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

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.

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.

Poured black with a medium brown head that thins out very quickly. Burnt caramel (in a good way) aroma with plenty of chocolate and sweet roasty malt. Also fruity with a large amount of what smells like dough. Nice complexity with some alcohol notes showing through. Big roasty flavor with some chocolate notes. Didn’t really seem as complex as the aroma led me to believe it would be. The mouthfeel was nice and silky but felt a little thin as it finished.

Dark black beer. Rich sweet dark malty aroma. Chocolate, cocoa, leather and rich chewy malts. Earthy and cherry fruitiness. Lovely rich brew.