Fish Tale Poseidons Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)

Formerly brewed at Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: Imperial Stout
Olympia, Washington USA

Serve in Snifter

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2001 vintage-Whoa this stuff is smooth as hell,nice dark color,frothy brown head that lasts forever.Malty sweet aroma with hints of chocolate,coffee and what almost seems like an apple presence.or i'm just experienceing a sense's overload there just more here then can be put into words.The flavor is outstanding roasted malt,chocolate,coffeea quick hint of alcohol at the begining of the taste but get bashed by other flavors to hide the alcoholi can almost taste the wine that is part of the finishing process very smooth texture in the mouth. Warm feeling going down the gulletafter taste is chocolate and coffee with a slight hint of fruit hard to describe but incredible this is definately one of the best imperial's i've ever had and at 12 bucks a bottle well worth it.thanks to liquid solutions for finding a small supply of this liquid gold

Finally back again and right away with one of the most remarkable beers I ever had! I am not a big fan of Imp. Stouts but this one is a killer. Nicely balanced hops and malts with a sweet/fruity taste to it which is a pleasant as it can get! Highly recommended!

This beer (from Oakes) blew my every expectation out of the water! Pour was very dark with a few bubbles to claim for a head. Nose was full of wonderful wine, oak, chocolate, malt, sweetness. Taste was so friggin mellow, like a beer-wine with so friggin much flavor. Pears, apples, chocoalte, hints of caramel, darker fruits, red wine, oak, some nutiness. Just plain pure goodness that will not be duplicated. PHENOMENAL. Send me more.

UPDATED: MAR 17, 2005 Bottle (2001) pours black as space, large light brown foamy head, with sticky lacing.   Absolutely stunning aroma, vinous, woody (of Oak variety) and of heavily roasted malts.   I can’t think of any Imperial Stout that has as such a wonderful aroma as this one.   Picking up raisins, black cherries, and subtle chocolate notes, as well as the oaken casks they were stored in.   This is simply orgasmic!!!   Flavor is utterly phenomenal, woody with a vinous quality.   Roasted malts, yet not overly hopped, quite malty... finishing extremely smooth.   Body and mouthfeel are utterly fantastic.   So smooth... the ABV is completely undetectable.   I’d say this is as good as

<h3> LIQUID CRACK</h3>

  I am completely blown away by this.   Words cannot describe how fantastic this is.   Finishes smooth, woody, chocolate notes, roasted malts, with a lovely vinous quality.   For those that are put off by anything remotely related to wine may not like it, but the blending of this brew in Cabernet Wine casks is utterly phenomenal.   I cannot say enough good things about this brew.   WOW

UPDATED: SEP 11, 2007 Thanks MrFacto for this Batch # 3 November 2001 vintage. Thick brown leather colored head atop a dark black body. Excellent lacing. The aroma is very much like a Cabernet wine. Holy crap. A beer that smells exactly like wine. There’s a chocolate aroma and a slight caramel aroma. There’s also a light coffee aroma. The flavor is chocolately Cabernet. Very original. There’s a bit of caskiness to it. Big dark roasted malts, lots of dark fermented grapes. Slight earthiness. The palate is full bodied, alcohol, slight aceticness. This sucker’s good. :) 9, 5, 9, 4, 18 = 4.5

Batch #4. November 2002 vintage. The aroma is chocolatey, earthy grapes, wood, winey. Some hints of spiciness and light oats. The beer held up really well. The aroma is simply phenomenal. The beer pours to a dark black body with a very lasting creamy dark brown head and red hues. The flavor is very complex. Wine, oak, chocolate roast, vanilla, hints of Merlot. The beer was not oxidized at all. The palate was full, creamy, smooth. Very, very good. Absolutely phenomenal.

UPDATED: AUG 25, 2007 One of my all-time favourite brews and shocked that the ratings are not higher! Had the good fortune of being given a bottle to take home with me from the outstanding folks at the Stumbling Monk in Seattle. Of course, this after visiting them nearly everday of my trip and partaking of this masterful brew every chance I had. THIS is exactly what wine-barrel aging a beer should aspire to be. Brilliant use of Columbus and Cascades to balance out the malt complexity. Beautiful use of the oak and grapey red-wine flavours permeate throughout the entire experience, but never overpowering. Only complimentary and adding to the overall tapistry of flavours which gradually present themselves over time. If you ever happen to be fortunate enough to find a bottle of this grab them all! Then, please mail some to me as I need to have more of this!!!!!

This was a most impressive brew... more complexity that you expect from an imperial stout. Besides the usual malty sweetness,the hints of wine that come through, the chocolate, and a bit of smokeyness also are present, and just enough hops to keep it from being over sweet. A lovely wine-like aroma amid the malt, a chocolatey head atop a black body, and flavors to challenge any stout lover. Scores number 2 on my overall list.

UPDATED: DEC 31, 2005 Pours black, with a medium brown head. Aroma is amazing....coffee, wine and fruit. Taste is a mix of wine and beer. Coffee, red wine and fruit. Mostly sweet, with a slight bitter/tart finish. Alcohol is well hidden. Very different than anything I’ve ever had. I like it a lot. I think this would be a good celebration type beer. Thanks to derekarent for trading me this one.

UPDATED: AUG 7, 2006 Shared a 2002 bottle of this with Old_Mr_Crow at The Stumbling Monk. The bartender said this batch was aged in Merlot barrels, whereas all others were in Cab barrels. What amazed me most about this beer, was the difference between the aroma and the taste. Both were wonderful, but very different. The aroma was of a very solid Impy Stout...the roasted malts, the chocolate...a bit of sweetness. The taste was of a mix between a fruity lambic and a great stout. Not overwhelming in either direction, just a great balance. The chocolate comes through the most from the stout...absolutely loved it. Worth the $16. After tasting again, I just have to give everything but the aroma a perfect. Amazing beer.

Batch #4 Bottled November 2002:

WOW! What a beauteous site is that pitch-black Imperial Stout setting in my “Chalice, the only glass suitable for such a treasure in my humble opinion.

The head is majestic in size, luxuriant in texture, the color an eye-appealing chocolate, and as it slowly evaporates, a silky sheet of lace is left to fondle the glass. The aroma of deep roasted grains, caramel, Starbucks coffee, sweet milk chocolate, with a noticeable oak tone, almost bourbon like, all rolled up in this wonderfully sniffable nose. Thick bittersweet malt start, the top thick and almost chewy, finish is prickly in its acidity, the hops pointful in their spiciness, the aftertaste is dry as they get. The 10% ABV makes itself known in a light alcohol bitterness and in the quite noticeable “Belly Warming”, WOW! What a treat, especially designed for the lovers of the “Dark Side”, and definitely not meant for the palate challenged.