Dryer than most sweeter stylistic competitors, robust mocha dessert beer balances dark-roasted chocolate malting, dried cocoa powdering and bitter coffee grinding. Tertiary vanilla, espresso, roasted tobacco and licorice root illusions float beneath.
Tag Archives: imperial stout
WIDMER BROTHERS RASPBERRY RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT (2012)
Murky raspberry puree tartness never fully integrates with hop-charred black coffee nuttiness and dark-roasted chocolate malting. Chalky cocoa backdrop adds to rich mocha prominence, but raspberry flavoring seems a bit artificial.
EVIL TWIN IMPERIAL BISCOTTI BREAK
“Arrogant and flamboyant” Imperial Stout pours like motor oil and definitely mimics a delicious pine nutty almond biscotti dipped in black coffee. Creamy fudged chocolate brownie frontage sweetens mid-palate, picking up cocoa nibs, carob, French vanilla, hazelnut latte, amaretto and anise illusions. Sneaky oak-charred chipotle pepper burn seeps into bourbon-lacquered java finish. A superior 2013 discovery.
FEGLEY’S BOURBON BARREL INSIDIOUS IMPERIAL STOUT
Adding greater complexity and further character to an already captivating Imperial Stout, oak-charred bourbon barreled version ((% alcohol) nonetheless retains a subtler groove. Soothing bourbon vanilla influence complements dark-roasted chocolate malting and gooey fudge richness. Baker’s chocolate, chocolate liqueur, spicy Belgian chocolate, chocolate truffle and milky coconut reinforce heavenly mocha theme. Bruised black cherry and raspberry nuances sweeten its soft-toned mocha serendipity.
FOOLPROOF REVERY RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Smooth and mildly creamed cocoa-headed mahogany body may lack richness of bolder competition, but not by much. Typical Imperial Stout template unfolds as oats-flaked dark chocolate malting and descending coffee bean bittering welcome softer stylistic sentiment. Mild anise influence dries out to ancillary Blackstrap molasses and Baker’s chocolate riffs. On tap at Doherty’s, smoked chocolate overtones pick up creme brulee, espresso and anise illusions as well as ephemeral black cherry wisps.
FLYING DOG GREEN TEA IMPERIAL STOUT
Persuasive full-bodied limited edition (winter ’13) herbal stout layers smoky dark-roasted chocolate malts above dry-spiced green tea notions. In the midst, ashen hop-charred bittering contrasts maple-sugared pine sapping. Musty black grape, blackberry, black cherry and fig nuances drift below.
GOOSE ISLAND BIG JOHN IMPERIAL STOUT
Savory booze-draped mocha mellowing overlays soft-toned Imperial Stout. Soothing dark-roasted brown chocolate fudging brings lactic-sugared cocoa nibs, maple sap, molasses, toffee and burnt caramel to the mocha-smoked foreground above an extremely mild dry hop char. Luxurious vanilla-beaned bourbon tones spread across tertiary plum, fig and blackberry souring. Latent black licorice flourish picks up wispy chocolate cake, Baker’s chocolate, cappuccino and marshmallow undertones by the delicately creamed chocolate liqueur finish.
SIERRA NEVADA NARHWAL IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Coalhouse Pizza, ‘decadent velvety smooth’ full body gains blissful oats-sugared dark and brown chocolate sweetness above molasses-sapped espresso nuttiness. Vanilla bean, Bakers chocolate, creme de cocoa and hazelnut coffee illusions flutter.
PORT SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER
Cherished Christmastime Russian Imperial Stout brings rich brown chocolate creaming to dark Belgian candi sugaring, burnt caramel malting and oats-flaked dried cocoa. Creme brulee surge picks up Madagascar bourbon vanilla silking, mild espresso milking and toasted almond buttering. Backend hop-charred acridity seeps into sweet molasses-treacled chocolate finish. Perfect for all seasons.
LEFT HAND WAKE UP DEAD IMPERIAL STOUT
Robust full body with bourbon-fueled chocolate-coffee creaming awakening Blackstrap molasses-sapped anise goo. Cherry cordial, sun-dried raisin and purple grape illusions sweeten the backend. Ashen cherrywood undertones and earthen hop-charred resin deepen mocha resonation to oats-roasted bottom.
CLIMAX TUXEDO IMPERIAL STOUT
Overly aggressive carbolic pour forms big-bubbled tan lace atop dark brown full body. Condensely embittered roasted hop char and dark roasted grain malting form coffee-burnt espresso overtones and cocoa-powdered black chocolate fudging. Wood-singed ashen nuttiness affects raw mocha molasses finish. On tap at Climax 2017, bittersweet medium-roast Columbian coffee and oats-flaked cacao nibs mildly surge past fig-spiced burgundy illusions, black currant snips and cola nuttiness.
GOOSE ISLAND BOURBON STOUT (2012)
Spectacular 2012 version with heightened 15% alcohol volume brings lustier bourbon whiskey warmth to creamier chocolate-caked vanilla, anise and molasses richness. Belgian chocolate spicing drapes cherry cordial, whiskeyed cherry and cherry coughdrop illusions as well as less aggressive raisin-prune-fig dried fruiting. Jack Daniels whiskey, cognac and sherry undertones serenade chocolate brownie finish to wood-charred honeyed oats spine.