Pisgah Vortex II

Brewed by Pisgah Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Black Mountain, North Carolina USA

Serve in Snifter

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bomber to glass; bottle dated 1/09. where the hell did I get this?? my remarks are exactly those of johnnniee below. not sure if contaminated but this thing had some funk to it... not sure if spoiled as many relate to the fruity taste... anyone want the other bottle??

Cracked this one late Christmas day with my son as well. It was from 09 all I’ll say is drink them if you got them. This one may have sat to long slight funk in the brew so I’ll just give it average ratings all along Will have to grab a fresher bottle and revisit it again

Bottle shared by alexsdad06. Poured a dark brown color with an average frothy brown head that lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy roasted chocolate, caramel and alcohol aroma. Medium to heavy sweet chocolate malty flavor with a medium to heavy sweet and small alcohol bite finish of moderate to long duration. Full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. This is a solid beer.

Sampled at GonzoIllini’s Birthday Party (Western Springs, IL). Happy Birthday, Tony! Pours a richer deep blacihs brown hue, near opaque with some touches of light, deep haze. Frothy tannish ring atop dies to a film, laces ok. Aromas are sticky and sweet, caramel and toffee, toast, gentle oak. Chocolate, some oak, vanilla and coffee. Initial is medium bodied, some dark fruit, toffee, and toast. Kiss of sherry, red fruit, some cocoa, carmelization. Mellow roast and toast, biscuits, gentle heat hits the palate quickly. Touches of roast, toffee, heat, mellow oxidation. Good flavors but a bit of bruising heat into the middle and backend. Ok.

On tap at Appalachain Vintner. Poured near black with a dark brown head that quickly diminshed. Aroma was dark coffee and dark chocolate with sweet toffee. Flavor with robust with espresso with some thick chocolate and toffee. Not overly complex but very nice and it held back the ABV beautifully. Finishes full and almost creamy milk chocolatey.

I’ve had this bottle in the basement for two years or so and tonight for Todd’s fortieth seemed like the prefect time to pop this one. She poured a solid black with a monstrous tan head that took forever to recede. From the first pop of the cap we are disappointed with the beer. There’s an earthy funky fruity aroma with a hint of roast that fills my nostrils. The flavor is tart and fruity with a bit of nasty funk. Medium to light body with an insane level of carbonation and a slick tart mouthfeel. Obviously there is something wrong with this bottle, and I’m quite disappointed I’ve held on to this so long. So my first Pisgah beer is infected, well that sucks.

Shared bomber to snifter (thanks jmborggren). Looks good; pitch black with thin mocha lacing. Smells malty and toasty. Tastes like is smells, but better, with a sweet, smooth finish that’s good on the palate. Ahh is hidden well too. Nice.

Draft in a flight at the brewery. Easily the best beer I’ve had on this trip to Asheville. Poured very dark with a nice head to it. Thick and smokey, with great malt flavors and robustness.

Bottle. Dark brown pour with a tan head. Big chocolate nose. Chocolate & caramel, with a slightly bitter note (not so much from the hops, but maybe the malts). A little thin in the body. To be honest was expecting a little more after the chub inspiring aroma......

Bottle shared by Lunch. Thanks Paul! A: This big RIS has a black body. It is opaque except for the uppermost layer of the beer, where it appears a bubbly, dark brown. A small beige head sits atop the beer, but fades very rapidly. S: Nice aroma with scents of roasted malt, chocolate. T: A good tasting beer, with prominent chocolate flavors. At nearly 12% abv, this beer packs a punch that it difficult to disguise. Alcohol is present from the nose to the finish, though it’s a well crafted beer and overall, tastes fine - just strong. M: Medium bodied, not as viscous or thick as I would prefer from such a high gravity beer. D: A solid beer. I would enjoy having this again.