be able to taste it, but other than in the aroma, there really is no trace of it. This is the epitome of the style. I have a dozen or so to see how this one develops in the cellar.
southamptonsam (51), New York, USA
Oct 8, 2008 Expectation is very important with this beer. Knowing nothing about it, I drank it after a couple of other beers expecting a straight Imperial Stout that would sit nicely on top of what preceded it. It clashed terribly and I was left with a bad feeling about the beer. Ready for a rich, oily sweet beer with nothing preceding it, it is one great beer. My memory tells me it’s similar to Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, but my nod goes to the Bells. Good future blind tasting.
DeadGuyFrank (345), http://westchesterbeer.com, USA
Oct 7, 2008 I really am torn about this beer....I know I know - it’s awesome, it’s from Bells, it’s an Imperial Stout....that being said, it’s way too concentrated - really high in alcohol taste, in other words this will drink like a meal and feel like you drank twenty beers. The torturous part about this review is the initial taste of this beer is everything I love about stouts - chocolate richness, coffee and smoky flavors reside in the mouth feel for minutes. I think this beer deserves another try, but for my palate is too much power....
edmajorjoe (52), Vail, Arizona, USA
Oct 5, 2008 Eerily similar to Surly Darkness and an Oatmeal Stout with reddish tint and long lasting head. Aromatic scent to die for and taste is also amazing.
Moggman (54), Columbus, Ohio, USA
Oct 2, 2008 Bottle. Pours almost black with very little head. Scent of chocolate, coffee, and a little smoke. Flavor is coffee, chocolate, smoke. finish is bitter hops and warming alcohol.
Chipper (68), Red Lion, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 2, 2008 Draft at Kclinger’s Pub. Nearly black with minimal head. Chocolate, smoke, malt, and coffee aroma. Smooth drinking and the alcohol is present but muted. A little bitter on the finish.
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