Harveys Imperial Stout

12 oz bottle, 2001 vintage. Pours the color of motor oil, almost still with no head save for a small ring around the outside of the glass. Slightly sour aroma, burnt malt, soy sauce, dark cocoa, and some alcohol. Huge burnt malt flavor, very dry and slightly sour. Espresso, coffee, tobacco, very vinous and complex. Finish is dominated by soy sauce and smoke. Very full body, thick oily mouthfeel. Very chewy and sticky. I can see why many people may not like this, but this is right up my alley. You either love this or hate it (witness the 0.8 standard deviation)

2001. A beer with vinous qualities. The most prominent aroma is port, followed by alcohol, and finally fermenting fruit. Looks great; cool bottle, interesting natural cork, and a beautiful black beer. Still with no head. Complex flavor. The port is still there, as well as more fruit and very sweet malt. A light and not unpleasant alcohol bite. Some soy sauce, but not so much that it is unpleasant. Thick and syrupy. I was surprised this is not rated higher.

Very tastey. Another one of those beers that is so strong that you really ought only be drinking it in sips and then only when the sips are accompanied by some food... preferably beef or lamb. I’m trying to imagine drinking this with some traditional Russian food... hmmm... excellent.

2001 vintage. Pours with very little carbonation, but still manages to put on a small brown head. The nose is old and dank. The taste is just too malty and old, I wish the beer were younger. Theres a little hops there, a very little, which I guess disappeared w/ age?

Sampled at RBESG 2005. Very Black with a weak head. Sour and roasted aroma. A boombastic taste very big mouthfeel a lot of taste very complex, that ends with a warm feeling from the alcohol.

Black with a tiny, light brown head. Aromas of malt, wood, leather, port and chocolate. Amazingly complex and unusual flavour. Wine and wood with a hint of Flemish sour. Dry aftertaste. 2001 vintage, tasted 2007: Dark red brown, no head. Pretty much the same tasting notes, but I have grown to like it even better.

Pours like motor oil with just a hint of tan head sitting on top. Chocolate, molasses, bourbon all in the aroma. Amazing dark coffee and chocolate flavor with a wine-like finish. Almost no carbonation at all which works well for this one. Incredibly unique and complex. This 2001 vintage was not as sour as some people are claiming. Rather, this was just a truly wonderful beer.

2001 Bottle. Pours near opaque with an edgy tan head and some also floating on top. Berry, oak, port and dark chocolate malt with molasses, coffee and toffee aromas. Toffee and cellared flavors, malty with a hoppy, slightly acidic end with chocolate/cocoa notes. Dark bodied and full, warming.