andersand (252), Malmö, Sweden Jul 12, 2009 Very good at its best, very average at its worst. With some age it developes a really deep, dark malty flavour of fantastically real dark chocolate, well integrated caramell and a roasted bittersweet endning. A good cheese companion with the light acidity. minch25 (346), Columbus, Ohio, USA Jul 12, 2009 Black body, medium tan head. Sweet chocolate aroma. Flavor - same, light roast. Okay as far as stouts go. ... Damn this is an imperial stout? Sure fooled me.. JoeMurphy (30), Ohio, USA Jul 11, 2009 Certainly a good stout, but it’s a bit too much for me in the summer months. Strong flavor of bitter chocolate and a richness that’s flirting with the edge of too sweet for my taste. I hope my local will get it again when it cools down - I might revise my opinion. valpoaj (362), Valparaiso, Indiana, USA Jul 10, 2009 Bottle winter 2007-08 (holding out longer on the 06-07). Pours black with a very thin light brown head. Aroma is robust...chocolate is obvious, but plenty of roasted malt notes, spice (cinnamon), and some slightly burnt coffee...pleasant, and improves as it warms! Flavor is not overly complex, but does its thing, and does it well. Roasted caramel malts abound with a thick dose of chocolate (dark). Cinnamon and other mulling spices in here, and a dose of dark roast coffee. Catching some smokey accent in here as well, especially up front. A bit of hop bitterness on the back end as well. Palate is thick and oily, but not to the level of most impy stouts. I leave impressed...a very good sipper! FlyingTaco (112), Massachusetts, USA Jul 9, 2009 Original review date 10/16/2008...
2008 installment just in and poured into Alpine mug...
Solid ginger/cinnamon (tight) 1-finger head topping an awesome jet-black body. Little visible carbonation but who would know? Wicked thick.
Oily, brown sugar/cinnamon scent topping deep, dark but mellow roasted malt. Loads of depth and hearty coffee and chocolate texture with grass/pine from hops on deep background.
Grassy hops emerge here with the overzealous (not a bad thing) roasted malt. This one rolls a little hot, though - maybe needs some warmth and time? Excellent, however.
This deal beats the palate like a rented goalie. Balance in overabundance is an understatement. Carbonation actually makes an appearance on the finish with warmth to cut the heft a bit. Finish is surprisingly clean and tight for something so blessedly huge.
A sipper. A very good sipper. Very very good. But it needs time. MereLikesBeer (153), Royal Oak, Michigan, USA Jul 8, 2009 I shared a bottle of this with BeerBaron617 - it’s from the 08-09 season. Pours a thick black color with a light brown head. Very chocolaty aroma, mocha, dark chocolate and a hint of coffee. When I taste it, initially I get a medium thick mouthfeel, very warming, not a whole lot of chocolate in the flavor...It is however, the first stout that actually tastes like a cup of coffee. Sort of strange in a sense...but that is the case. A good sipper, and a decent stout. lagaffe74 (16), Louisiana, USA Jul 3, 2009 It is a beauty that I have to thank a good friend of mine for giving me some, since it is not available to us yet. Hopefully this coming winter. Pours blacker than night with a thin tan head. Aromas of chocolate entice you. The palate is impressive. Rich, kinda oily, with milk chocolate and dark chocolate flavors mingling with coffee notes as this beauty warms up. A gift every Winter. beerchugger (284), Colorado, USA Jun 29, 2009 Pours an amazing pitch black with a thin creamy head. Nose of booze is most predominate with chocoalte as well. Mouthfeel is heavy and oily, very nice. Tastes of rich deep milk chocolate mixed with intense coffee malts. Very lovely stout.
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