Denver Beer The Wilderness Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Denver Beer Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Denver, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter

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On tap at Denver Beer poured a clear dark reddish brown with a small lingering brown head. Aromas of dark chocolate, roastiness and light maple. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of roasted malt, bitter chocolate and light coffee with a smooth lingering roasty finish.

Tap @ Avery, doing the 10th Annual Boulder Strong Ale Festival. Pours black with a small offwhite head. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, light smokey, spices. Taste is hard roasted malts, coffee, smoke, cinnamon, spicy. Medium body, soft carbonation. 090312

Black with ruby highlights around the edge when held up to light. Heavy aroma of anise, molasses, burnt licorice, and faint bitter dark chocolate. Big sweet flavor of dark black malts, smokey anise, molasses, and a dry bitter chocolate tone to finish off. Heavy and roasty, with plenty of nuance but it’s not a mind-changing stout

The first thing you notice about this beer is the strong presence of nutmeg and cinnamon in the aroma and flavor - since this is simply marketed as an imperial stout and not, say, a "pumpkin pie imperial stout," this takes some adjustment - slick texture, medium to full body - some moderate bitter dark malt, chocolate and alcohol warmth, but the winter spices (especially nutmeg) are quite dominant - why they put all of these spices in a beer that should be plenty complex without them is beyond me - truthfully, though, it seems like without them this would not be nearly as interesting.