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Royal Impy Stout
Portsmouth Brewery
- From:
- Portsmouth Brewery
- New Hampshire, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #68 - ABV:
- 9.8%
- Score:
- 96
Ranked #1,204 - Avg:
- 4.33 | pDev: 9.24%
- Reviews:
- 31
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 12, 2024
- Added:
- Feb 25, 2013
- Wants:
- 74
- Gots:
- 22
A super dark, fulll-bodied Russian Imperial Stout with flavors of dark chocolate, raisins and sweet coffee that takes over the mouth. As it warms hints of aged oak help balance the alcohol in the finish. Layers of flavors in this beer is proof that great things do come in small packages.
50 IBU
2013 - Capped.
2014 - Corked & Caged. 984 numbered bottles.
50 IBU
2013 - Capped.
2014 - Corked & Caged. 984 numbered bottles.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Beerguykirk:
Reviewed by Beerguykirk from New Hampshire
4.77/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.77/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Beer on tap at the brewery. Looks great actually a decent amount of head for a 12%er. Smells of sweet malt not much else. Taste does not follow the nose, chocolate coffee, toffee, and caramel sweetness with a semi dry finish. Overall completely impressed. Then something magical happened the beer tender showed up with a cask drawn strawberry version of the impy. First sip no strawberry wondering if I misheard. Then it showed up on the back end of the pallet. Not the typical overly cloying sweet fruit stout. This is a masterpiece. Hats off to the Portsmouth brewery, well done. Kate the great, never heard of her...
Mar 01, 2015More User Ratings:
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky
4.5/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Life after Kate hasn't been great. ...until now. The Portsmouth Brewery dusts off their old stout recipe and gives it new life to show that great things can sometimes come in smaller packages.
Pouring jet black and with a rich mocha lather, Royal Impy Stout carries a creamy viscosity with a nose chocked full of dark roast coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit and hints of cream and kahlua-like spice. As its taste ensues, the rich nougat-like consistency carries a malty sweet collection of toffee, chocolate, cream and malted milk candies.
As the complementing flavors of raisin, dark berry and red grape rise to meet the sweetness so does the coffee flavors and its own smoky chocolate flare. Remaining malt dominant and creamy, the taste dries just enough toward finish to allow a broad and woodsy bitterness to balance the sweetness and keep the finish squarely focused on the dark roast influence.
Full bodied, creamy and pillowy on the tongue, the session closes malty-sweet and roasty with a whisky-like spice to keep things warm and satisfying. A bitter-sweet finish of cocoa and coffee linger well into the next savory sip.
Jan 12, 2024Pouring jet black and with a rich mocha lather, Royal Impy Stout carries a creamy viscosity with a nose chocked full of dark roast coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit and hints of cream and kahlua-like spice. As its taste ensues, the rich nougat-like consistency carries a malty sweet collection of toffee, chocolate, cream and malted milk candies.
As the complementing flavors of raisin, dark berry and red grape rise to meet the sweetness so does the coffee flavors and its own smoky chocolate flare. Remaining malt dominant and creamy, the taste dries just enough toward finish to allow a broad and woodsy bitterness to balance the sweetness and keep the finish squarely focused on the dark roast influence.
Full bodied, creamy and pillowy on the tongue, the session closes malty-sweet and roasty with a whisky-like spice to keep things warm and satisfying. A bitter-sweet finish of cocoa and coffee linger well into the next savory sip.
Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky
4.05/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tried a bottle from 2014 in 2023. This was bottle number 420. Sadly the carbonation had seeped out, so the fullness of the beer was not enjoyed or experienced. Color was dark as crude oil. Nose was charred oak. Taste was charred but faded to a tobacco flavor. Not horrible without the carbonation, however I can imagine how great it would have been.
Dec 25, 2023Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland
4.44/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottle pour into a tulip glass.
Batch 1.
