 zappafan99 (330), Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
May 17, 2008 Updated: Jun 24, 2008
Deserves every 4 and over rating it gets. One of the more even stouts. A desert in a glass. Smells fresh and inviting. The taste is strong and delicate. Wow ..this is top shelf. I wonder if it took years of trying this recipe versus that..or if luck and happenstance was involved. Truly a great beer. Nothing fights or sours the flavor. This is a fresh beer I am trying,(for a stout of 10.5%abv) Label says 8311..I’m guessing a 3 year aging grace period.
edmajorjoe (49), 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 (40), 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 (64), 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.
timsilvia32 (244), from Michigan now in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Sep 29, 2008 It had been a couple of years since I had this until this last weekend at the Charlotte NC octoberfest. Thick black pour, reddish coffee colors around the edges. Roasted malts and molasses, mocha nose. Roast/burnt malt up front with a hint of port and raisin. Quickly goes into brown sugar, bakers chocolate and espresso as the full bodiness fills the mouth. The hop balancing in this is some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Bells always does well with this. Finish bitter and slightly warming. You never notice the alcohol. I heard a friend say this tastes like every typical imperial stout. I believe he was wrong in that this has the best part of each typical imperial stout. Whereas the typical RIS can’t put it all together and has negative qualitites. No negatives in this one, making this far and away the best for the money and near the best anyways.
chimp_lechamp (372), freehold, New Jersey, USA
Sep 28, 2008 bottle- pours pitch black with thin tan head. spots of white make it look like a latte. notable sour taste in first sip, vinous qualities, real big, great hop character to this beer, better balance than the kalamazoo. mouthfeel is sooo thick and warming. it is a real quality beer this one, not for sessioning on an october day, but sipping in a winter evening.
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