Fish Tale Poseidons Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)

750 ml bottle 2002 vintage poured a translucent black with ruby highlights and a small lasting brown head. Aromas of chocolate, vanilla, cherries, grapes, earthiness, raisins, light coconut, light wood and hints of leather and spice. Palate was light to medium bodied and crisp with a lightly tart finish. Flavors of wine grapes, bitter chocolate, earthiness, carmel, light roastiness and light wood with a smooth lingering lightly tart vinous finish.

(Bottle, thanks to JCapriotti) Pours black with thin dark brown lines. Medium brown head. The aroma is very vinous and port like with tones of blue grapes, black berries, raspberries, juicy black cherries, red currant, raisins, figs and hints of wood/okay vanilla. Dry roasted malt is also present with a straight forward chocolate boost. Undertones of lactose, cheese, liquorice, brown sugar and wet earth. The flavour is also very red wine/port-ish vinous with tones of fancy tart blue grapes, cherries, black berries, raisins and some buttery oak. A nice dark chocolate roast from the malt gives the beer another layer of complexity. There are only subtle hints left of the hops both in aroma and flavour. Bit peppery, light salty, some brown sugar and a sting of liquorice. A touch of cheese and milk in the flavour as well. The mouthfeel is tart, fat and light oily. Light sweet, light to medium bitter and medium tart/acid. Aftertaste of sourish grapes and dark chocolate. Medium to full bodied. After 7 years this beer still is a great treat, all though almost all the hops are gone. Like a half and half of fine red wine and a good stout. Marsiblursi likes.

750mL bottle, Batch 4, courtesy of nflmvp. Thanks, Steve! Pours an oily, dark chocolate color; dark tan head with medium-bubbled lacing. Dark chocolate, Baker’s chocolate, and dark red fruits (currants, cherries) in the aroma. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: slightly chalky, Baker’s chocolate, cocoa, and dark red fruits; intense, chewy chocolate and nougat at the coure; a bit coarse at this point, but still very tasty. Lengthy finish, showing dried red fruits, chocolate, and a touch of toasty oak / toasted bread.

Thanks to Abe for the taste of this one. Poured a dark, slippery black-chestnut with little to no head. Somewhat sweet, oaky and quite lactic. The cabernet really came through in this one. I preferred the newer versions to this one, but overall, quite interesting.

Batch 3. Black with a fleeting tan head. Smell is wet wood, vinous with blackened malts. Smooth mouthfeel with a port wine taste up front. Fairly complex taste after that with blackened malts, wet wood, red wine. Enjoyed this one. 21406