Harveys Imperial Stout

Brewed by Harveys
Style: Imperial Stout
Lewes, England

Tasted 26/07/2008. 330ml bottle from Greig, shared with Sam and Steve in Invercargill. Extra Double "Quadruple S" Stout - sweet and salty, sour, soy sauce. I can pretend to be a connoisseur or I can admit this really doesn’t work for me. It fails the second sip test, let alone the second glass one.

Bottle: Label Extra Double Stout 2003: Black colour,no head. Aroma of raisins,aly and som sournes was it in the end. Flavor was smouth raisins mouth feeling. Viny and raisins was the domintad mouth feeling. Maybe because of the aging(?) Medium body, and thin to medium rassin finish. Nice!!

11.2oz. corked and plastic sealed bottle, labeled 2001, but seal says BBE 2006 (best by?), with many thanks to Storm! Pours black with only a thin. loose and large set of bubbles for a head that disappear immediately, while a thin ring remains present, no lacing. Weirdly, the first thing I think of when I smell it is it’s a sour, with a good dose of dusty funk, dark fruit juice, and only the slightest presence of roast in the background. Flavor is also more earthy, funky and sour, along with more dark fruit juice, and some mild sweetness. Not anywhere near an Imperial Stout as I would expect it, but as a sour it’s not too bad. Seems to turn expectations upside down for me. Thanks again Jacob!

Bottle at Brother Tuckers. What a weird Imp stout. Pours black and zero head. Aroma is earthy and smoky. Flavor is smoky, a tad sweet, maybe some coffee and chocolate in there too. Very interesting and I enjoyed every sip!

First rating
(Bottle at a beer tasting in Göteborg on July 4, 2008)
2003 version as "A. Le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout"
Black color, light brown head. Mostly sour scent. Salty, sour, dry cocoa taste. Alcohol aftertaste. Warming alcohol. Smooth mouthfeel, medium bitterness.
3/3/4/4/8=2.2

Rerate
As "Harvey Imperial Double Extra Stout"
33 cl bottle at Bishops Arms Järntorget, Göteborg. On Ocotber 20, 2009 - during the porter week.
Marked 2003
Black color, no head. Vinous, raissin, alcohol, acidic, vanilla scent. Salty, wood like, alcohol, soy sauce taste. Some wood but mostly salty aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel, low bitterness.
5/2/4/4/9=2.3

Glugs out of the bottle like used moter oil out of an old motor oil can. No head at all. This beer actually has anti-head, there are a couple of bubbles but they are submerged beneath the black hole that is this beer. I don’t know how they got the head in the picture it must be a plastic display beer. Aroma is strange, alcohol, and some spice. Taste is almost like a wine not a beer. What is this? No carbonation at all, it feels and tastes like a wine in my mouth. Has some woody notes with some coffee was this aged in wood somewhere? Is this a sour? I taste vinigar. I’m so confused. The bottle label just gives me a a russian history lesson. I guess I like it but not in like with it. A good beer though.

2000 Edition - Pours black with a slight red tinge. Absolutely no head what so ever. Smells of chocolate and red wine. Virtually no carbonation even though the label says, "Bottle Conditioned." First taste is very sweet - almost wine like, with roasted malts, coffee and chocolate sharing top billing. Mouthfeel is awful due to the lack of carbonation. Corkscrew was needed to open bottle.

Appearance: Dark, dark brown. Very flat. Aroma: Vinous, oaky. Tangy fruit. Treacle. Taste: Vinous, oaky. Bitter, some fruit. Alcohol. Soily? Info: 330ml bottle, 23/9-2006, 154/300