Lost Abbey Serpents Stout

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Imperial Stout
San Marcos, California USA

Serve in Snifter

Pour is jet black with one of the smallest tan heads I have seen on any beer, barely present, quickly diminishing to small ring. Nose is dominated by coffee notes, though the malt presence of chocolate and other scents is still there. Taste is mostly coffee, with a light chocolate after taste. Rather full mouth feel, compared to most beers I have had recently, even those in the imperial stout category.

BOTTLE at Darkness Day 2011. Dark chocolate, roasty, vanilla, and a bit sweet. Silky smooth and full bodied. Would have never guessed this was 11%.

This beer is a mouthful. A real mouthful, and only in the best way. Picked up a bottle at Whole Foods and served it at about 45 degrees, which was recommended by JBVFR and I must say a great recommendation. Pours thick black and provides a significant roast and fruit aroma that is perfectly in line with the flavors. My favorite part of this beer is the mouthfeel. Heavy, syrupy and seductive, its a real treat. A great beer to share with some friends (comes in a 750) and enjoy slowly with contemplation.

2009 Version Reviewed back in 2010 - Serpent’s Stouts pour is nothing to write home about. Yes it’s pitch black like 99.99% of the other stouts out there but barely any head is formed and whatever is formed quickly disappears. No retention. Before you ask, this beer doesn’t have the same problem a lot of the 2009 Lost Abbey brews had. This had carbonation. The number one smell I get from this brew is booze. It’s not mind blowing a like other stouts out there but I have a feeling if it was more fresh it would of definitely been a lot bigger. The aroma also has some chocolate, roasted malt, and a slight amount of coffee and dark fruit. Now up front the taste of this is bourbon (even though it’s not barrel aged), chocolate, and prunes. Makes for a really nice mixture. In the middle I picked up the coffee and a small bit of bitterness from the chocolate. As the brew hits the back of the throat the coffee and a bit of a earthiness hits the palette. There is also some alcohol burn that hits the throat from the 10.50%. Really nice, not over the top stout. Complex but balanced. The mouthfeel thick and heavy. Really loved it. This beer is fantastic in many ways but I think what I liked most is that this beer is so much easier to land then a lot of the other stouts out there. It’s great and I don’t need to stand in line to get it =) I can’t wait to try it fresh next time.

25oz bottle. One of the biggest RIS offerings I have had. Pours out black hue, solid color, deep coffee, chocolate head. Aromas are potent chocolate, but not as strong with coffee, big malt background. Palate is a powerhouse of chocolate almost all the way to the finish, heavy and viscous. There isn’t much cloying, but it is very robust. I’ve had this one aged as well recently, the 2008 just a few weeks ago and I can say drink it fresher if you want that big chocolate impact, it mellows out gracefully however.

A thin bubbly dark brown head and oil black. Hints of alcohol in the aroma. Thick and heavy on the palate. Not too much aftertaste except for notes of bitter chocolate. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPod Touch

Aroma of chocolate cake and cocoa. Pours thick black with absolutely no head. Tastes of bitter coffee, sweet chocolate and just a twinge of alcohol. Definitely an intense mouthfeel but the taste backs up the instensity. Great showing from Lost Abbey.

Black as night with a foamy 2 finger head that had good staying power and left nice lacing. Smell is a bit subdued but quite nice, consisting of roasty malts, a little bit of burnt malts, coffee, dark chocolate. Taste is bolder and showcases the roasty malt most of all. Coffee and chocolate are there, as well as some notable alcohol and a little vanilla. Palate is rich, thick, and has a noticeable alcohol warming. Overall it’s quite a tasty one.