t Smisje Catherine The Great Imperial Stout

Bottle. Well, first off, this ain’t no imperial stout. A shame that’s what it has been named. A formidable beer in its own right. Aroma quite nice, some roasted notes but predominantly a mixture of light fruits (notable apple), dark fruits (notably plums), and as it warms a bit some spices in the area of liquorice. Flavor not overpowering, more sprightly and fruity with nutty and roasted notes appearing toward the finish, and increasingly so as the beer warms. Average carbonation, medium body. Again, this did not resemble an imperial stout, nor did it resemble any variety of stout, Belgian or otherwise. Really it was more of a Belgian strong/quad with a bit of roasted character. And a very tasty one at that.

11.2oz bottle. Poured an odd shade of murky brown with a well-retained creamy cap of tan head.. didn’t look like a stout. This didn’t smell like a stout either.. Brett-like and similar funk hit first with Turbinado sugar, toasted dark fruits, and a bit of dry-roasted chocolate in the background.. struck me as a strong, dark Belgian Ale with a tad more roast than typical. The flavor had dark fruit at the core with dry chocolate providing more feel than flavor at the edges.. rye and black peppery spices joined in about halfway through, with rum-infused star anise peaking right at the back and through the warm finish.. odd, but it grew on me. Medium-bodied with active, fluffy carbonation on the palate.. dry and scratchy feel at the edges with earthy spices and bitterness.. a bit brighter at the end with more spice. This was definitely different and rather well done.

33cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex Stout, but not balanced, heavy, cloudy, rocky head, nice brew

Bottle. Rich mahogony beer with a huge dark cream colored head. Rich sweet malt, caramel aroma with yeast and earth. Caramel/toffee flavor with earth and light spice. Medium bodied. Caramel lingers with earth, spice, and light cocoa.

Pours a hazy brown color with a frothy off-white head. Has an aroma of smoke, coffee, and some black licorice. Tastes much the same with hints of licorice and bitterness at the finish. A bit watery for an Imperial Stout.

Hazy dark amber, carbonation, big thick head. Roasted malts, caramel, yeasty, dried fruits, hop finish. Very complex, and I agree with Caesar on what to call it. I was very surprised to see what it looked like when I poured it, as was I when I tasted it.

Bottled, bought in Belgium. Hazy dark brown color, medium frothy brown head. Aroma of roasted malt, rye, some licorice, hint of coffee. Taste of some dried fruit, coffee and caramel, some rye, bit too yeasty. I would call it a belgian imperial stout, and it seems to be quite difficult to combine these styles. More a sweet stout maybe.

Pours mahogany into a snifter. Off-white head recedes to skim surface. Mild chocolate aromas. Chalky chocolate and dried fruits.