Delightfully complex lactose stout (with frothy brown-tanned head and viscous mahogany body) loads milky brown chocolate creaminess atop nutty dried fruiting. Devil’s food-caked dark chocolate pudding entry and oats-toasted caramelized toffee impulse deepen serene mochaccino-cappuccino conflux. At midst, hazelnut, almond, cashew and honey nut illusions emboss ashen Blackstrap molasses bittering to contrast maple-sugared vanilla sweetness. Tertiary black grape, black cherry and blackberry wisp amplifies burgundy-bourbon-port wining caressing big chocolate finish consuming desirable dessert beer.

Abrasively complex tan-headed obsidian-bodied dry stout too assertively bitter to be lumped in with sweeter Imperial style. Harshly pine-charred, hot-tarred, nut-seared Blackstrap molasses theme and dark roasted hop bittering override crowded black cherry puree, raspberry, red grape, dried prune, and blueberry undertones. Dark ale lovers may be put off by its ashy charcoal harshness so move cautiously with trepidation.

‘Pernicious’ adjunct stout drapes viscous dark chocolate entry with oak-aged anise thickness, retaining a pronounced black licorice finish that seeps into the tongue. Oats-charred black currant acridity, pungent vanilla-coffee bean insistence, and smoked chocolate continuance register alongside dark-roasted hop bittering.

Reliable ‘2011 Classic Release’ (in embossed blue bottle) maintains balanced blend of ashen maple-sapped Blackstrap molasses intensity, efficient vanilla-cocoa bean glaze, lactic smoked chocolate expectancy, and latent hop-charred coffee roasting. Sticky anise and black currant bittering drifts through mocha-bound finish.

Curiously, defecated weasel excrement picks up enzymes in the digestive system (from eaten coffee berries) to create very interesting and worthwhile crap! Terrific black velvet Imperial Oatmeal Stout (with ruby highlights) retains strong black coffee theme and creamy espresso supplement for extremely peculiar brunch digestif. Strong coffee frontage well integrated to chocolate-caked crème brulee sweetness, viscous Blackstrap molasses malting and rich burgundy-port wining for rigidly robust rapscallion. Heavily roasted oats embed massive hop char from top to bottom, heightening heavenly coffee insistence as well as subsidiary berry contingent and black cherry niche.

Pour slowly thick ebony-hued full body or risk carbolic implosion. Heavy coffee-roasted espresso mouthfeel enriches hop-charred wood burn, tobacco chaw tarring and resinous pine acridity, reinforcing Blackstrap molasses bittering over black cherry, blackberry, and raspberry flirtations – but stylistic chocolate sweetness lacks. Black currant and juniper berry sharpness increases smoky ashen pine pungency. Serve to bolder dry stout enthusiasts.

Decent stylistic selection lacks full-on mocha thrust. Pleasing coffee-burnt dark chocolate entry contrasts oaken hop-charred bittering and nutty reminder. Black cherry, prune, anise, and cocoa nibs deepen chicory-espresso midst, but an ersatz plasticity undermines tranquil bourbon wake. Tertiary soy, fennel, and celery illusions randomly drift by. On second passing, lactic acidity relegates French oak chip aging to dramatic bourbon-burgundy afterburner. Palm kernel-oiled cocoa buttering, chocolate-covered malt ball (a.k.a. Whopper) scamper, and black licorice gumming swirl across vanilla, raisin, hazelnut and macadamia frivolity.

On tap, impressive full-bodied Imperial Stout (renamed Kujo circa 2011) bestirs superb fresh ground coffee roast with chewy brown chocolate creaminess atop toasted nut coarsening. Oats-sugared crème brulee, Kahlua, and Bailey’s Irish Cream illusions candy-coat vanilla, molasses, hazelnut, fudge and anise subsidy contrasting espresso-walnut bittering. The perfect winter aperitif, combining the bitter with the sweet in gloriously dramatic fashion.

Illustrious bourbon-barreled cedar-smoked hickory-charred full body with well-hidden 11% alcohol whir maintains creamy black chocolate froth above thick coffee bean bittering. Anise, espresso, and vanilla underscore caramel-burnt molasses-honeyed Belgian chocolate spicing. Sweet Scotch warmth mellows rich earthen peat malting. Black cherry, raisin, and fig make casual cameos. Dramatic wintry noir setting befits elegant slow sipper as recessive maple-sapped cappuccino, cognac, burgundy and port illusions scoot by voluptuous finish.

Engaging Russian Imperial Stout (now sold under Cease & Desist name) matches punctual dried fruiting and subtle bourbon-burgundy tranquility to creamy chocolate-vanilla malting. Viscous anise goo deepens soy-sauced mocha resolve and mild hop-charred oatmeal graining. Date nut-breaded plum-raisin surge, earthen tobacco parch and latent hazelnut espresso bittering fill out busy full-bodied Dutch scallywag.

Interestingly complex full-bodied ink black stout pleats deep-roasted espresso into oats-sugared chocolate-caked dried-fruiting and resin-hopped charcoal-smoked cedar stain. Mighty ethanol-like 11.7% alcohol fuming saturates vanilla-creamed chocolate-covered cherry sweetness, gooey anise upheaval, and recessive raisin-fig conflux. Muscat grape, molasses cookie, and black coffee illusions fill out dry backend of richly overpowering heavyweight.

Resoundingly bittersweet raisin-pureed cherry jubilee entry receives sharp hop-charred nuttiness buttressing everlasting coffee finish. Maple-sapped oats roast and nutty hazelnut-macadamia rampage positively reinforce chewy chocolate fudge nudge and tertiary Swiss chocolate, dark-roasted cappuccino, black licorice, and soured raspberry nuances. On tap at  Julian’s, delightful 2011 version (aged 5 years) picked up syrupy dark chocolate richness, creamy coffee serenade, black currant spicing, oak-smoked cocoa bittering and black cherry nip above brown-sugared oats base.