 chadje (129), Pasadena, California, USA
| 3.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 12/20 |
Jan 26, 2009 Pours a dark brown almost black color with a nice tan head. Smells of coffee and roasted malt. Syrupy feel to it and a good stout. Not my choice for style, but good.
mspindler (301), Alta Loma, California, USA
| 4.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 10/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 5/5 | 18/20 |
Jan 26, 2009 2005 bottle on the first day of Winter Storm. They were already out of 01 and 04 by the time I got there. Pours black with a very thin brown head. Aroma is lots of toffee and vanilla with some licorice and roastiness, smells sweet. Flavor is extremely smooth. This beer has aged nicely. Typical coffee and chocolate, loads of buttery malty goodness balanced out by a very nice bitterness. Silky mouthfeel, low carbonation. This stuff is superb.
guzzler67 (1275), Hanover, Maryland, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 3/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Jan 25, 2009 Small tan head with modest lacing atop a black body. Aroma of roasted malts, ripe fruit and molassas. A medley of flavors including chocolate, coffee, walnuts, raisins, plums and toffee. All are enhanced by the earthiness and hoppiness that add balance and complexity. Full bodied, decenly carbonated mouthfeel with a noticable alcohol bite. This collection of tastes snd smells end in a long lasting, slightly bitter finish. (2008 offering)
haddonsman (1234), Derby, Derbyshire, England
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Jan 25, 2009 Bottled, Spring 2008 release, drank January 2009.
Uncapped and let loose in the glass it poured pitch black, a rough laced dirty linen head eventually sheared into a spectral Rorschach blot. Certainly lots of liquorice spilling up to the nose, slashed with cracked leather and clodding earth. Coffeechoc is there and thank boggery for that - no uberhop, no sinus-streching alcohol.
And then.... smoooooothness. Part of me feels cheated- where’s the blast? But the beer-sensible part of me is loving it; there’s an elegance to the coffee & cigar feel, enough dryness to shave your alcohol-coated craw, berries tarry as bitterness cuts across the oleaginously enjoyable roastiness of it all.
This is impy stout restrained. And magnificent for being so.
Pastor (509), Maine, USA
| 4.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Jan 24, 2009 I finally found this one I always have seen the stone brand around and finally found the Illusive IMP stout
Spring 2008 bottle pored into a Duvel snifter produced a finger worth of tan head that turns to a thick lace on top of a pitch black body
Aromas of chocolate, roasted malts, and coffee filled my head. Some sweetness (anise) in the aromas as well no alcohol present in this at all.
Flavors start of sweet chocolate and finish with a coffee hoppy bitter. Let me say that that is the most blunt way to put the flavors in words .this is a complex brew and very good at that. This stout has a big thick and heavy feel; I will be sipping this thing.
Good drinkability but again with a IMP stout how many do you want to drink in one sitting. Well worth trying would drink it again
Skyview (4011), Papoose Jct., Minnesota, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Jan 23, 2009 Sampled during MN Gathering II in Maplewood, MN and two vintages shared by MIlkmanDan (2002) and a 2008 vintage (forgot to write down credit for the recent one). From a 22-oz bomber pours a near opaque dark brown brew with a thick tan head that slowly dissipates to a thin tan head with excellent lacing. Aroma of toasted dark malt, black licorice, some coffee, vanilla and raisins. Taste is full bodied, smooth (especially the 2002 vintage) with flavors of toasted dark malt, molasses, chocolate and sweet berries. Finish is syrupy and thick with a mild bitterness and vanilla aftertaste. Nice!
Allen (1335), Switzerland
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Jan 23, 2009 Botled 1 Pt. 6 Fl. Oz. Courtesy of Nearbeer. The nose is extremely strong, complex with hints of coffee, roasted malt, a huge amount of vanilla, blue cheese, raisins, brown sugar and alcohol. Sweet taste. Full bodied. Strong roasted malt notes accompanied by a lot of mocha, aniseed, hops, jam tarts and alcohol. Marmite in the finish which I don’t really like. A strong beer, it may pour like used motor oil and taste heavier... but honestly: The india pale ale from Stone is a thousand times better compared to this! Thanks a lot nearbeer!
ryanknock (150), San Francisco, California, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 3/5 | 18/20 |
Jan 19, 2009 A huge, thick, robust stout. Intense burnt, dark fruits, cacao, vanilla, toffee, chocolate and toffee. The flavors don’t have anywhere to hide, this is a really warm ale that hits you in the face with flavor and doesn’t let up.
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