 Old_Mr_Crow (976), Seattle, Washington, USA
Apr 20, 2008
Bottle courtesy of jrob_21 -- thanks! Apparently this won a silver medal in the "American-style Imperial Stout" category in the World Beer Cup results announced today, so that seemed as good an excuse as any to crack it open.
Pours the expected opaque black with a modest brown head. Very nice roasty aroma, plenty of chocolate, fruit, a bit of coffee, just a touch boozy. The flavor comes close but doesn’t quite match up. Nice dark-roast coffee tones, plenty of sweetness to balance (without the big molasses blast of e.g. The Abyss; I confess I miss that somewhat.) Strong hop bite, keeps the long end of the finish very dry - almost metallic - after a somewhat sour twist on the short side.
Unfortunately, the mouthfeel is something of a letdown. It’s thin, and leaves me wanting something with more substance. This one is a perfectly enjoyable beer, but against some of the giants in this style category, it really can’t hold up. And I must say I can’t figure how it pulled that gold medal.
General_Gao (2357), Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Jul 12, 2008 12oz bottle from iowaherkeye. Thanks Joey. Best if enjoyed by 6/12/07. Attractive aroma of milk chocolate, citrusy hops, tar, and raisin. Poured an opaque black color. The head was tan with an orange-ish tint. Medium to full bodied and roasty up front with a hint of bitterness at the end. I tasted burnt stick, baker’s chocolate, and some light citrusy hops. Pretty tasty stuff.
SuzyGreenberg (799), Seattle, Washington, USA
Jul 10, 2008 2008 vintage - thanks to hank1980 for this huge swing-top; bottle 2914 of 3000; pours clear, dark cola with thin tan head; very roasty with some chocolate and coffee; more sweet than bitter; thin body, but drinks rich and smooth; very drinkable and sweet; mildly hoppy, fruity and dry finish; gets better and better; very nice
Bockyhorsey (1914), Mesa, Arizona, USA
Jun 28, 2008 12oz bottle coutesy of CaptainCougar. Sweet molasas and tobacco, coffee aroma. Black body with dark tan head and some lacing. Moderate sweet carbination along with candy toffee, some coco hard to expaain. Smooth on the palate for an Impy stout with a sweet aftertaste lingering. Good brew.
hellbilly (768), scottsdale über alles, Arizona, USA
Jun 21, 2008 sampled with the phoenix crew. 2008 flip top bottle 510/3000 supplied by sparky27... near black with a thin tan head and lots of spotty lacing. big whiff of citrus, stingy tangy hops... followed by chocolate, coffee, molasses, fruitiness and black raisins. light savory quality on the palate along with some fruity sweetness (but not sweet?). the flavor is heavy on the molasses and bitter dark chocolate until it warms a bit. then vanilla, coffee and ashy/astringency come out. rather tart finish with coffee and some light smokiness in the aftertaste. meh body but a creamy smooth mouth feel...
AgentSteve (606), Livermore, California, USA
Jun 19, 2008 Updated: Jun 20, 2008Bottle courtesy of ucusty, pours deep brown with finger thick, dark tan head. The nose is strongly fruity, chocolate, some pineapple, and roasted malt. The flavor is a bit less complex or full, but decent none the less with chocolate, coffee and a fairly strong influence of pineapple. Creamy mouthfeel as well.
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