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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opened this and had heavy smell of dirt and hops.Poured rich black color with a nice khaki head.Hugh hops taste but istill cant get rid of that dirt taste.The finish also was like dirt.

An intense pour! The black fluid sliding from bottle to glass makes for an intense entrance. Large chocolatey brown head rises and asserts its staying power, sticky lace draping down the sides of my glass, clinging happily. Hoppy, roasty nose, a hint of citrus,gorgeously fruity. Notes of alcohol and a bit of berries. A black beauty thats med/full bodied, creamy and oily. Chocolate flavors up front, cocoa, berries and light roast notes. Alcohol is more evident as it warms adding an interesting angle to this brew. Finish is dry, chocolatey and fruity with a hint of charcoal. Nicely done Impy. Porter that deserves higher marks. May age well.

UPDATED: AUG 6, 2005 12 oz bottle. Poured black with a huge creamy foamy brown head, that lasted. Nose is roasted chocolate HOPS and caramel HOPS and a hint of smoke. Wow, the taste is very complex and the mouth feel is THICK! There are hops up front, followed by coffee and chocolate, some more hops roll around followed with caramel and licorice and a hop tail. This was an exciting and enjoyable brew, the BEST from FD, and I am glad I grabbed a package of these, to age and to share. Love to GONZO, RIP. Re-rate 7-21-05 I just do not get it. I taste no vynil, and the more I drink this, the better it gets, I have even gotten real geek-like and tasted this GREAT brew at different Temps. I am glad I drop some $$$ for a special order case.

pours out dark black with a tan head. aroma is hoppy, rich, and sweet. taste is very similar, yet somewhat hoppy as well. fairly smooth to drink. the 9.5% doesnt make its presence known until around halfway through the glass, with the last sip being almost brutal. a nice beer, the best flying dog ive ever had, but it needs to maybe age a little bit. thats why i have another bottle.

12 oz bottle from Downtown Liquors in Sommerville, MA. Very stable, lasting smooth chocolate-mousse head atop a black slightly oily body...mild chocolaty aroma at first, some sharp citrus mixing with licorice on a second nosing, intriging but ultimately a combination that plays against itself rather than joining into something new and beautiful....Cascade grapefruit is much more subdued in the body, which is a bit thin but creamy and chocolate-syrupy with merely a trace of nice warming alcohol, lightly vinous and coffee-accented towards the finish. This would easily be FD’s best if not for that misguided heavy hoppiness in the nose...as it is, another shot at mediocrity if a bit more enjoyable to drink than the usual.

12oz bottle - Pours black with a thick milkshake like brown head of several inches. Aroma is very hoppy. Not as much as alpha klaus but a close attempt. Also aromas of caramel and slight chocolate can also be found. Flavor begins with the floral hops up front then comes the nice roasted chocolate flavor and a dry warm alcoholic finish. On the palate this is thick rich and creamy. Mouth-coating and warming on the back of the sip. This was a very unique beer and complex. The best flying dog brew I’ve had to date...

UPDATED: MAR 10, 2008 2nd Rerate of original batch: Aged 2.5 years in the fridge: More oxidation and plum character showing up with most of the aroma hops gone. Still some mildly grapefruity flavor hops, but nowhere near as much. More smooth bittersweet dark chocolate flavor throughout. Seems to have aged quite well.

Rerate: Aged for a year in the fridge: Not too much change here. A little smoother, but the hop presence is still prominent in the aroma. And the flavor has a good sweet, roasted malty presence. This is truly unique, just like the person it is named after.

Pours a rich dark opaque with a thick, frothy, well-lacing tan head. Aroma has some heavy caramel, lightly roasted malt and lots of cascade hops with hints of dark fruits. Definitely hoppier than most other Baltic porters. Body starts rich, thick, malty and sweet with a nice roasty and hoppy bitterness coming toward the somewhat thinner finish. Hopped too much for the style and probably with the wrong hops which tend to produce the plastic notes others have mentioned, but still an enjoyable, complex big brew.

Black. Thick, brown head. Surprisingly hoppy aroma with plenty of malt and a touch of alcohol. Smells serious. Floral, pine, biting hops up front and smooth, roasted malt in the finish with dry, slightly bitter aftertaste. Medium body. Complex. Imperial is right on. Rated at room temp.

Opaque and black, Gonzo throws up a thick head of light brown. The head color has been seen as the body color on other Porters. The aroma is inviting, some chocolate and roasted malts. The flavor, while not the best I’ve ever had is not bad. Above average for Flying Dog and a move in the right direction. Smooth and rich, maybe falls behind the aroma a bit, but not a drain pour. Slightly sweet and roasty, the alcohol is well hidden. Worth a try if you’ve not had a Flying Dog in a while.

Poursa deep brown hue with a tan head. Aromas of roasted malts, vanilla, coffee beans, prunes. Flavors of chocolat, coffee, leather with a slight sour note.