3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle, at Freakin’ Frog (owner Adam walked in with a case of it on his shoulder while we were there-- good timing!). Pours a very dark brown with a crazy enormous bubbly head typical of Moa brews. Chocolate and roast take a backseat to yeast ans slightly sour fruit. Definitely leans more toward a euro-style impy. Could stand to have a little more weight in the malt department, but enjoyable nonetheless.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle. Pours opaque black brown with huge tan creamy head and brilliant lace. Aromas of lightly grassy and fruity (berries and grapes) behind a toasty chocolate, coffee, tar, grains, bread, nuts, burnt toffee/caramel and anise. Medium-full body, creamy mouthfeel, average-light carbonation. Complex flavour profile, sweet and savoury as the label insists. Chocolate, roast, coffee, tar, burnt caramel/tofee balanced with a sour, salty, savoury bite which carries right through the finish, balanced with the complex malt body. Hops are present more so in the finish, with the berries lingering through the roasty, sweet and salty complex malt body. Top brew from unZud.
5 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
Bottle from Lygon st. shop. Full marks, great complexity and balance. Aromas of chocolate, vanilla, liquorice, hints of coffee and oak. Sweet and bitter, very long length. Full bodied, silky body. Black, with a frothy off-white head.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Hefty head light tan colour blackest of pours soft carbonation aromas chocolate dried fruit warming alcohol some coffee mild liquorice dark fruit the flavours medium ibu raisin roasted chocolate warming alcohol liquorice coffee some of the aromas not in the flavour a dry note the barrel influence noticeable oak pinot noir woody a vinous touch being the dryness the finish a fair imperial main aftertastes alcohol coffee lasting bitter barrel influence smooth on palate not a bad effort
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle at bar. Thick black color, beige head. Sweet and strong taste with coffee, chocolate and tender roastiness. Nice bitter taste from red wine barrel aging. Great imperial stout.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Dark cola colour with a tanned head. Frothy with mild carbonation. Chocolate and oat to the aroma. Creamy and bitter taste. Mild bitter after taste. Very nice.
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 12/20
375mL bottle, pours black with a voluminous beige / tan head. Aroma of roast, chalk, some woody notes, red wine and subtle coffee. Flavour brings out a very vinous dominated character, with oak, slight tartness, and red wine - finishing on red wine and boozy notes. Palate is light-bodied for the style, almost completely overtaken by the wine, and quite alcohol. Decent impy.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Pours solid black with a large, lasting head.
Nose shows char, roasted malt, cocoa and dark chocolate with a little smoke.
Similar flavours, but less complex. Roasted malt, booze. Not much else.
Body could be a bit thicker.
Pretty straightforward, whereas considering the alcohol content I would expect something more complex.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Corked bottle. I’m pretty sure I got this at Knightly Spirits on orange blossom. Black pour with a huge foamy light tan head. Aroma is sweet roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, light oak. Tastes seem pretty straightforward at first, but further sips reveal complexity - chocolate, dark fruit, licorice and light wine. Finishes astringent and smokey with an earthy vibe. Kind of all over the place, but interesting and drinkable (never a bad combo).
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
375mL c&c. Pours clear sepia with a gargantuan tan head. Massive rocky retention and thick wads of lace poofs. Nose is dark chocolate and spicy hops. Mild umami savoriness. Taste is tangy, bitter, spicy, lightly soapy, big olive brine, big saltwater. Palate is a little bit watery for me. Decently refreshing. Very little red wine character. Muted lactic tanginess. With more sips there is drying wood, lactic yogurty thickness and phlegminess. But flavor is just a bit too tangy and thin to be imperial stout. Maybe normal porter or stout would be a good fit. 10.2% hidden.
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
4.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
333 c&c from Malt & Vine. How not to love beer from Blenheim! Pours very dark brown/black with a creamy tan head. The aroma is unexpected. It’s vinous. Inhaling deeply I get chocolate. Trying hard I get a bit of coffee. Full + bodied. Almost champagne carb. Flavor is vinous, oaky, chocolate, even smooth burnt malt. :) Develops a bit of darkish grape towards the finish. I do not know how to break down the flavor profile. It’s just amazing. Finish is something like a mix of astringent oak and burnt malt. Great ale.
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