Harveys Imperial Stout

Brewed by Harveys
Style: Imperial Stout
Lewes, England

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.

Some vintage imperial double stout bought right here in Krakow for a horrendous amount of money. But on the other hand I gotta admit it was awesome - pitch black colour, absolutely no head, only slight bubbles. OMG what a flavour - extremely dense, almost wine-like, full flavoured with some roasted, slightly fruity notes and peanut taste. Unlike anything I ever tried before - syrup-like but very, very satisfying, feels as it there was no drop of water. The only disadvantage is that it was hard to imagine another one after this - so thick and absorbing. 2001. Awesome stuff, a completely unique & different drinking experience.

It pours opaque black, which is nice; however, I don’t see how anybody got a head like is pictured. My bottle had basically zero carbination and resultingly no head. The aroma was interesting, but not one I would associate with beer. It smelled more like a sweet wine to me, and I thought it smelled of oak, though it says it’s bottle conditioned. Nice and thick on the pallete. Now the flavor.... I didn’t particularly care for it. I wouldn’t prefer to drink Saddam’s urine (or even Coor’s Light) to this, but I also wouldn’t probably go for this again. As the description reads, this is a sour beer. I didn’t get too much sweet, and I think that it is interesting and pretty balanced, given the alcohol content and the sourness. I just don’t really care for it.

I would rather drink Saddam Hussein’s urine directly from the source than to ever drink this again. The aroma reminded me of sour wine. Thank God I’ve never had anything the taste reminded me of. This stuff had been aged four years when I tasted it(Since 2001). I’d give it another 60 or so before I try it again.

2001 vintage bottle. No head, no bubbles. Vinous and slightly sour aroma. Good roasty flavor, a bit sweet, and a nice acidic edge, quite complex but very drinkable. You should have bought more than two... but thanks for sharing agr.......

2001 vintage bottle from "The Beer Shop" in London. Poures like crude oil! No head, no bubbles. Vinous and slightly sour aroma. Good roasty flavor, a bit sweet, and a nice acidic edge, quite complex but very drinkable. Should have bought more than two...