Caldera Old Growth Imperial Stout

Name: Imperial Stout
Date: September 19, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Green Dragon, Portland
Appearance: black, big tan head, drippy lace
Aroma: sweet dark chocolate aroma, lots of dark fruits, caramel sweetness, light roasted
Flavor: rich dark chocolate flavor, lots of roasted, dark caramel sweetness brings out the chocolate, big roasted bitterness brings it back in balance, vanilla sweetness adds depth
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ***+ /4

2008 vintage drank on tap at Bailey’s early 2009. Black w/ big head. Tons of chocolate, roast and a little soy & molasses. Smooth with a light bitter finish. A little dark fruit. Thick. Very solid impy.

On tap at Baileys Taproom in Portland. Pours an awesome black with a hefty tan head that lingers with solid lacing. Aroma hefty with pepper, chocolate, smoke and a light booziness. Flavor is heavy on smoke with chocolate, a pine hop character and a nice peppery bite. Very tasty beer, probably my favorite from Caldera so far.

Chocolate, roast, alcohol, black pepper aromas. Black with solid brown head, Flavor leans toward the roasted malt, but definite chocolate with piney hops, alcohol well hidden. Clean in the mouth. A brew to linger over, and come back for more.

Vintage 2004 --Tap @ Bailey’s Taproom... Poured black with amber highlights at the bottom of the glass with a light, brown head. Aroma of coffee and sugary syrup. Thick palate that wasn’t overbearing but was soft enough to let the complex flavors shine through. Java bean flavors with hints of vanilla and sweet spices. Sugary malted grains. Bitter finish with a smoked chalky finish. ----- 2008 -- Tap @ Bailey’s Taproom... Poured black with a brown head. Aroma of amaretto and alcohol. Coffee flavors with an immediate roasted malt backbone. Some alcohol in the finish. Not as in-depth and flavorful as the 2004 but still wonderful. ----- [Point score based on the 2004].

drought at bailey’s taproom in portland. pours a straight black with a nice brown head. first taste is of intense lavender, which flows nicely into a chocolate/coffee. interesting indeed. sipper.

Draught. Black wirh tan head. Chocolate and hop aroma. Full chocolate flavour with pepper and currant notes. Chocolate and hop finish. Very much warmth, this one is for sipping.

Poured a deep black body with a gray-brown merangue head. Complex notes of medicinals, ginger, chocolate, herbs, and liquorish. Flavor of spices and creamily textured chocolates. Fruity in the finish. Stinging and sharp. Peppery and quite original. Couldn’t drink a lot of this however.