Weyerbacher Old Heathen

Bottle. Dark, muddy with medium tan head, retention is lower than average, smoky, expresso aroma and flavor with chocolate notes and sweet finish. Their Heresy was better.

Bottle. Honestly, I don’t see what’s so imperial about this stout. I mean, it’s roasty as hell, and obviously has more than it’s fair share of coffee added, but it lacks the complexity of most imperial stouts out there. The aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, whatever are pretty much coffee and chocolate roasted malts (although the flavor added a touch of vinyl ... bleh). Not much in the way of hoppiness or alcohol. I’m not saying that it’s not good, because I enjoyed it, I just think it’s not what they say it is.

Black, hoppy enough, somewhat sticky. Not as impressive as Storm King from Victory but not bad. Rich, smooth and balanced. Recommended.

Bottle via Secret Santa. Pours opaque with a small frothy tan head and lined lacing. Dark chocolate roasted caramel and chocolate malt with raisins and plum, hint of oak and port, cocoa and molasses, with a yeast nose. Yeast (leather, sweat) silky dark chocolate dark roasted malt, slightly bitter and acidic, with chocolate fruity notes. Silky and full bodied palate, dark.

This has all the essentials for a stout, but soul. OK, soul is not essential, but this stout is skating by on reputation. It would be a good introductory stout for those with timid palates, but it doesn’t even measure up to your standard issue Guiness, much less the transcendent microbrews. Weyerbacher has excelled beyond expectation with some of their beers, but this one is grade B.

pitch black w/ brown head. caramel aroma w/ note of chocolate. the alcohol is apparent, toasty flavor. creamy and full bodied.

Pours black with a dark, almost purple head. Looks like something pretty mean. Tastes kind of like teriyaki and coffee, might sound a little strange, but it works quite well. Nice and mellow, semi-sweet, but a little lacking in weight. Kind of watery, not to the point of Guinness, but a little thicker and this would have been stellar.

Young bottle. Near black with rocky mocha head. Fudgy, estery nose backed by cookie dough, walnut, vanilla, cigar ash, cranberry juice, and figgy/banana/fabric softener notes. Roasty flavor with espresso brownies, grapefruit, and acetone. Mouthfeel leans toward thin and winey. Sour/vegetal/metallic aftertaste reminds me of rice wine vinegar and overcooked broccoli... merely unpleasant at first, but soon becomes disgusting, like I threw up in my mouth. Drain pour. Major QC issues.