Nils Oscar Imperial Stout

330ml bottle, unknown vintage but is likely several months old. Aroma of dark chocolate, molasses, roasty malts, licorice, espresso, cream and faint prune. Opaque ebony in color, head is a faint ring of light tan. Flavor profile is unusual for the style but extremely well-balanced and refined, with aspects of dark, semi-sweet chocolate, latte and toffee, anise and other faint spices, showing hints of roasty bitterness towards the finish. Largely dry, smooth mouthfeel, body is medium-full. Not nearly as powerful or even as complex as some of Imperials, but certainly nice in its own right. More of a British or historical take on the style, seemingly.

Black beer with weak blond head. Aroma is strongly roasted, chalky and some coffee. Flavour is quite intensive, roasted, some liquirice and dry in the end. Nicely slippery to drink. Roasted, not-interested beer, there are better beers for this category.

It poured a pitch black liquid with a small light brown foam that left some lacing. It had an unexpected smell of fruit candy, black currant, blue berries and some sourness. It had a strong taste of burned toast, sweet chocolate, coffey and nuts. It was smooth and dry. A weird beer, the smell didn’t match the taste at all, felt like two different beers.

11.2oz bottle matured about a year and a half poured at 55F. Pours a clear deep dark red that is too dark to see though looking near black in the glass with a thin/medium bubbly tan froth 3.5. Aroma is fruity like English ale yeast, matched by some light hard roast acidity, hint of soy sweet and saltiness, hint of dark chocolate, soft malt oxidation, smells very English 7.5. Flavor follows, very bright and fruity with balanced roast, acidity, chocolate maltiness. Some chewy tootsie-roll doughy quality as well , soft round and fruity. The hard-roast coffee acidity is perfect without any of the tannic bitterness. Wonderful very slight rich alcohol warmth in the finish. Lingering grassy chocolate aftertaste with just a touch of coffee bitterness. Medium/full bodied, round but dull in a good way, quite smooth and easy drinking, isn’t at all heavy but still maintains a substantial mouth-feel, spread-out very fine popping carbonation 4.5. With the amount of acidity this really reminds me of a traditional English porter, maybe a slight lactic infection. Impressed, exceptionally drinkable and aged beautifully just when I was about to give up on aging imperial stouts... [I drank this bottle in like 15 minutes... I couldn’t stop gulping, supremely drinkable... I LOVE the acidity!!!]

Got this bottle a few months ago at Sam’s in Chicago. I was worried that it might be turning as two other N O had. But, no problem here. Despite aggressive pouring only a small tan head that is mostly gone and no lace. Color is very close to opaque brown. Aroma is quite nice: malty, roasty, vanilla, cocoa, coffee, and leather. Flavor is about the same with a french roast finish and ultimately a hint of sweetness. Good body and carbonation. Tasty. A hint of alcohol after some swallows. Could be a session beers despite its richness.

11.2 fl oz bottle purchased at Gomer’s in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Pour is opaque black with only a small khaki head. Lacing is left behind on a swirl. Aroma of roast malt, soy and dark chocolate. The chocolate is more of the burnt variety than the sweet. Taste is sweet cane sugar, dark roast chocolate and a bit of the soy from the nose. Aftertaste has a weird mix of the soy and sweet. As it warmed, became more pleasant. Palate is thinner than expected, on the light side of medium. Decent amount of carbonation - really no hint of alcohol. Decent enough.

Pours near black with ruby hues and a full receding tan head. Notes of bakers chocolates, rum, vanilla, red wine, fruit jam and caramel. Full bodied and winey with lively carbonation. A very elegant and delicious beer.

Bottle. Pours boring black with minimal head. Nose is dark roasted malt, molasses, black coffee, dark chocolate. Taste follows similar with bitter bite and watery mouthfeel. Becomes almost slightly sour and very bitter, watery, but flavors are still good for and I.S. Not bad for a try.