 crizay (1069), Brook Park (was Tampa,FL), Ohio, USA
Nov 15, 2004 Updated: Jan 8, 2008
Pitch black oily pour with a faint brown head that doesn’t last. Aroma is boozy but sweet and very rich. Flavor is chocolate, a touch of roastiness balanced very well with the sugary sweetness and hot alcohol. Some fruity esters but probably just boozy, licorice and a hint of anice. The alcohol is very well hidden and this is hot but the flavors are all so balanced. Caramel sweetness realy shines as it warms and a smokiness is left on the aftertaste along with a good amount of fresh leafy hops. Medium carbonation with a cloying chewy mouthfeel. Really the booze is not at all too much and the chocolate and roastiness is all there with a good amount of sugary sweetness the whole time. Great beer.
the_chandler (174), West Virginia, USA
Jul 18, 2008 Pours black with a nutty brown head. Aroma is light, with a flutter of nuttiness. Flavor....wow. Full, sweet, rich, creamy. This is a powerful brew. Like eating a big slice of chocolate cake, or a super-rich desert. Blissful.
dkachur (641), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Jul 18, 2008 Bottle from Greenwood Gourmet Grocery in Crozet. Black pour, viscous and with minimal head. Intensely complex aroma... grain, coffee, oak, roasted malt, soy, caramel, alcohol. Taste is very similar but with a more pronounced fruitiness. Thick and full. Alcohol warmth is there, but this is very, very smooth for 18%. Damn good.
timsilvia32 (116), born in Michigan, North Carolina, USA
Jul 13, 2008 Had the 2004 version January 08. Poured nearly black, pretty much no head. Quite a range of flavors going on with this one. Nice malt with roasted coffee, caramel, raspberry or grapes. Not overly thick in the mouth, nice lingering finish that reminds you there’s some alcohol in there. Would not have guessed there was that much in this, nor would I have called this a RIS. Excellent however, the aging for 4 years I’m guessing helped even further.
derekbang (83), Indiana, USA
Jul 12, 2008 Talk about boozy. Not a huge fan of port wine so this doesn’t resonate with me as much. Overall a pleasant beverage but overpoweringly strong to an imperial stout. Other present flavors are dominating by the ABV. Pour pitch dark with very little head. Mouthfeel is not as thick as I expected.
browner (31), Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, USA
Jul 12, 2008 The 2004 which i recently tasted was an amazing result of aging. This was a dark, thick,traditional looking Stout that has alot going on . The most balanced and subdued stout that i have had which really stands up the the big boys. Difficult to explain other than the coffee, chocolate, roasty flavors are complimented by the yeast strains on the 2004 portfolio.
|