L: dark brown color with minimal light beige head
S: molasses, raisin, tobacco, caramel, coffee, bitter cocoa, complex
T: follows the nose
F: moderate to light body
O: held up impressively well for its age
Sep 14, 2022Batch 1.
L: dark brown color with minimal light beige head
S: molasses, raisin, tobacco, caramel, coffee, bitter cocoa, complex
T: follows the nose
F: moderate to light body
O: held up impressively well for its age
Reviewed by Holderness from Massachusetts
4.24/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
On tap at the brewery. A big, bitter, malty RIS with an impressively luscious mouthfeel that is mouth coating and velvety without being cloying. Warming and filling. I figure this is roughly the same recipe as for Kate the Great, and they just changed the name after Tod Mott left in 2012.
85/100
Mar 26, 202285/100
Reviewed by SpeedwayJim from New York
4/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2021 vintage. 16oz. bottle into a Founders snifter. Shared with schen9303.
Classic look. Pours pitch black with a 1 finger light mocha colored head with moderate to low carbonation. Thin legs with stringy lace. Nose is liquorice, roasted malt, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate. Aromatic and rich. Beer opens chocolate, roasted malt, and liquorice. A light tartness in the middle with cocoa powder, light coffee, and semi-sweet baker's chocolate. End is more layers of liquorice, sweet cream, and a light coffee. Body is medium with low to moderate carbonation. Smooth and soft on the palate and goes down warm, slightly chewy, and slightly oily. Messy, lingering finish.
A very classic representation of the style. I'd expect nothing less from the makers of Kate.
Mar 19, 2022Classic look. Pours pitch black with a 1 finger light mocha colored head with moderate to low carbonation. Thin legs with stringy lace. Nose is liquorice, roasted malt, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate. Aromatic and rich. Beer opens chocolate, roasted malt, and liquorice. A light tartness in the middle with cocoa powder, light coffee, and semi-sweet baker's chocolate. End is more layers of liquorice, sweet cream, and a light coffee. Body is medium with low to moderate carbonation. Smooth and soft on the palate and goes down warm, slightly chewy, and slightly oily. Messy, lingering finish.
A very classic representation of the style. I'd expect nothing less from the makers of Kate.
Reviewed by JJKBeerLvr from Pennsylvania
4.42/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into pint glass in August 2020. Bought it (and some other of their beers) during a trip to Portsmouth, NH. There was a bottled on date of February 2020, so the beer was about 6 months old.
Appearance: Very dark black with a thick dark brown head. Head was about 2 fingers high, and lasted a minute. It leaves only a little lacing on the glass, and ended with a thin tan head still on the beer.
Smell: Nice aroma mix of coffee, chocolate, and also a sweet alcohol. There is also some caramel, and some other sweet aroma like black licorice, but overall the coffee and chocolate dominate the others.
Taste: This is a tart tasting beer, with a nice balance between the coffee, roasted malts, and sweetness like chocolate and licorice flavors. There is some vanilla flavors, and a little amount of bitter hop flavors to enhance the taste and add some complexity. There is a strong alcohol presence, which matches the 9.2% on the label, but it is balanced nicely by the other flavors. The taste is a good mix.
Mouth-feel: Thick like liquid licorice, but with a smooth body. Not overly smooth like a Milk Stout.
This is an good, complex, Imperial Stout, and it has a variety of flavors that adds a nice complexity to the beer. Although this is a big beer, it is very smooth and enjoyable to drink. This chocolate sweetness nicely contrasts the tart roasted malt flavor, and is a nice balance to the high alcohol content. This is my favorite Portsmouth Brewery stouts.
Aug 08, 2020Appearance: Very dark black with a thick dark brown head. Head was about 2 fingers high, and lasted a minute. It leaves only a little lacing on the glass, and ended with a thin tan head still on the beer.
Smell: Nice aroma mix of coffee, chocolate, and also a sweet alcohol. There is also some caramel, and some other sweet aroma like black licorice, but overall the coffee and chocolate dominate the others.
