In short: Standard average American Imperial Stout.
How: Tap at brewpub (Clybourn location)
The look: Black body with a small short-lived tan head
In long: Roasted malts, molasses and some dark fruits and some black chocolate. Rich creamy body. Alcohol is showing a bit. Mild bitterness. The beer is robust, it doesn’t have any defaults but it ended-up feeling like just another good American Imperial Stout. I suspect I was slightly disappointed by this standard Impy Stout because of all the original and excellent beers I had at this brewpub. However I don’t think I would have liked it any more if I had drank it the day after at some more ordinary brewpub, mostly because my glass would have been pretty flat by then.

(Cask) A deep brown color. Chocolate and smooth. A bit of toasted malty flavor. Served a little warmer then other beers. bringing out all the flavors. A very nice beer.

Cask, Clybourn. Opaque with a hint of lightening at the edges. A deep tan khaki wrung skirts the ridges while an enflamed sperm cell formation sits as an off-centered island for the head. Bourbon strides coincide with a robust caramel and dark chocolate edge. Coffee grinds give a milky summer coolata character. Depth enhancing black currant is shielded by the delectable, aromatic bourbon impartations. Bourbon flavor is attenuated very well. It’s not a thick, oily brigade, but a milk chocolate truffle infused with caramel and Godiva liquor. Slight toasty campfire s’mores flavor with that sugary, mushy marshmallow, toasty grahams and nearly flame licked Hershey chocolate pieces persona. Heavy, mostly full-bodied and a major flavor player. A well represented stream of substance. Creamy, melting chocolate-coated caramel chews principally drive the flavor home, resonating with a dark chocolate and bourbon laden base. This is the confectionary art at its boozy finest.

Draught, Clybourn brewpub: it is a shame that they didn’t try this with last year’s (or better yet, the 2003)…anyway – this one came jet black, with a small dark brownish-tan foam. Extra sweet, vanilla bean aroma with a healthy dose of chocolate, raisins, and hints of espresso…the body didn’t benefit at all from the barrel – it is still watery thin…the two things this has going for it is the lingering hoppy-bitterness/oak twang and the distinct lack of harsh bourbon flavours…one of those things: I know what this could be, but this one didn’t quite make it…