Fayston Maple Imperial Stout - Rum Barrel-Aged
Lawson's Finest Liquids

Fayston Maple Imperial Stout - Rum Barrel-AgedFayston Maple Imperial Stout - Rum Barrel-Aged
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From:
Lawson's Finest Liquids
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #466
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
96
Ranked #1,099
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 6.47%
Reviews:
42
Ratings:
223
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 25, 2024
Added:
Apr 01, 2014
Wants:
  91
Gots:
  36
Brewed with loads of roasted and black malts with a hefty dose of Vermont Maple Syrup, then aged in Mad River Distillers "Maple Cask Rum" charred oak barrels from Warren, VT.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by oline73:
Photo of oline73
Rated by oline73 from Maryland

4/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

May 28, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.47 by allenson21 from New York

Feb 25, 2024
 
Rated: 4.41 by Murphyjr from Massachusetts

Dec 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.1 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Aug 28, 2023
 
Rated: 4.21 by tdm168 from Pennsylvania

Jul 21, 2023
 
Rated: 4.16 by CraftFan5 from New Jersey

Jun 02, 2023
Photo of ovaltine
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana

4.59/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours 3 am black with zero leakage anywhere and the most beautiful creamy tan head you’ve ever seen that caps the beer and coats the glass. Just an incredibly gorgeous impy stout.

The nose features loads of roasty char maple syrup as you pop the bottle open, with some cocoa and a nice rum note as well. There’s a lot going on here, but the balance is on point.

The rum barrel flavor creeps forward on the taste, flowing into the maple syrup and cocoa flavors, but man oh man is that roasty char flavor making this beer for me, adding a balance and character to what could be a “too sweet impy stout” that is instead a top tier world class beer, IMHO.

My only nit to pick with the beer is the mouthfeel, which could stand for just a bit more heft to support the gravity of this world class imperial stout. Maybe the best beer I’ve had this year.
May 30, 2023
Photo of ryan1788a5
Reviewed by ryan1788a5 from Massachusetts

4.66/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
500ml bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Black pour with two and a half fingers of light brown head. Good retention and thin, webby lacing stickage.

S: Immediate whiffs of rum. It's not hot at all, and ride with sugar cane, vanilla, and a big pop of toasted marshmallow and creme brulee. Big layer of malt fudginess just beneath. Chocolate sauce, brownie batter, heavy roast. Rum raisin cake with burnt caramel.

T: In taste, a thick blanket or roasted malt and fudge opens things. Fudge sauce and double chocolate cake. Mocha. Softly sooty. Char and a kiss of smoke. Sugary sweetness on the mid palate. A mash-up of maple syrup and cane sugar. Rummy. Creme brulee. Golden raisin. Vanilla, marshmallow, and subtle oak. Bread pudding. Finish is all rum, subtle vanilla oakiness, and the faintest hints of trailing char and smoke.

M: Full and thick in body. Velvety smooth. It's almost chewy, but so well fermented that it stays only a couple notches past off dry and is without the amount of residual sugar needed to go coating or sludgey. It's more lithe and airy in the mouth, and feels like a fine melted chocolate. Zero alcohol heat.

O: This is some mighty fine drinking. Easily a top 25 barrel aged imperial stout for me personally, and I've had the privilege of tasting many a whale. Everything about it is superb, but the balance and mouthfeel, along with the uniqueness that that maple/rum/barrel/roast combo brings is hard to match. It's so well fermented that the perceived sweetness actually seems only moderate and it stays supremely drinkable. Don't die before you've had the pleasure of drinking this beer. You'd definitely regret it.
May 22, 2023
Photo of Bierman9
Reviewed by Bierman9 from New Hampshire

4.49/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
My "Bro", Artie, snagged this for me for my last BDay.... yard work is done, time to hit The 'Zebo and check her out... No bottling/best by info found...

