Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Marshall, Michigan USA

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: MAY 2, 2007 12oz bottle courtesy of Styles, shared with SuIIy on 4/16/07. 2 year old bottle. The bottle was kept in the fridge since it has been in my posession (about 10 or 11 months).
I’ve got to say I was pretty impressed with the results of fridge-cellaring this. It still yielded a beautiful, moderately-dense, light-tan head that slowly collapses to cover, leaving sticky lace in clumps. Deep, bakers-chocolate black/brown body shows a medium clarity with deep violet-ruby tints on the edges.
To be fair, you never know what it would have been like had I kept it cellared out of the fridge, but this beer strikes me as quite the expedition-inspired imperial stout, not surprisingly, and I have been having pretty poor luck with cellaring expedition outside the fridge. These beers are just so high in alcohol and have so little carbonation. The yeast dosent survive long in this beers environment, and coupled with the already oxidation-prone dark malts, lots of oxidation builds up quickly. I had a 2006 Expo the other day that had been cellared properly (outside the fridge) and was already full of soy, cardboard and other oxidative notes. Granted, this is Dark Horse Impy, not Bells Expo, but like I said, it’s got a massive, chocolatey-caramel laden nose with lots of roast bitterness and remnants of juicy, green, bitter, citric hops. Light vanilla fudge aromatics keep things very smooth, while there is a bit of bitter molasses balancing this. Richly malted as always from Dark Horse and not over-the-top, though it does seem a little on the sweet side. Some dark berry/prune notes or lactic tartness would be appreciated. Alcohol very well concealed.
Chocolate and nougat are deliciously chewy in the flavor, with streaks of roast running through it and ending slightly more dry with vanilla cream sweetness and a moderate amount of roast. Not as much saltiness or char as many of the imperials and but for the roast, I’d almost say it’s just a stronger version of the Too Cream. Clean and free of any yeast blandness or flaws, I enjoyed how there was no soy nor any significant breadiness. Certainly no cardboard-like flavors. Some tannin or phenolic activity produces an almost clove-like flavor (cinnamon as TAR says, seems to be more accurate) that seems to piggyback on the roast. Very rich, full body with a chewy texture, as mentioned, and low carbonation. Some dry coffee notes help add a little livliness as it warms, and are much appreciated. For all of the wonderful maltiness, it seems to be a bit lacking in complexity and resting mostly on the chocolate-caramel-cream flavors. Though a texture like this goes a long way in my book.....I’ll definitely throw some Expeditions in the fridge and keep some cellared regularly and see what happens in a year.

Pours a pitch black color with a some beige head. Very thick lacing on the glass. Big chocolate and roasted malt aroma. Taste is sweet and roasty, very chocolaty. Incredibly smooth and the perfect amount of alcohol burn on the finish. Not an overly complex imperial stout but still very good. Glad I have a few more bottles. Would love to try the bourbon barrel version.

Black with the brownest head I can remember. Roasty, chocolatey with a hint of coffee. head vanishes after a bit and it took a lot to get a head even. Slick and Oily feel. some bitterness to help mask the alcohol burn. Not bad.

Another wicked bottle from the Pipeline, thanks Kyle! Pours out like liquid darkness, with a languishing brown head. Bold aroma of thick roast and bitter chocolate, some brothy and woodsy notes. Equally bold flavours of hearty roast, chocolate, coffee, Vegemite, burnt sugar, and some vague fruit acids that lift the mid-palat before the bitterness hits in the finish. Balanced and delicious, an archetypical imperial stout that nails it without any bells and whistles. Just excellent.

Poured into a snifter. 3.0 A: Black color. Not quite one finger of light brown frothy/creamy head. Retention is poor, even for a beer this big. No lacing left. 4.0 S: Supple roastiness. Caramel and lots of molasses. A touch of black cherry. Light chocolate, a bit burnt, and booze that’s well hidden. 4.0 T: Roasty with lots of molasses and caramel. Cherry, chocolate, and toastiness underneath. Actually, there’s lots of cherry in this. Well hidden booze. 3.5 M: Heavier medium to heavy body. Good moderate carbonation. Could be a bit creamier, but it’s still good here. 4.0 D: Tasty with well integrated flavors. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 05-19-2012 04:47:02

Bottle from Stfun trade. Aroma of faint brandy, coffee, and chocolate. I liked this one head-to-head better than Darkness 2011, but not as good as Dark Lord 2009. Flavor had elements of both, both good and bad. Great beer! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

12 ounce bottle from the broker. Very sweet; some coffee, slim , quick ending head.

Pours black with a hint of ruby in light.. no head to speak of, just a dark tan ring. Scent is heavy roast malt, alcohol, chocolate. Flavour is smoky chocolate, vanilla, raisin, coffee. Fairly sweet throughout with a slight bitter finish... Good one....need to cellar and age some of these for a snowbound night.

Pours a dark black, very thick pour with a paper thin mocha head. Aroma of roasted malts, dark chocolate and a vanilla oaky note. I had to check to make sure this wasn’t the bourbon barrel version because it has hints of bourbon. Taste follows the nose, so delicious, heavy but delicious. The nose is intensified with the taste. Mouthfeel is very thick but in a great way. This is a wonderful stout, I will be seeking out this beer!

12 oz bottle via trade from fear025. Pours thick black and sludgy with a small tan head that quickly fades to a ring. Aroma is molasses, black malt, bitter chocolate and booze. Flavor is strong, dark bitter-sweet chocolate, black coffee, caramel and some alcohol heat. Full body with mild carbonation and a velvety mouth feel. Great Imp Stout, tons of chocolate and roast with a little alcohol kick. Can’t wait to try the BA version. Thanks a lot Jay.

[Thanks to MatSciGuy]. 12fl. oz. bottle. Black colour with a nice formation of tan head that quickly diminishes. Aroma has coffee and toasted malst notes, some red fruits are also present. Initial flavour is smooth, with notes of moka, dark strong coffee and burnt malts. The aftertaste is alcoholic with a decent duration and moderate bittery. Carbonation is flat to medium. Body is medium to high. Texture is oily.