Taste: This is a tart tasting beer, with a nice balance between the coffee, roasted malts, and sweetness like chocolate and licorice flavors. There is some vanilla flavors, and a little amount of bitter hop flavors to enhance the taste and add some complexity. There is a strong alcohol presence, which matches the 9.2% on the label, but it is balanced nicely by the other flavors. The taste is a good mix.
Mouth-feel: Thick like liquid licorice, but with a smooth body. Not overly smooth like a Milk Stout.
This is an good, complex, Imperial Stout, and it has a variety of flavors that adds a nice complexity to the beer. Although this is a big beer, it is very smooth and enjoyable to drink. This chocolate sweetness nicely contrasts the tart roasted malt flavor, and is a nice balance to the high alcohol content. This is my favorite Portsmouth Brewery stouts.
Reviewed by morebeergood from Massachusetts
4.43/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Purchased a Feb 2020 vintage while visiting the the brewery last month. Has a nice chocolate/coffee flavor, with some underlying notes of barrel aging in there. Very well built.
Mar 31, 2020Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts
4.74/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.74/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Finally get to try this one. Happened to be in Portsmouth during its release but missed out on bottles. This is everything it's cracked up to be.
Super aromatic nose of maple, barrel, chocolate, roasted malt. A more bitter but stronger taste of dark chocolate, espresso, and some robust maple syrup. Deliciously creamy feel and finish. A sweet but heavy treat that I'm really happy to have tried. A proper Imperial Stout!
Mar 02, 2018Super aromatic nose of maple, barrel, chocolate, roasted malt. A more bitter but stronger taste of dark chocolate, espresso, and some robust maple syrup. Deliciously creamy feel and finish. A sweet but heavy treat that I'm really happy to have tried. A proper Imperial Stout!
Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts
4.16/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 375ml bottle dated 2017 into the test glass
A - Black saddle leather in color, hides the steady stream of tiny spheres that collect at the surface to form a mocha cream colored cap.
S - Dark fruits are up front, then equally strong is the bakers chocolate and dark roast malts, woven in the mix is a thread of blackberry jam, finally the slightest hint of mint ,and tawny port.
T - A bit of coffee, Madagascar 80% cocoa, some wonderful lightly smoked malt, cigar wrap, a kiss of molasses, and dark brown sugar.
M - Exceptional, soft and creamy while hiding the 9+% very well, the fell is rich, with carbonation ushering in the semi dry close, Lingering on the palate is cocoa powder and the slightest dark berries.
O - A wonderful offering, excellent body, head retention, feel and aromatics, I am thrilled to have had this experince
Jan 07, 2018A - Black saddle leather in color, hides the steady stream of tiny spheres that collect at the surface to form a mocha cream colored cap.
S - Dark fruits are up front, then equally strong is the bakers chocolate and dark roast malts, woven in the mix is a thread of blackberry jam, finally the slightest hint of mint ,and tawny port.
T - A bit of coffee, Madagascar 80% cocoa, some wonderful lightly smoked malt, cigar wrap, a kiss of molasses, and dark brown sugar.
M - Exceptional, soft and creamy while hiding the 9+% very well, the fell is rich, with carbonation ushering in the semi dry close, Lingering on the palate is cocoa powder and the slightest dark berries.
O - A wonderful offering, excellent body, head retention, feel and aromatics, I am thrilled to have had this experince
Reviewed by Davepoolesque from Massachusetts
4.18/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On draft at the brewery. Black as night. Tons of roasted malt, dark chocolate and black cherry skin. Medium to light bodied. Somewhat bitter in the mid-palate, but ends up being balance in finish. Pretty solid non-barrel aged stout. Worth the hype? Probably not, but it is good.
Mar 27, 2017
Royal Impy Stout from Portsmouth Brewery
Beer rating:
96 out of
100 with
156 ratings
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