Pours an opaque, oily black into my sniftah... has a thin layer of fine, creamy mocha foam, with most hanging at the rim. Lacing left behind is solid. Has a lovely nose, with a mix of cocoa, maple, dark choco, rum and roasted malts. Body borders being full, with a chewy aspect and plenty of smoothness.

Flavor is chock full of malts, with more dark choco, maple and cocoa. Has subtle, bitter charred notes, plus a smidge of rum lurking in the background. Has some light, earthy hopping in the semisweet finish. Is a touch boozy but not hot at all. A superb offering from Lawson's.... Thnx, Bro!!! I owe you!! Prosit!!

4.49/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2407
May 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4.14 by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

May 06, 2023
Photo of jzeilinger
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

4.39/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottle Date: ???????

A - Dark brown pour with soapy toffee colored lacing.

S - Butter Rum, maple, and toasted cocoa with a small amount of delicate char.

T - Toasted cocoa, Rum, oak, light char, maple, and ends on tad on the sweeter side with light chocolate cocoa bitterness and subtle Rum.

M - Big body that's silky smooth and slight warming in the back of the throat.

O - This has to be one of the best blends I've ever encountered with no one flavor overpowering the other.
May 06, 2023
Photo of 57md
Reviewed by 57md from Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a deep dark brown color with easily over a finger of tan head. The nose has notes of both roasted malt and sweet molasses. The flavor starts with sweet maple, then the boozy run notes kick in. The finish has a potent roasty bitterness.
Apr 22, 2023
Photo of dafla67
Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours deep, dark brown. Aroma dominated by maple, roasty malts and hint of rum. Taste follows nose closely with sweet maple, roasted malts, slight chocolate hints and ends with the rum.
Appropriate medium mouthfeel.

Overall, a great stout.
Apr 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Feb 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.4 by Jsalz21 from New Jersey

Feb 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.98 by smutty33 from Connecticut

Feb 17, 2023
 
Rated: 4.38 by SebastianOwl from Massachusetts

Feb 04, 2023
Photo of bobv
Reviewed by bobv from Vermont

4.43/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
1 Pint, .9 fl. oz. bottle.

Moderate pour into a 12 ounce snifter yields a one inch plus tan head over a black body with sticky lacing.

Nose of dark roasted malts, maple, and a bit of rum.

Taste follows nose closely with maple (and its requisite sweetness) coming forward.
Finish is rum booziness and a bit of chocolate as it warms.
Alcohol is not hidden by any means.

Very nice creamy mouthfeel with adequate carbonation.

Overall, a delicious dessert beer and one worthy of your consideration.
Try to find this one!!
Cheers!!!
Jan 23, 2023
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

4.31/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
It's hard to believe it's been over 3 years since I tried the base beer. I recall really enjoying it but I don't think I've seen it since. Naturally when I saw a rum barrel aged version, I just had to jump on it. Let's pop this bad boy open and see what it's got to offer

Pours a very dark brown with 2 fingers of creamy dark tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing. I also really like the presentation of the bottle with its matte finish, cool stuff

It's not incredibly maple-forward in the nose, quite boozy actually. I'm picking up on aromas of dark chocolate, charred oak, molasses, sweet rum, maple syrup, toasted pecan, light raisin, and vanilla

Wow, the maple really is rather subdued here, but it strikes an awesome balance with all the other notes that are present. On the front end of the sip I'm tasting dark chocolate, black cherry, sweet rum, toasted oak, maple syrup, coconut, molasses, brown sugar, raisin, and light coffee. The swallow brings notes of medium roast coffee, sweet maple, vanilla, brown sugar, cocoa powder, sweet rum, charred oak, toasted pecan, and molasses

A full body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick and boozy beer. Finishes dry with a boozy heat that actually accentuates the rather light maple

This is solid stuff. Definitely different, the rum barrel working with the maple can hold the maple back a bit, but it leads to some interesting new flavors
Jan 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4.26 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Jan 10, 2023
Fayston Maple Imperial Stout - Rum Barrel-Aged from Lawson's Finest Liquids
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 223 ratings