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Oak-Aged Imperial Stout - Brandy Barrel-Aged
Left Hand Brewing Company
- From:
- Left Hand Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10.2%
- Score:
- 88
- Avg:
- 3.91 | pDev: 13.3%
- Reviews:
- 33
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 06, 2015
- Added:
- Apr 12, 2009
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 9
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by dqrull:
Reviewed by dqrull from Sweden
4.03/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look really beautiful with a tan head that sticks to the glass in a really appealing way, the beer itself is black with hints of red at the edges. The foam doesn't dissipate entirely, but makes a sexy lid on top of the brew.
Smells really strong of roasted maltyness backed up by a very present cognac-like fruityness and vanilla, smells really massive, but good.
The same cognac-like fruitness is present in the taste as in the smell, a little more prominent here though. The strong malt prescense is made smooth and easy on the palate with the distinct presence of oats, there are also a fair amount of vanilla here, kind of a sweet vanilla taste that almost becomes too much, but just almost.
Creamy and nice, rather viscous in the mouth, foams up nicely with a swirl on the toungue.
Circumstances forced me to drink this beer faster than you should, so the sweet vanilla got a bit sickly, but I feel that it would be unfair to lower the grade because of that, since this beer really is a sipper, and a great tasting one, makes me glad since I haven't really enjoyed left hands brews much in the past.
Dec 27, 2009Smells really strong of roasted maltyness backed up by a very present cognac-like fruityness and vanilla, smells really massive, but good.
The same cognac-like fruitness is present in the taste as in the smell, a little more prominent here though. The strong malt prescense is made smooth and easy on the palate with the distinct presence of oats, there are also a fair amount of vanilla here, kind of a sweet vanilla taste that almost becomes too much, but just almost.
Creamy and nice, rather viscous in the mouth, foams up nicely with a swirl on the toungue.
Circumstances forced me to drink this beer faster than you should, so the sweet vanilla got a bit sickly, but I feel that it would be unfair to lower the grade because of that, since this beer really is a sipper, and a great tasting one, makes me glad since I haven't really enjoyed left hands brews much in the past.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by auxiliary from Rhode Island
4.01/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.01/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
2009 version, opened for news year 2013(notes)
Poured a nice brown head, still some carbonation here.
Smells of malt, dark chocolate, coffee.
Taste starts bitter, malt, and then chocolate, hints if brandy here too.
Thick mouthfeel, syrupy like.
Great beer, love stouts and strong beers, wish I had another one of these.
May 16, 2014Poured a nice brown head, still some carbonation here.
Smells of malt, dark chocolate, coffee.
Taste starts bitter, malt, and then chocolate, hints if brandy here too.
Thick mouthfeel, syrupy like.
Great beer, love stouts and strong beers, wish I had another one of these.
Reviewed by SykDoc from Wisconsin
3.82/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.82/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bottle into a snifter. It pours a solid brown and forms a 1/4 inch very light tan head leaving a mild lacing.
The aroma is solid with a nice blend of oak and a touch caramel sweetness with the brandy presence lurking and the smacking you in the face. Not overly complex, but good.
The taste is more stout than the nose, with a evenly mixed oak, brandy, caramel malt, and dark chocolate flavors. The is a cherry sweetness toward the end. A nice vanilla backdrop.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a low level of carbonation. It goes down smooth and leaves a lingering velvety texture at the back of the palate.
Overall, this is a solid beer. Some of the components could be stronger and others could be a little less stiff, but overall has that stout goodness combined with some of the finer components of brandy.
Oct 27, 2011The aroma is solid with a nice blend of oak and a touch caramel sweetness with the brandy presence lurking and the smacking you in the face. Not overly complex, but good.
The taste is more stout than the nose, with a evenly mixed oak, brandy, caramel malt, and dark chocolate flavors. The is a cherry sweetness toward the end. A nice vanilla backdrop.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a low level of carbonation. It goes down smooth and leaves a lingering velvety texture at the back of the palate.
Overall, this is a solid beer. Some of the components could be stronger and others could be a little less stiff, but overall has that stout goodness combined with some of the finer components of brandy.
Reviewed by DUBinMIA from Florida
3.82/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.82/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
served from a bottle into a tulip. Black with some transparency when poured. 1/2 in head with no foam. no lace.
smell is kinda bland... faint dark fruit notes and malt. some oak and alcohol aroma.
taste is malt with some coffee flavor. fig or date like flavor then alchol warming takes over. finished with a malt and vanilla flavor.... no hops noted for this Imperial Stout.
decent body that allows flavors to absorb on the palate
overall a good beer from a brewery that i am still iffy on.... doesn't match the style in my opinion due to lack of hops and complex flavor but its a good beer all in all.
Sep 18, 2011smell is kinda bland... faint dark fruit notes and malt. some oak and alcohol aroma.
taste is malt with some coffee flavor. fig or date like flavor then alchol warming takes over. finished with a malt and vanilla flavor.... no hops noted for this Imperial Stout.
decent body that allows flavors to absorb on the palate
overall a good beer from a brewery that i am still iffy on.... doesn't match the style in my opinion due to lack of hops and complex flavor but its a good beer all in all.
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
4.05/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
served on tap in a snifter.
appears black as coal, with thin tan head. very pleasant aroma of big roasty flavors, coffee, bitter cocoa, and hints of the oak aging. The taste is very similar, with a bit of boozy alcohol in there as well.
Unfortunately the body is a little thin for the style, a heavier body would match the bold flavors better I feel. Moderate carbonation level.
Overall - a very solid beer, if they thicken it up it would be among the best Oak Aged stouts.
Aug 28, 2011appears black as coal, with thin tan head. very pleasant aroma of big roasty flavors, coffee, bitter cocoa, and hints of the oak aging. The taste is very similar, with a bit of boozy alcohol in there as well.
Unfortunately the body is a little thin for the style, a heavier body would match the bold flavors better I feel. Moderate carbonation level.
Overall - a very solid beer, if they thicken it up it would be among the best Oak Aged stouts.
Oak-Aged Imperial Stout - Brandy Barrel-Aged from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
48 ratings
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