Ottos Jolly Roger Imperial Stout

22oz bottle graciously shared by BeerGestapo. Thanks Mike. Pours black with a semi-lasting 1 inch tan head. At first sniff all I could smell was an earthy smokiness but after my nose got acclimated to it I noticed hints of bitter chocolate, dark fruit, and a hint of booziness. The taste is smoky, dark chocolate, and burnt cookies. The smoke is a bit much in my opinion. After a few sips it turns slightly acrid from it. Finishes with a lasting roasted bitterness. Though it has a nice full body I felt that there was too much carbonation for the style. It pinpricked its way through the massive oily liquid. I did enjoy it however and would recommend fans of the style to try it.

This poured black with a moderate brown head of fine bubbles. Aromas were rich showing off chocolate, fig, plum and roasted malt. In the mouth this was medium to full-bodied and concentrated. It begins powerful before being balanced by the bitter hops. Flavors are of woodsmoke and roasted malt followed by chocoate and coffee. Overall, this was wonderfully rich yet balanced by some lifting hops.

Pours a very impressive inky black with a two finger chestnut brown head. The nose shows mocha, roast, some sweetness, citrusy hops, caramel, grows sweeter with warmth. The flavor is roasty, rich, mildly sweet, bakers chocolate, earthy english malt feel, progressive hop bitterness. The palate is thick, velvety, and satisfying.

Aroma is faint but touches tones of coffee, alcohol and cocoa. Served I’m the proper glass, the brew is pitch blackwith a thick brown head and strong legs. The thick character is flat and surupy on the tounge. The chocolate tones and warm alcohol wrap the mouth. The finish is metallic and short.

22 oz bottle courtesy of mj (as acrdz was once known). Pour is ink black, thick with a nice 1/2 inch tan head. Aroma of soft roasted maltiness. A bit of licorice. Taste is the licorice and roast from the nose though is nicely integrated and smooth. No alcohol presence at all, nice. More of an imperial porter taste. Overall, quite tasty.

22oz. Bottle: Aroma of roasted malts, smoke, peat, and light chocolate. Poured pitch black in color with a small, dense, brown head that diminished but left a slight film. Opaque. Flavor is lightly sweet and lightly bitter. Tastes of smoke, roasted malts, chocolate, hops, cocoa, and cream. Medium to full body. Viscous, slightly oily texture. Soft carbonation. Smokey, semi-sweet, chocolate finish.

To celebrate the return of Rate Beer, I decided to crack this baby for breakfast. Pours an oily looking opague black body with a nice looking foamy medium brown head. The aroma is a nice blend of coffee, milk choclate with some with some mellow sweet smoke. The flavors start off with a sweet creamy coffee taste and some milk chocolate with mild vanilla notes. It gradually becomes it bit stronger with the bitter coffee flavor but the creaminess keeps it very well balanced. Tasty stuff!!

Trade with Fonefan. It’s pitch black with a light brown, creamy and lasting head. The aroma has notes of chocolate, roasted malt, dark fruits, preserved figs and licorice with a hint of smoke. The flavour has a light sweetness and the mouthfeel is smooth, full and pleasant, and I find notes of dark fruits, preserved figs, chocolate, a lot of licorice and a light hint of smoke. It’s very nice, full-bodied and complex beer.