Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter

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

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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07.27.05 12oz bottle. Opaque, near black, brown with tall chestnut brown head that lasts, laces in a web. Oily and coating. Sharp hop nose, fresh and burnt flowers and grapefruit. Cascades I guess. Fusel alcohol. Tar - hot tar. Body is medium thick but slick and coating. Way over the top with the hops and I really don’t get this interpretation of the style. Hunter is a hero for me, this porter is not.

Bottle from the Flying Saucer, Nashville. Black, with a huge dense brown head. Really nice smell of coffee, cola, and chocolate. Very tasty - the first flavor I notice is sorta similiar to coffe that had been in the pot for too long - this is bad in coffee, but works here. Then burnt toast - so far this taste like a bad breakfast, but a good beer - then a clean, crisp finish that sweetens out a bit, with a hint of molassess. I liked this one quite a bit.

Pours a completely pitch black witha a dense dark brown head. lots of lacing. Smells (oddly enough) of citrusy hops and roasted malt. Tastes of roasted smoky malt up front and then lots of citrusy hops, tangerine, mandarin orange flavors. Full bodied and rich but this nice hoppy finish. Really tasty, could drink these all night. Very smooth for the alcohol content. A keeper. Flying Dog should focus on these big beers more...

12 oz bottle pours a jet black with a small creamy brown head that leaves a sticky lacing in my glass. Chocolate and coffee aromas, flavors of milk chocolate, coffee, nuts and vanilla. Full bodied with a full and thick creamy mouthfeel, finishes on the sweet side, very drinkable for a 9.5% brew.

Medium viscosity deep black pour with a lovely caramel/tan head. Deep roasted chocolate and coffee aroma with a significant pine hoppage. Flavor had some huge roasted malts (incl. chocolate and coffee), some pine/mint hop flavors, and a little alcohol in the slightly-warming finish. Thick creamy mouthfeel, with some stickiness on the finish. The high-Alpha hops become stronger in the nose and on the palate as this warms. This was a fine brew!

Sweet burnt malt aroma with a thin pale brown coating of foam and lace. Sweet dark malt flavor with hints of coffee and black cherries. Hop and burnt malt bitterness, more like a stout. Delicious with no hint of the 9.5 abv; a real keeper. Looks like the dogs are loose again!

UPDATED: APR 12, 2007 2005 bottle (actually have had a number of bottles at a variety of temperatures). Smells of light caramel and fresh, floral, wintergreen-like hops that seem to be modestly bitter. Blackish-brown color with the liquid being thick, viscous and a lot like light motor oil. Right on! Nothing wrong with that. Not too much in the way of a head, a bit of bubbles cling to each other on the surface, but when swirling the glass, I am able to coax a tan head out of it. Very opaque and unfiltered. Once the head is created, though, it lasts quite a long time, curiously enough. Still smelling some herbal/floral notes, some cut grass, very green and wet. Flavor begins with some dried flowers and leaves, earthy brown malts and then a big explosion of juicy alpha hops bitterness. Very odd peanut-brittle-like finish. Hops acid lingers on. Very thick mouthfeel, rich and velvety. I must admit, though I’m not a fan of high-alpha American hops, these are quite nicely done and very juicy tasting. The hops linger with a strong alcohol warmth, but it’s not a sharp/pervasive ethanol character, just a strong warming sensation. Bitter, black roast and minty hops, milk chocolate are all flavors that are swirling in my mouth before I swallow. Quite sticky, very dry on the end. Acidity lingers on, I don’t find any metal, as others have found. Very low carbonation is pleasing. Lacing is left in clumps down the glass.

I kept passing this one up at the liquor store but read some good things and had to give it a try. Looks like motor oil during the pour, leaves a small dark brown head which retreats quickly. Completely opaque. Smells like chocolate and rubbing alcohol. Tastes toasted and malty, very smooth. Leaves you with a hint of chocolate. A slight alcohol burn. Best imperial porter I’ve ever had.

12 oz bottle. Pours an opaque black with a smallish fine dark brown head that goes to a thin film and leaves some lacing. Looks pretty thick as it pours out.

The aroma is piney hops, some chocolate, coffee and anise. Smells a little off (alcohol / medicinal?).

The flavor is anise and some slightly sweet chocolate malts initially with a nice bitter hop bite at the finish. The alcohol is very well hidden. The mouthfeel is lighter than I expected. It’s still medium bodied and light on carbonation.

Overall, a very fine imperial porter. Plus it’s for a good cause...a big memorial fist!

Mental notes for the first bottle indicate that this one changes significantly with time and temperature; now for my second bottle... Near opaque dark brown color with a dense light brown head. Lots of clinging lace. Initial burst of fresh pine in the nose. Chocolate, cloves, licorice and cinnamon come in later; and as this warm more a real alcohol comes out and burns the nostrils. To many things working against each other to be adored. Smooth and slippery on the palate. Mild start in the flavor department. Light chocolate flavors start the journey. Things get sticky mid to late quaff, with roasted malt, grain, and alcohol flavors mix in. A strong black malt bitterness in the linger. A very chewy porter indeed. Somehow this needs a little more malt character instead of the grainy aspect. I like it in a one and done sort of brew.