Midnight Sun Berserker Imperial Stout

Date: 06/16/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

black, fine brown head, drippy lace, rich dry dark chocolate aroma with a hot alcoholic edge, big creamy body, huge dark chocolate flavor, balanced with the roasted, lots of rich ripe fruit comes upon warming, licorice sweetness, alcohol is always present but stays in the background

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Sampled with Carr Valley cocoa-crusted goat cheese. Almost entirely black with a very dark brown head. Stingingly pungent, with rich dark fruits and dark chocolate. Sugary thick body is almost like a Cuban coffee. Very tasty - hints some sweet high notes, and only has a slight bourbon inflection. Nice brew.

22oz bottle acquired in trade with puzzl (thanks!!!). 2007 vintage. Poured a dark black color with an averaged sized light brown head. Aromas of roast, vanilla, chocolate, oak, light coffee, and dark fruits. Tastes of roast, vanilla, wood, dark fruits, and chocolate. Creamy and smooth body. Alcohol content well hidden. Nice.

Bottle… This beer rocks!… Pours thick and midnight black with a small, creamy, brown head. The hearty, deeply roasted aroma is all about dark chocolate, blackstrap molasses, assorted berries and leather. Full-bodied with a monstrously thick mouthfeel and dancing carbonation. The flavor is lightly sweet, but presents big time bitterness, acrid gun smoke, pouch tobacco and maduro cigar ash. Even when warmed all the way up to room temperature, the 30 IBUs and black malt ashyness stamp out any semblance of sugar in the finish. This baby doesn’t really come to an end as much as it just fades slowly away… Thanks to ygtbsm94 for shipping this bottle of world class brew my way!

(22oz. bottle, 2007 vintage) Pours a oily opaque black body with a spare brown head. Aroma of chocolate, black licorice, roasted malt, vanilla, and a touch of lactose. Flavor of strong roasted malt, chocolate, toasted grain, and some dark fruits with a dry finish.

Bottle sampled in mid-June ’06: Pours a rich oily opaque black with a well-lacing frothy dark tan brownish head. Rich, sweet caramel chocolate and roasted malt aroma has a nice raisin, plum, and soy sauce character along with some doughy yeasty notes. Body starts with some sweet toasty caramel and chocolate maltiness along with good dark fruity complexity and a thinner, but flavorful silky dark chocolate finish. A nice imperial stout that would be great with a little more malt, but still very well done, although I didn’t sense too much of the barrel-aged character.

Pours dark brown with a velvety, slightly lighter brown head. Smells of roasted malt, chocolate, some toffee, some cherries. Tastes of chocolate, spicy, some licorice, some fruity hints, dry on the finish.

2008 bottle. Incredibly dense and oily black with a sharp and visually striking dark brown head. Rich, oily, resinous black patent malt, lightly astringent bitter chocolate, oily and filmy. Full and rich, sticky and decadent, the chewy and firm chocolate fudge character is divine.