Vac (2389), San Diego, California, USA May 22, 2008 Pours with a black body topped by a thin to medium thick, light brown head with some lacing. It’s slightly sour up front with a touch of sweet malt, a little roast and a light underlying coffee notes. Light bodied for an imperial stout, smootha nd a touch dry. Soonah (900), Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA May 8, 2008 Poured a very dark brown with a ridiculous, foaming tan head. Lots of carbonation here. The aroma is chocolate initially, giving way to roasted, almost burnt malt. Some coffee as well. The flavor was thin chocolate, burnt malt and coffee and some light citrusy, fruity notes as well. Overly carbonated mouthfeel. Thin to medium body. Too many better things out there for me to buy this again. satan165 (542), River Grove, Illinois, USA May 2, 2008 Updated: Nov 19, 2008notes are typical for style including chocolate and purely the roast of the malt...however the chocolate is so articulated that it reminds me very very much of chocolate milk. not nesquik or crap like that but some kind of real delicious chocolate milk. mouthfeel is purely silky as it should be. two brothers seems to have trouble conquering certain styles. in those instances they fall just barely short of being stellar and only being great....this is closer to stellar. i actually bought this on accident trying to grab another philosophers stone, but this is a very plesant surprise.
update for 2008 batch, at tapping party at brewpub: astringent fusel flavors dominate the nose even at only 9%, some cocoa but still a bit heavy on the booze. this went from average last year to slightly below HonkeyBra (1279), Lemont, Illinois, USA May 1, 2008 Pours jet black with a minimal tan head. Smell is sweet, with coffee, chocolate and malt. Taste is roasted malt, light coffee, a bit of chocolate, some dark fruit with an odd sour aftertaste. It is not very complex. The body is light for an Imperial stout and the carbonation is kind of high for the style. It’s pretty easy to drink, but not what I was expecting from an imperial. kenb (1100), Oregon, USA May 1, 2008 22 oz bottle via xnohatex (thanks!). Aroma is lots of malted grains and toffee. Taste starts with caramel, then lightly roasted grains, light coffee, chocolate, figs. Body is light/medium. Carbonation is moderate. THis is an easy drinking Stout.tweener... guyinchicago (516), marengo, Illinois, USA Apr 13, 2008 black small brown head, thick clings to glass. taste like soy sauce,olives burnt toast and bitter coffee,very malty with bittering hops biz82 (1328), austin, Texas, USA Apr 5, 2008 Black with not much head. Looks a bit still. Burnt tart oily aroma with heavy fruit. Very sweet and quite tart. Little hop flavor or bitterness. Has some old coffee and burnt grain flavor. Good body but not enough CO2. Overall lacking in flavors and too sour. StFun (535), Indiana, USA Mar 12, 2008 Updated: Jan 8, 2009Pours a thick black (with an amber hue), with a thick head, and thick lacing (notice a trend?). All this thickness and its watery and thin on the palate. Alcohol is strong, but not overpowering. Brew itself is thin but chewey, not as roasty as it should be. Licorice comes through in the aroma, and stronger in the flavor. Also hints of chocolate and malt. Some notes of coffee, but mostly on the back end. Some complexity is going on in the background. Pretty much what I think a "Stout" should be, but not an Impy.
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