HopTown Old Yeltsin Imperial Stout

Formerly brewed at HopTown Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Pleasanton, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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’Bottled Version’: The beer pours a deep brown to black, the head is chocolate brown, frothy, dissipates rather quickly, the lace is quite good and clings in sheets to the ’Chalice’. Nose is toasted malt, coffee, bitter-sweet chocolate. Front is sweet, the top is medium to full, the finish is nicely hopped, dry, somewhat acidic, and a decent Imperial, not a ’Stone’, but still quite drinkable and well worth the try, and most certainly the 10% abv will warm your ’Tummy’.

22oz bomber, no date. Pours a black with a half finger fading tan head. Aroma of roasty malts, caramel, molasses, soy, a bit of vanilla ____--I can’t put a finger on what though--a little hazelnuts, a tinge of earthy hops. ETOH so far is covered well. Flavor has much more roast and coffee in it--namely coffee in the bitter dry finish. There is also a bit of saltiness, not really soy anymore, and the molasses is still there. Alcohol is well hidden. Medium body, minimal carbonation--would’ve liked it a little thicker.

12.10.04 Bomber bottle thanks to loweredsixth. Nearly black beer with thin tan head. Aromas are molasses sweet and sharpness is betrayed with a slight nasal burn from alcohol and hops. California style impy all the way, this brew is not letting me down. Deep and roasty, not much fruit. Plenty of coffee, caramelized grapefruit, burnt hazelnut. Could be fuller bodied for an imperial but the solid alcohol presence makes up for that pretty well. Very nice brew. Thanks, Joe!

UPDATED: FEB 22, 2003 Draught: I didn't realize that this was an imperial at the time, the bar menu just said 'old yeltson stout'...9% abv wasn't noticed at all..my notes: extremely Beautiful looking brew...black with 3/4 inch of an everlasting creamy tan head..completely breathtaking...cocoa in aroma with slight coffee undertones..Rich mocha...roastedness...great carbination...slight bitter but nonsweet finish

22oz bomber via trade with jazz88 - Thanks Eric! - Pours black with a nice creamy mocha head that laces a little but not too much. Aroma is of coffee, plums, and a touch of almond. Flavor is burnt malts, plums, raisins, some coffee. This is lighter than other imperial stouts I’ve tried but as creamy and mouth coating as any. Alcohol is pretty well hidden and this is a great sipper due to the smoothness. This isn’t the best impy I’ve ever had but it is certainly worth trying and very drinkable.

UPDATED: DEC 11, 2003 Rating #1 Tap @ Hopyard Alehouse in Pleasanton (next door to the brewery) (7 5 7 4 16). Solid black color with a creamy brown head that kept its form and size until the finish. Incredibly smooth, full bodied and rich. A malty finish with a roasted and chocolate flavor. Dark fruits can be found in the aroma and flavor, but they remain understated. To move this beer into the elite status of the imperial stouts it needs that added complexity either in the fruits or the layers of chocolate and roasted malts. Rating #2 Bottle (7 3 7 3 16). Solid black color with a laced chocolate brown head. Noticeably hoppier than the draft version. A somewhat lighter body, although it still contains plenty of roasted malts and chocolate. The dark fruits again remain understated, and this becomes somewhat more pronounced given the lighter body.

Darkest Brown Coloring with Tan Ring. Aroma and Taste are of Coffee Roasts, Barley, Hevy Malt...Medium Sweet Mouthfeel and Dry Hop Aftertaste. Nothing Fancy, Just a Wonderful Imperial Stout.

THis imperial stout pours with a black body topped by a thin head with little lacing. The aroma surprises me. It’s weak! There is a slightly sweet maltiness and a touch of roasty coffe notes. The flavor is slightly sweet yet bitter and roasty with a note of expresso and a touch of licorice, as well as, a slight sourness and a little alcohol. Full bodied, smooth and slightly warming.

Drew-LaPalooza beer #4: Dark black sweetened coffee; cream and sugar help soften the strongly roasted espresso / hop ending (light sourness at the end - no big deal). Assertive and happy.

Pours pitch black in color. Strong sweet roasty aroma. Lots of roasted malts. Some hops and a hint of alcohol. Flavor up front is slightly subdued. Some malts and a slight bit of roastiness. Finish leaves a lasting roasted coffee aftertaste. Alcohol is not too noticable. Seems kind of one dimensional. still it is pretty tasty, just not a top impy.