Harveys Imperial Stout

This bottle has been waiting for me for six years (since 2003). Black, No head. Aroma: Roasted malt, dried fruit. Strong flavor of port, licorice, dried fruit. Strong, bitter/sour finish. This has got to be the strongest Stout I have yet to drink.

2001 bottle shared by Jerc and Mabel. Appearance: Glass of used motor oil, slick black with zero head. Aroma: Thick and spicy aroma, bitter malt and somewhat milky. Flavour: Toast, malt, burnt Christmas pudding, alcohol, deep black fruits and thick as hell.

2003 vintage. Pours black with a few tan bubbles. Aroma is the most vinous of any RIS I’ve come across. It smells like a sours with a bit of roasted barley at the end. Flavor is sweet, acidic, and sour. Roasted barley and coffee notes come through and linger a very long time. A bit drying on the tongue. Mouthfeel is slick and slightly oily. This is a very odd imperial stout but good nonetheless.

Cask@GBBF 2009, vintage 2009? 2008 says Camra website. Opaque black color, small beige head. Oxidazed licorice and caramel aroma, lots of molasses. Full-bodied. Lots of licorice, molasses, dark malts and raisins. Very sticky. Alcohol and molasses in the aftertaste.

[2293-20090626] 11.2floz bottle. Heavy sweet plum roast malt aroma also features currants. Brown black body with a quick foamy tan head. More roasted sweet fruit flavour has heavy currant influences. Full body is flat. "Like a glass of motor oil" but otherwise not bad.
(Labelled "Imperial Extra Double Stout" Vintage 2001; from Premier Gourmet, Buffalo, NY; w/ garthicus, jerc)

Bottle sample at a tasting. Thanks zvikar! 2003 bottle. Black-colored with a brown head. Roasty & funky aroma of brett, fruits, some oaky notes, barnyard, some chocolate (praline notes). Dry flavor with some bitter chocolate, wild yeast acidity, fruits, wood, some sweet caramel and cocoa notes and a bitter finish with some earthy hops and sourness. Full viscous body. A great unusual beer.

330mL bottle, 2000 vintage listed 9% ABV, poured into a snifter. Pours a viscous, oily black with hardly any head at all. It’s more like a bubbly tan collar that leaves no lacing. The aroma is a cross between an impy stout, barleywine and old ale. There is definitely a big of dark roasted malts hiding in there, but the massive malty sweetness, slight tartness and alcohol are more dominant. It definitely smells higher than a 9% ABV and burns the nostrils slightly. The taste isn’t as good as the aroma and is much, much more sour up front with stronger signs of oxidation than the aroma indicated. The malts taste almost burnt and stale leaving a dry bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is super slick with no carbonation to speak of. It’s definitely a little light for the style. This one is definitely past its prime as the oxidation has taken its toll on the taste. The aroma was decent, but this is definitely not one of my favorite stouts with a definitely sourness starting to take over.

Pours a dark brown body with a light tan head. Smells of caramel malt. Flavor is sour, toast, soy.