De Molen Tsarina Esra Imperial Porter

(Bottle thanks to Jeppe, one of the most friendly and generous reatbeerians out there) Pours black with brown lines and no head. The aroma is of light to medium sticky sweetness, medium roasted/burned malt and some vinous notes with tones of dark chocolate, dark berries, some blue mature grapes, black currant, light smoke, dark syrup, light caramel, wet stone, anise/sal ammoniac, dried fruits. and some light hints of limey/grassy/herbal hops. The flavour is of strong and spicy espresso, cocoa, liquorice and anise up front with vinous undertones. Other notable tones are wet stone, light dry smokiness, dark fruits/prunes, dark syrup alongside grassy and tiny citric hops. The mouthfeel is dry, soft and tiny sticky. Light to medium sweet and medium bitter. Some alcohol warmth. Medium to full bodied.

Bottle…Thinkin’ ‘Bout Thirteen Hours O’ Drinkin’ (tew man wrecking crew)... Pours pitch black with a quickly diminishing, fat bubbled, light brown head. All kinds of stuff going on here. The nose presents earthy leather, canvas and tobacco notes along with malty chocolate and subtle herbal musings of sassafras, sarsaparilla and fennel. Medium to full-bodied. So very rich; sweet and spicy; chocolaty and herbal. Moderate charcoal bitterness compliments chocolate sweetness. Finishes bittersweet, chocolaty and spicy. Ultra-complex. Strange, but very good! Thanks to Magic_dave6 for providing the bottle!

Courtesy hopscotch. Pours a dark brown/black, with not much of a head. Some light clear bubbles hug the edge of the glass. Smells of dark chocolate, some traces of dark fruit, alcohol heat, and a hint of vanilla and wood as well. The flavor was full bodied, lightly carbonated, with a pretty noticeable alcohol presence. A bit oily on the palate, there were big doses of roasted malts, and burnt chocolate. Nice bitter finish. with a woodsy, roasty aftertaste. Pretty nice big beer. Well done.

From a 12oz Bottle. Somewhat transparent, dark brown colored pour with a thin layer of bubbly beige head. A huge toffee malt aroma jumps out of the glass instantly to me, along with some mild pear esters. Dark malt aromas of chocolate, raisins, and mildly toasted nuts as well. There appears to be some mild oxidation going on, but this seems to be mixed in with the fruity esters. This certainly doesn’t smell like a lager, but its passable as an Imperial Porter, as the label claims. Medium bodied, lightly carbonated mouthfeel with a sugary sweetness. Sweet toffee and caramel up front on the palate, accompanied by some flambeed raisin and spicy hops. It seems a touch thin with oxidation, which tends to enhance the sweetness of the beer, bringing forth more of a "sugary" impression than a "malty" impression. Mid-palate, the flavors grow in intensity, revealing a moderate chocolate roastiness and mild smokiness thats quite pleasant. As the beer warms, the flavors seem to integrate a bit better, developing more impressive flavors in the finish. I’ll be the first to admit that I suffered a bit of disappointment initially due to the expecation of a Baltic Porter, but I feel my rating reflects how I feel about this beer as an Imperial Porter. Thanks for sharing, Ryan!

Oh, man. I’m sort of at a loss for words on this. Here’s what I know for sure, heavy tobacco and chocolate. Bitter and semi oaky. Lots of flavors and overall a very well put together beer. Way above average but not quite world class.