Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter

Brewed by Flying Dog Brewery
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Frederick, Maryland USA

355 ml Bottle from Onlygoodbeer stroe, 8.7 ABV on the label!. Pitch black with creamy, brownish head. OK retention with moderate lacing. My first impression about the aroma is plums, dark grapes and other dark fruity things. After a few minutes it gets more dry with strong dark chocolate, roasted coffee and moderate smokey feel. The flavor is more on the dry, roasted side, but i can also feel the citrusy dry hops from the back which is a litle bit weird for this style but not disturbing. Heavy, roasted cocoa beans, dark grains in the finish. Medium to full body with lively carbonation. Sensible alcohol level, but not dominant. A little bit different that expected, but still amazing.

Pours exceptionally dark and lovely. Nice three finger creamy coffee head. Very nice and long retention which finally settles to a coffee crema topping the black liquid. Smells are confusing: nice chocolate with hints of coffee but mixed in with iodine and cherry cough syrup. Alcohol comes forth, also. The taste is very good but not quite what I’d hoped for. A bit of a letdown, actually, for me. Kind of fruity with that medicinal cherry thing and chocolate way down deep. Feels good in the mouth, what with all those tiny bubbles, but it’s a little to watery. Not quite as full as I’d hoped for. Overall, this is still a good example of a Baltic Stout, and I will drink many of them. I was just a little over-expectant on this one, I guess.

33 cl bottle, Fargo, ND, USA. Pours a jet black, almost ink-like shade. Head clings to the side of the glass. Aroma of roasted coffee and sweet syrupy chocolate. Smooth first sip with a nice creeping bitterness. Chocolate and cherries finish it with a long, dry finish.

12 oz. bottle from Coasters. Pours black with a light tan head. Aroma of chocolate, molasses, and booze. Espresso, bourbon, and vanilla flavor. Really can taste the alcohol in this one which is a bit of a surprise given the ABV is only at 7.8%. This is a very good beer but I have had the signature series (although it was aged) and I swear it is a different (better) beer.

Bottle, from Tesco Cleethorpes. Jet black Fluffy lasting beige head and moderate condition. Big sweet coffee and roasted barley nose with solid background citrusy American hops, full and sweet in the mouth with good balance of roasted barley bitterness and some fruity alcohol notes, lingering chalky dry roasted bitternes in the finish with a touch of liquorice and earthy sweetness

Intriguing nose of hickory smoke, syrup of figs and dark chocolate. Pours thick, gooey black with a dark tan head. Flavour is joyously understated with hints of all the best characters one may want in a porter/stout. The main set-apart is a sweet tang of lychees that comes in the middle. A corker.

Bottle/12 - Ours a very dark black/brown in color with a small creamy tannish head that faded to a thin covering over the beer. Minor lacing. Aroma is heavy with dark roasted malts, some coffee, some dark chocolate and some dark fruits. Flavor is, again, most dark roasted malts with dark (slightly bitter) chocolate... slightly malty sweet to start and then the bitterness of the dark malts and chocolate kick in. Some alcohol, but not overpowering. This is really good...

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours black with brown accents, and thin tan head that dissipates mostly. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, bitter dark chocolate, and a perfumey character. Taste is bitter hops, dark chocolate, and coffee. Mouthfeel is medium and smooth. Pretty drinkable, nice!