Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Munster, Indiana USA

2008 vintage: I had one of these earlier but didn’t get around to rating it. I figured I would relax with another one for rating #100. Pours like the used motor oil I just poured from my car. Aroma is roasted malt, some sweetness of caramel and vanilla. Flavor is coffee, vanilla and a nice sweet finish that isn’t bitter or too sweet. This beer is one of my favorites along with speedway and black albert. I guess I’ll be sitting on the rest of em’ and see how they hold up with a year or three.

Bottled: Traveled a long way for this legendary beer! Pours a black oil color with a syrup texture. Hits the nose with roasted chocolate and coffee. The flavor blasts into your mouth and palate with a huge blast of vanilla and other delicious flavors that stay after the beer is finished. The overall impression of this beer is one that will last forever. Wasnt able to be at Dark Lord Day but met a new friend at Three Floyds and he hooked me up with it. Thanks Mark for this amazing beer!!!!

2008 Bottle, made its way all the way to NC on a long road trip thanks to TikiE. Pours slow and thick, almost oil. Color is solid black, with a dark brown head. good lacing with a smooth body. Flavor is at first sweet vanilla, then chocolate and a finish of roast coffee, very distinct. Smooth as hell, this is one of my favorite Impy Stouts.

2007 vintage off Ebay. Dark, roasty malts, coffe, chocolate, and a lot of yeasty sludge. Not impressed for what its supposed to be. The balance just isnt there for me.

sampled with the phoenix crew. big thanks to rustychiles for the two bottles...

2007 silver wax. pours a viscous brown shade of black with no head. this brew stains the inside of the snifter! aromas of chocolate, dark fruit/prunes/black raisins, vanilla, scorch, heavily roasted grains and molasses... smells an awful lot like a baltic porter should! very dark tasting... lots of grain, ash, licorice, tar, prunes and a touch of umami. just dreadfully sweet. tastes a whole lot like an imperial baltic porter?! beyond full bodied. thick, chewy and coats the tongue... (high score given because it resembles a baltic... my favorite style!)...8/4/6/2/13/3.3

2008 black wax. viscous blackish pour with some orange highlights in the thin brown head. smells kinda like sam adams triple bock only it doesn’t make me want to vomit... maple wood smoke, soy, bacon, maple syrup, chocolate and all around sludge. really sweet on the palate to the point my teeth hurt. flavors of vanilla, chocolate, salt, booze and lots of cloying residual/sugars/molasses. hot finish. heavy body with a cloying thick mouth feel... 8/4/5/2/12=3.1

orange 2005 bottle via footy sampled in 2009 at bill and wendy’s. viscous (i’m seeing a trend) burgundy black with no head. the nose has some baltic qualities... licorice, molasses and malt powder followed by chocolate, roast and a heap of floral alcohol. the palate is chokingly thick, rich and still way too sweet. ashiness is noted along with the aroma characteristics. cloying and hard to drink....7/4/5/2/12/3.0

gold 2006 sampled next to 2005 in 2009 at bill and wendy’s. pours evil with cold maple syrup consistency (even thicker than the 05). it smells and tastes like a rotting grain silo... thick and gross. 5/4/4/2/12/2.7

08 Bottle. Pours an oily midnight black color with a thin dark brown head. Aroma is vanilla, chocolate, roast, burnt sugar. Flavor is chocolate, vanillam burnt sugars, roast, molasses. Palate is ultra full bodied, almost non-existant carbonation, finished silky smooth. Wow, whatta mouthfull. Great stuff.

’08 Bomber. Simply put if you haven’t tried it, you need to. If you are looking for a great RIS this has it all, the thickest most complex best RIS you may ever taste.

Bottle and WOW. This is the boldest and thickest beer I have ever had. Wow again. Aromas of coffee, chocolate, booze, molasses, and heaven. Flavors of molasses, coffee, toasted and roasted grains, and raisins. Yes indeed this lives up to the hype. Certainly does.