Flossmoor Station Sarge

Sampled at Flossmoor prior to DLD07. I was lucky enough to get one of the final snifters of this and since Zinnamon called me out, I am all too happy to have shared what I had among those who came in after the barrel ran dry. Intense coffee, cocoa, and bourbon - perhaps three of man’s finest innovations to date outside of the combustion engine, online banking, and sunscreen. Zin - all too happy to share with you and your posse - next year let’s get there earlier so’s we can bang a few of these down before the crowd hits.

On tap at Flossmoor before DLD. Pours pitch black with no head in a ridiculously large goblet. Smell is so rich and malty with bourbon and smooth chocolate and caramel. Taste is smooth, creamy dark chocolate and bourbon and caramel. Very creamy yet a bit drying. This stuff was fantastic!

Tap at the Schalfly repeal prohibition fest back in early april. Black with an awesome rocky, sudsy tan head that was smooth and very lasting. bourbon, chocolate, char, coffee and baking chocolate on the nose. I could huff this thing forever! Flavors are out of this world. Chocolate all over, dark, roast, java, with sweet aged bourbon notes. This could be the best integrated bourbon barrel aged stout i have ever had. the body on this thing is imense, with legs to die for. Alcohol is present on the initial start, but faids into a velvety chocolate richness that i have never had in a stout before. I started the fest with this and this one was definately the high point.

Snifter $6.00 Flossmoor Station Made a trip up to Flossmoor today after checking their blog and noticing they just tapped Young Sarge. This beer is a black hole that sucks up everything in it’s path. No light breaks through or escapes. Pours with tremendous viscosity and leaves legs as it’s swirled about the snifter. Formed a small beige head on the pour that faded to a ring. Left a few patches here and there. The looks get you ready for what you know is going to be a big boisterous stout. Aroma was excellent! Big notes of vanilla and bourbon kick things off before they fade and meld flawlessly with dark chocolate fudge. Every now and then there’s a hint of dark fruit, figs mostly but this is all about big chocolate and dark roasted maltiness. Young Sarge is one of the best stouts I’ve ever had in my life which also makes it one of the best beers I’ve ever sampled. Vanilla and the perfect mix of bourbon and oak start things off before flowing into, and complimenting, a mouthful of rich dark molten fudge. Alcohol is non-existant. This beer is absolutely delicious! The mouthfeel, again, is spot on. I mentioned the molten fudge in the flavor, the mouthfeel is just the same. Rich, thick, and chewy with a touch of graininess. Coats the mouth and keeps the flavors lingering. Perfect! This much alcohol in a stout, or any beer for that matter, usually keeps me from enjoying more than a glass or two. I could drink Young Sarge all night long without a problem. One of the easiest drinking big stouts I’ve encountered. Young Sarge is an incredible stout. Ranks up there with some of the best in the world. It’s unfortunate it’s only on tap and not for growler sales. Another great beer from Flossmoor. 1/18/07

On tap at Flossmoor Station (not sure of the exact amount of time in the barrel, but I assume that it was over one year) and served in a snifter. This imperial stout poured an almost pitch black with a few dark brown highlights around the edges of the glass. A one-finger thick head of dark tan foam settled into a thin, lasting cap, leaving a fair amount of lacing. The aroma of the beer was made up of dark chocolate, sweet bourbon notes, fresh coffee, and a hint of caramel and/or toffee. The flavor included smooth bourbon, caramel, chocolate, coffee, and just a hint of alcohol warmth. Excellent balance! A perfect marriage of flavor. The mouthfeel was still full-bodied and thick with a nice amount of lively carbonation. Very smooth and creamy on the tongue. The barrel-aging process has made this into one mighty brew. An awsome imperial stout!