t Smisje Great Reserva

Brewed by Brouwerij Smisje
Style: Imperial Stout
Mater, Belgium

Serve in Snifter

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March 2012. From bottle. As with the Grande Reserva, the barrel aging and oak flavors are too dominant, but blend a bit better in this version. Still, you end up with this sticky, sappy mouthfeel.

UPDATED: APR 3, 2013 I like hte appearance like a carbonated brown. But most would find this unappealing. SMell is oak, cognac, and acetone. The mouthfeel is extremely carbonated, so much that it almost chokes you to drink it. The mouthfeel makes it harsh and boozy. The flavor is cognac-dominated with some metal coin, spicy yeast, light smoke, and caramel sweetness. It is a sweet brew. Let some oxygen get in this one for awhile and it gets much better.

Bottle @ Triple Rock Sour Sunday, Triple Rock, Berkeley, CA. Pours a hazy dark amber brown orange color with a small off-white head. Has a fruity malty spicy dark fruit woody aroma. Fruity malty spicy woody dark fruit and caramel flavor with hints of cognac. Has a fruity malty spicy woody dark fruit finish.

Thank you Tim @ 1st Official Ledebronckx Barrel Aged Academie Grand Elite Tasting. Pours cloudy brown with orange highlights. Small tan head. Smells of rich dark fruit, alcohol ethers, mulled fruit. The taste is prunes, caramel, some booze and a tangy dry finish. Medium body with active carbonation...a bit fizzy. Overall though quite tasty.

Color is a dark amber.Smell is very off putting. Taste is of dark fruit with a slight malt taste and hint of a slight woody essence . Its to carbonated for me. Overall the beer is okay but a let down.

Aroma is not good, like a sour, rotting orange -- perhaps with some ketchup. Reddish orange appearance, not much head, major particles. Bitter, a bit carbonated mouthfeel. Tastes peppery, spicy, and not too much else... you start to get some malt after a few swigs. Nothing to write home about.

UPDATED: JAN 4, 2013 23/XII/12 - 33cl bottle @ 1st Official Ledebronckx Barrel Aged Academie Grand Elite Tasting (OLBAAGET) - BB: n/a (2012-1394) Thanks to Johan for the bottle!!

Little cloudy rusty red brown beer, small off-white head, unstable, non adhesive. Aroma: raisins, orange peel, caramel, sugary, dried fruits, port, red wine. MF: lots of carbon, medium to full body. Taste: bitter start, oranges marmalade, raisins, chocolate, sour touch, alcohol. Aftertaste: bitter, orange peel, alcohol, spicy, bit peppery, raisins, some tannins, dry bitter ending.

12 oz. bottle. It pours a very dark orange/brown color with a disappearing orangy head. The aroma is very nutty with some wood, apple, raisins, cocoa and toast. Rich and malty. Not much alcohol. The flavor is very sweet and a bit spicy with more intense fruit cake, soot, wood and alcohol heat in the finish. A bit spicy. Overall, I liked this a lot. Not really what I would call an imperial stout, but the layered fruitiness and nice barrel notes were enjoyable. Glad I picked one up.

Bottle poured a clear reddish brown with a lingering ring of tan foam. Aromas of cognac, plum, raisin, carmel, toffee, coconut and light oak. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of carmel, toffee, plum, cognac and light oak with a smooth lingering cognac finish.

Not quite what I was expecting when I saw imperial stout on the label. Very fruity and sweet with heavy cognac notes throughout. Kinda sour, very tart, very sweet, and a medium body. Very much a sipper.