Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout

Brewed by Two Brothers Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Warrenville, Illinois USA

12 oz bottle. Very dark black beer with a creamy tan head. Aroma is fairly subtle. Heavy roasted malts present themselves in a fairly savoury/leathery base. Dark chocolate, licorice and a bit of cocoa. Lingering roastiness, light vanilla and milk chocolate. It’s not really bad, per se... but it’s not all that good either.

22 oz. bottle courtesy of Bockyhorsey - Bottle opened with a big hiss. We know what that means. A big ass head. Maybe infection? Hope not. About 3 fingers worth and I only poured a few ounces of the beer. Pours a dark brown color with a big light tan head. Head left some nice layered lacing as it settled. Has a dusty roasted malt aroma. Flavor is roasted malt and some light chocolate. Slight roasted malt aftertaste. Light to medium body. A decent beer, but not one of the better IS’s. Thanks Wendy and Bill.

22 oz bomber, lot # 3345. Pours a dark deep black with a thin tan head. The aroma is excellent with chocolate and roasted malts. The taste is pretty mild for what I expect from a Imperial Stout. It is a well balanced beer, and quite tasty. Maybe expectations would not be so high with the Imperial name in the title, but still a solid Stout.

Pours a thick black color with a soapy tan head. Aroma of roasted malts, hops, dark fruit. Flavor improves as the beer warms. Roasted malts, chocolate, fruit, and a bit of coffee, Decent lacing. A good beer at a very inexpensive price.

Thanks to Tomdecapolis for the bottle... Appears a black with a small tan head and scattered lacing left around the glass. Smell is of caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and a touch of coffee. The taste is of the same aromas. Mouthfeel is sweet, slightly thin, with some hops resonating. Rich flavors seem to hang on to the palate a bit too long. Not a bad brew though.

A dark tan head fades away in an instant. Body is opaque black with dark brown hues, creamy and thick in appearance. Thin, shiny lacing with microscopic bubbles is left behind, moreso as the libation warms. Aroma is most heavily centered around coffee, then chocolate. Also noted are roasted malts, stale yeast, smoke, caramel and subtle hop bitterness. The nose isn’t very forceful, but the coffee is noticeable at a distance. Light marshmallow rounds out the aroma, all of which seems like a hefty dry stout, absent are the dark fruits I typically associate with the style. Flavor is however very fruity at first, followed by light bitterness and subtle baking chocolate and coffee. Yeast is very noticeable. A light and smooth taste, with roasted grains in reserve. Alcohol is not a factor in the taste, warming in the finish is mild as well. Finishes sweet and with coffee, chocolate and touches of smoke in the corners of the mouth. Palate is light-medium to medium, with light but spritzy carbonation. Overall, very drinkable; by no means imperial. In a way, this feels like a good recipe that was undertaken with a tight budget; instead of skimping on the quality of ingredients, simply less were employed. Good beer, good balance.

Sampled at a cellar temperature, from a 22 oz. brown bomber bottle with a short blurb and info about the Russian Imperial Stout and a lot number number on the front label, LOT36. Made a decent appearance, poured in a snifter an opaque dark chocolate brown with a fizzy tan head that quickly settled into a fine lacing, moderate carbonation. Had a burnt chocolate malty nose with a little sweet vanilla. A smooth, creamy full-ish medium bodied mouth feel, above average drinkability. Mellow burnt sweet chocolate malty, a subtle raisin flavor, a biting hop presence towards the end and a sweet lightly roasted malty finish. A decent Russian Imperial Stout from Two Brothers, my bottle list the ABV at 8.5%, well worth seeking out and trying.

Draught at the new Tap Room. Opaque black with a big brown head. Aroma was malty, toast, not overpowering. Good, chocolatey roast malt and complimentary sweetness. A little carb tingle on the tongue. Definitely a balanced drinkable Imperial Stout but no world beater.