Harveys Imperial Stout

Brewed by Harveys
Style: Imperial Stout
Lewes, England

I had to use a wine opener on this bier, the first time I have used it for bier. No head. Black, Jet Black. Brownish-red appearance along the edges. Looks like wine and smells a bit like wine. The smell is very thick, it has slight chocolate aroma. Smells dry. Tastes watery, smokey, bitter, and very rich. The first sip was an attack on my senses. It tastes and feels a little charcoal-like. It smells as though I’ve been eating a deli sandwhich after a few sips, I can imagine a sandwich with lettuce and tomatoe. I’ve never smelled or tasted anything like this before. The more I drink, I realize some coffee flavor, this is a very complex bier. When it hits my tongue it’s very salty. The mouthfeel was disturbing, salty and watery wasn’t what I was expecting. This is a very rich bier for sipping on.

Bottle, 33cl. 2001 Vintage. What a fantastic beer. Pours pitch black, with a very little, almost no head. The little head there is, is colored like liquorice. The aroma is rich and dark. The flavor is an explosion of all the ’dark’ flavors, the feeling is smooth and thick. A very good experience in small amounts.

11.2 oz. bottle. 2000 vintage. Pours pitch black. Absolutely no head. Very little carbonation. Tart aroma, some berries. Mouthfeel is a big letdown. First sip is entirely soy sauce-like flavor. As the beer opens up, roasted malts take over. Some bitterness near the end. The finish is warming alcohol. Really disappointed with this one.

This beer was called Albert Le Coq Imperial Stout when I had it from a bottle in 2001. Absolutely the worst beer I have ever, ever had. I am a fan of Imperial stouts, so I saw this at Father’s Office in Santa Monica and had to try it. It had zero carbonation and was black as night. The only flavors I could detect were a very unpleasent, incredibly strong soy sauce and saltiness. Slick, oily mouthfeel that coated like paint. Alcohol burn. It got worse as the beer warmed up to room temperature. I forced myself to swallow every single drop of this overpriced swill. The goosebumps finally stopped coming with every swallow after a while. I did get a decent buzz off it, so I guess that is something. It’s so bad I want to try it again, to see if my memory is playing tricks on me. The "Showgirls" of beer, except without the bare breasts.

Served at room temperature at Monks. Pours a purplish dark brown. It looks and tastes like a red wine without any acidity. There is a perfect balance of strong maltiness and slight hoppiness that result in a smooth very enjoyable stout. Best sampled at room temperature.

Corked bottle from 2003. Pours opaque black with a scant ring of foam. Tart cherries, coffee and a hint of molasses on the nose. Hmmm. Creamy medium body with light carbonation. Sweet taste of prunes, soy sauce, licorice coffee. Lightly sour tar finish. I’m having a bit of trouble with the soy/balsamic vinegar combo. It almost makes sense when you bounce it off the "Commercial Description" but this still seems infected.

Bottle 2003 vintage. Aroma: Stout or sour? Diluted malt vinegar and some tart cherry/prune must. Some roastiness on the back end. Pours still. Black. No head. Flavor is both tart and dry. Tar. Molasses. A definite blackstrap molasses presence. A hint of roasted malt and dry hops hiding behind the dry and tart molasses. Creamy and silky on the palate. I know this beer is supposed to be unique, but not my style.

11.2 oz bottle dated 2001, annoyingly corked (the cork actually broke). Pours a black brown with no head at all.

The aroma is strong raisin and rummy alcohol with some molasses sugary sweetness.

The flavor is washed out (oxidized?) roasted tar and black licorice, bitter alcohol and cork. This tastes kind of like paint thinner, with all the harsh alcohol. It actually had me gagging. The mouthfeel is medium and very watery with zero carbonation.

Overall, I don’t know if this is a bad sample or what, but it is terrible - a drain pour.