t Smisje Catherine The Great Imperial Stout

Damn, I wished they hadn’t changed the label. In any event, one of the better belgian stouts I’ve had. Belgian yeast and spice on the nose with some roasted malts in the flavor. The flavor pretty much follows suit. Massive head.

Murky brown color with a large head. Aroma of Belgian yeast and light spice. Nutty and burnt caramel taste. Hazelnut, toasted malt. The nutty taste definitely comes out more towards the bottom of the barrel. Not even close to what I’d consider an Imperial Stout, but a delicious beer.

This is a lot like a strong ale and a belgian style stout got into a car accident. Large foamy and somewhat fizzy head, on top of a murky black with brown highlights. The flavors never seem to come together here, its like they are fighting with each other instead of merging together. The water is very present here, lots of mineral qualities. Some light chocolate and caramel, laid out with some dried fruits. The mouthfeel is rigid at best, with lots of astrigency, not enjoyable to drink in the slightest.

Fiftieth review of this beer: Bottle from jrob 21 - thanks, Jonathan! Aroma a thick minerally yeast with some candis and brown sugar. Huge, huge, huge head, rocky and tanned on a dark muddy brown body. Sweet roasted flavor with (what by now I am fairly confident in identifying as) Regenboog yeast. Fruit flavors are mashed together and cloy somewhat. Chalky mouthfeel on a medium body with sharp alcohol and initial crispness. Some chocolate. Otherwise, crystalline stalagmites. Really not like any other Impy Stout made in the world, I think, and though I love the floral, minerally house character of this brewery, it doesn’t work at all in this context.

Bottle. Hazy dark amber colour with large creamy off-white mostly lasting head. Aroma is roasted malt. Sweet roasted flavor.

Belgian yeast aromas make sense as far as where this puppy is from. Pours a cloudy amber color which doesn’t really make sense as far as the style goes. The flavor is slightly fruity and lacking most of the roasted malt character I am used to. The finish is slightly grainy and chalky. This one goes in the belgian ale category for me and not an incredibly exceptional one at that.

Bottle. Pours a thin-looking dark brown color with an uneven light tan head. Aroma is an odd mix of fruitiness, nutty roast, unburnt charcoal, and a slight fruity funk that seems typical of de Regenboog’s beers, now that I’ve had three of them. The taste displays a weird phenolic lactose sourness, with roast, chestnuts, and Belgian yeast following. The finish is mostly astringent. This breweries’ idiosyncracies are admirable elsewhere, but don’t seem to work with this brew.

Hmmmm....this is a strange one. Pours a clear, highly translucent, dark crimson red color. This is possibly the lightest colored imperial stout I’ve ever seen. The head redeems things a bit as its full, foamy, well retained stature leaves thick ribbons of khaki lacing behind. The nose is sweet and fruity up front, with figs, plums, and raisons coming through. Banana and clove are surprising additions. Roasty coffee follows, as does cream and a touch of bitter chocolate. Flavors are again very sweet and fruity, with figs really starting to dominate. The roastiness and creaminess come through on the back end, along with some distinctly Belgian yeast and some bitter, floral hops. There’s even a good amount of smokiness. The mouthfeel is medium-full and creamy, finishing on the dry side and slightly astringent. This certainly doesn’t fit the traditional mold of an imperial stout, but it is fairly enjoyable nonetheless if, for nothing else, its uniqueness.