On tap at Ambulance Brew House, creamy mocha-bound full body raids dry dark-roasted coffee salvo with brazen black chocolate, fudge brownie, cacao nibs and cocoa powder scrum. Serene vanilla bean influence mildly embitters chocolate-malted espresso coffee finish.

Busy Imperial Stout utilizes thick cookie dough yeast, dark-roasted mocha malts and deeply charred hops. Dark chocolate, sugared coffee, cocoa bean, cappuccino, fudge and spiced anise illusions crowd the frontage. Tarry tobacco chaw bittering seeps into the mix. A hint of bourbon found at chewy mocha finish.

Viable Imperial Stout coaxes smoked black chocolate, black coffee, cocoa bean, burnt caramel and toffee overtones from dark-roasted mocha malting. Chocolate-spiced finish picks up distant hop-charred Blackstrap molasses, tobacco chaw and pine tar illusions.

Velvety mocha-rich full body loads Goshen black coffee and bittersweet vanilla beans atop dry hop char. Black chocolate, chocolate brownie, espresso, dark cocoa and molasses illusions catapult pureed black cherry sashay and ascending bourbon-burgundy wining. Light anise influence provides sticky afterthought.

On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, impressive 2014 Leviathan offshoot proves worthy. Smoky dark-roasted mocha malts and unsweetened black chocolate chalking lead the way over moderate hop-charred bittering. Caramel-burnt espresso charm deepens mighty mocha mainframe. Dark-fruited black cherry, raisin and fig undertones bring up the rear next to tertiary vanilla, chocolate truffle and molasses illusions.  

On tap at Ambulance Brew House, tight bourbon-barreled stout  (with well-hidden 11% ABV) bursts forth with dark and brown chocolate richness. Serene bourbon vanilla warmth pleats creamy mocha frontage as well as oats-charred hop bittering, latent anise sugaring and dark-roasted coffee sentiment. Ancillary molasses, vanilla and coca nibs illusions increase fortitude.

On tap at Ambulance Brew House, modified Imperial Stout relies not only on expectant black chocolate creaminess, but also evenly spread anise sweetness, hop-charred wood dryness and black grape souring. A daring dark ale likely to impress some avid imbibers, though stylistically, its puzzling blend may not appeal to traditionalists.

Intriguing limited edition 2014 Imperial Stout recipe has changed little since ’05. Rich ebony-hued full body (with well-hidden 11% ABV) drapes creamy black chocolate malting and bittersweet coffee-cocoa-vanilla bean expanse atop ashen wood-toned hop char. Wavered bourbon tones penetrate the heavy mocha theme. Sticky maple molasses sapping surges over tertiary raisin, dark cherry, black currant and anise notions.

Commodious soft-watered medium body combines unusual adjuncts with stylish dark-roasted black chocolate malting and peat-smoked hop char. Brewers’ black licorice adjunct creates gentle anise spicing for Blackstrap molasses, and to a lesser extent, Belgian dark rock candy sugaring, affecting caramel-burnt dark bourbon, creme brulee, milked espresso and soy milk undertones. Burnt wood chaff, black tar residue and charred nut bittering contrast creamy mocha essence.

Swiss-styled Imperial Stout (with French-wined cuvee overtones) succeeds as its soured lactic mocha essence brings forth a somewhat unique flavor profile. “A crunch of bitter chocolate or a cigar” reads the label. Leathery oaken sourness infiltrates brown chocolate spicing, mild smoked mocha malting, tepid cocoa-dried bittering and wispy vanilla creaming. Earthen black tea peppers vinous grape undertones and murky dark fruiting.

Skeptical limited edition Imperial Stout spreads roasted chocolate nuttiness atop hop-charred bittering. Smoked mocha malting, burnt coffee souring and raw molasses bittering influence walnut-hazelnut conflux and tepid black cherry snip.