3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle at the Chicago Barrel Aged Beer Festival. Very dark brown with no head. The nose has lots whiskey and little "stout" aroma. Starts quite sweet and with plenty of roasted character. Not much whiskey flavor, which I liked, but not really that imperial. Chocolate and coffee, but not much in the fruit area.
3.2 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
on tap at the oasis. burnt malt flavor way too much alcohol. a sipping brew for sure.
4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: JAN 20, 2006 Pours a jet black. Aromas of espresso/chocolate and roasted malts. Taste dark roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate malt with a nice bitter bite.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Draft (oak-aged): Jet black. Cakey walnut collar of foam. Aroma of baker’s chocolate, soft roast, smoke, black licorice, and espresso. Hint of ink and butter toffee. Thick bodied with fluffy carbonation. Flavorsome medley of dark chocolate and cocoa. Uncannily soft, with a roasted grain support dabbed with minerals. Twang of licorice and dried plums is overshadowed by rich butter toffee flavors. Grainy roast and burnt espresso dryness lasts into the finish with a chewy licorice texture, bittersweet chocolate, and char bitterness. Coffee and bready malt become more apparent in the aftertaste. Solid example.
2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
FOBAB 2004: Maltish flavors in the bare minimum. Too candy sugar sweetness for my taste. Alcohol was there, but reminded me of sugar water, dark sugar water.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
FOBAB’04: Sweet bourbon, and chocolate aromas. Black as night. Bourbon flavor is huge, like they mixed in some Jim Beam. Alcohol was well masked for how straight-up bourbon this was like. Missing all of the finer points of an Imperial Stout, but still an interesting drink. Are you sure they just didn’t pour some Jim Beam in?
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
FOBAB ’04 as "Ivan the Terrible". Dark black with no head. Slight whiskey aroma. Flavors of a stout come through in this one with whiskey support. The whiskey flavor tends to last well after you’ve drank it.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: JUL 15, 2005 FOBAB 2004, where it was called "Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout." This is a headless black stout that smells stronger of the bourbon than of stout characteristics. There’s plenty of coffee and chocolate in the flavor as well as a hint of hopping, but the bourbon stays in the nose the entire drink. A very warming drink. <font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/events-detail.asp?eve of Barrel Aged Beers, Chicago, IL 11/06/2004<font size=-1>
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Aged in a bourbon barrel: Opaque -> seemingly usual for a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout (many I have had have not been as black) - but great to see no less. Smooth, creamy brown head, roasty bourbon aroma, weinous, raisins and wine, spiked chocolate milk, just a touch of whiskey - a supporting role, not up front and dominating. A wonderful chocolate bar that you can't help but eat more of. Fabulous.
2.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 9/20
i can tell these guys are trying hard to make this work but it’s falls a little short of imperial. flavor is ok well balanced,with a finish that just doesnt get there a little light
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