Free State Owd Macs Imperial Stout

Brewed by Free State Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Lawrence, Kansas USA

Serve in Snifter

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Chalk this up as another re-rate...that earlier description of mine just was no help at all to anyone. In addition to amending my rating, I am also awarding this beer a perfect 5...more on that here in a bit. Firstly, I was led to believe that the beer I tried was aged approximately 6 months, so the late 2001 batch, then. The aging process takes place in old whiskey barrels appropriated from McCormick’s brewery and distillery in Weston, MO. It is, like the Barleywine, also served at proper cellar temperature and in a brandy snifter. It has an intriguing, partially opaque red/black appearance, with a small number of tiny bubbles that cling lightly to the side of the glass. The head is very slight, and also composed of some of the smallest bubbles I’ve yet seen in a beer. The aroma is roasted, but also very sweet, with some licorice and alcohol...this is certainly one of the most complex aromas I’ve ever experienced. Words (or, at least *my* words) do not properly do it justice. The flavor is also very, very complex and hard to describe, but has sweetness, alcohol, a very small dash of whiskey, licorice, raisin, and a minor amount of chocolate as well. I was unfortunately unable to determine the malts used in this beer...another time, for certain. It has a slightly syrupy finish, and an interesting thing struck me as the flavors faded away -- this beer has no coffee flavors whatsoever. Interesting to have such maltiness in such a huge beer but no coffee. Anyway, there is some hoppiness, mostly apparent in the finish, but overall the malt flavors dominate. Finish is very, very long and sweet, not dry. Here are the few stats I was able to retrieve: 27.5 P, 1118 O.G., with an alcohol content of 9.4% by vol. This is such a unique and astoundingly complex (not to mention indescribably delicious!) beer that I feel it deserves a 5. Every sip I am newly amazed at the panoply of flavors on my tongue, and it makes me shake my head in wonderment, quite literally. I have never had anything like this, and I sincerely wish there was a way for me to share it with all of you!

huge thanks to belgianbeergal for bringing this treat to me. poured black with a beige head. aroma was bourbon, chocolate, fudge, and dark fruits. flavor was fudge, dark roasts, bourbon, oak, and some hints of dark fruits. body was thick and slick with low carbonation.

Pours black inpenatrable, no head and not too viscious. This smells amazing! Vanilla, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, bit of roast, cream, bourbon. Taste is delicious as well with a lot of the same aspects- vanilla, smoke, creamy chocolate. Overall this is delicious.

courtesy of ericandersnavy. Black color/ fleeting tan head. Big boozy whiskey vanilla aromas with some dark malts. medium bodied. Vanilla, whiskey, chocolate, dark roast malt, boozy flavors.

Hand bottle shared by alexsdad06. Poured a clear dark brown color with a minimal frothy brown head that mostly diminished with minimal lacing. Moderate to heavy toasted chocolate, wood and alcohol aroma. Medium to heavy sweet wood and dark malt flavor with a heavy dark sweet and small alcohol bite finish of long duration. Full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. This is a standout beer.

[Handbottle] by StFun and shared by DalzAle. Thanks Greg! Pours a deep brown with pretty much no head. The aroma shows a fair amount of oxidation, dusty chocolate, astringent roast, moderate sweetness – like artificial vanilla. The flavor is sherry-like oxidation, a lot more alcohol than you would expect for a 9.5% beer, dusty chocolate, light roastiness. The mouthfeel is moderately slick, there is actually a little bit of carbonation, about as much as the ‘undercarbonated’ Angel’s Share. Overall, I’m pretty surprised how well this has held up.

Hand bottle shared by DalzAle. Pour is dark brown with little to no carbonation and no head. Aroma is boozy and black licorice with some dark dried fruit (purnes). Taste is sweet and bitter with purnes and coco some licorice. Palate is oily and sticky full feel and dry finish. Glad I had a chance to try this!

UPDATED: JAN 17, 2011 Bottle. Poured into a tulip glass a dark brown color with zero head, swirling generates a minimal tannish wisp. The aroma is very pronounced with notes of vanilla and chocolate with a slight soyness to it. Surprised I’m not really picking up too much of the barrel aromas. Starts off with a sweet nutiness, vanilla, and ends with a bitter dark chocolate roasted flavor that lingers slightly. The booze shows slightly. Decent beer though. As this warms caramel and dark fruit notes become slightly apparent.

Handbottle thanks to StFun. Dark black pour, almost no carbonation and a nice mellow dark chocolate/whiskey nose. Flavor is sweet creamy dark malt, vanilla, still plenty of smokey bourbon which lingered on the aftertaste. Slight oxidation, but didn’t detract much from the enjoyment.

(growler with big thanks to ericandersnavy) near black, no head, viscous in body, and clearish edges. Nose of raisin, sweet fudge, nice and funky reminds me of Belgian yeast. Taste is very fudgey, raisin, honey. Thick body but under-carbonated. Very flavorful. Nice beer!

big thanks to erica for this growler. poured black with no head. nose is thick with chewy malts, syrup, and fudge. thick on the palate, flavor is chewy malts, dark fruits, raisins, dates, chocolate, and awesome. yes, awesome is a flavor.