Haymarket The Defender Dry Hopped Double American Stout

Brewed by Haymarket Pub & Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Chicago, Illinois USA

Serve in Snifter

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Draft... Dark brown, almost black, tan head doesn’t last long but great lacing... Super bitter roasted chocolate with lots of chinook bitterness on the back, solid, balanced and subtle... Taste is too bitter almost charred, a stale coffee finish, not a big fan but the alcohol is really well hidden

Very decent but not exceptional RIS, enjoyed on tap at the brewpub. Good lacing. American style, hoppy, chocolaty. Decent drinkability.A little roast aroma

On tap @ the brewpub. Near black, brown finely bubbled head. Rich dark roast coffee aroma, hints of black cherries. Hard roasted palate, coffee and char, light liquorice, met by intensely bitter hops. The potential cherries in the nose are swept away here, but it is still a potently flavoured brew. I liked it.

On tap at the brewpub. Pours very dark brown with a chocolate milk head; terrific lacing coating the sides. Aroma has bakers chocolate and coffee with some dark fruit. Taste brings bitterweet chocolate, roasted malts, expresso. Perhaps a bit thin for a stout. Finishes medium and bittersweet. Nice solid stout - alcohol well hidden.

On tap at Haymarket. Poured deep brown with a well-retained, creamy head. The aroma was hop-driven, with floral and lesser citrus over well-roasted dark chocolate and licorice.. very fresh, vibrant, and well-balanced. The flavor found similar stuff.. dry-roasted licorice with offshoots of chocolate at the core, and green, fresh hops all over the place.. more pine this time, but the floral was still there.. a tad too aggressive and sharp on the finish with the combo of heavy roast and big hoppage. Medium-plus bodied, very bitter, and very roasty.. good level of carbonation kept it moving well.. overall very tasty stuff that I’d drink a lot of, especially if they cut back the dry-hopping just a little.

Draught at Haymarket. Black - brown head. Burned. Sweetness. Burned grains. High bitter hoppy. High malty. High dry burned. Licorice. Hard burned coffee beans. Ok.

Draft. Tan head that had good retention and lacing. Dark black body. Chocolate caramel aroma. Roasted malt presence, alcohol warmth was definitely noticeable

UPDATED: FEB 1, 2012 Black with decent, creamy, tan head / Nose of dark roast barley / Medium body, acidic and thin, with very bitter, weak, finish / Flavors of burnt coffee and barley, with hint of lemon / Not being a brewer, would speculate that it is over roasted to the point of excessive acidity and bitterness, much like can happen with coffee.

On tap at GABF. I was parked out next to Haymarket! Pours a wonderful jet black color with a thick brown head. The aroma is massive coffee and a heavy roast, some pine. The flavor is dominated by a rich earthy coffee and heavy metallic roast with melds with some lingering bitter hops. Very damn good. Very tasty and drinkable.

On tap @ brewery. Dark mahogany bordering black pour with a small latte pour. Aroma of Starbucks and Hershey with a strong hop presence that works its way through every aspect of the beer. Flavor is heavy hopped and roasty with dark malt, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee present. Medium to creamy mouthfeel.

On tap at pub. Dark brown-black with thin tan head and nice lacing. Aroma strong pine and a little roast. Taste again strong pine with caramel and roast. Finish pine hops. Alcohol slightly apparent. Palate kind of watery which seemed to be a problem with all Haymarket beers I had.

The hop/malt balance is not there as the pine overwhelms the stout flavor, but you know, I liked it anyway. I’d drink it again.