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Imperial Jo
Lancaster Brewing Company
- From:
- Lancaster Brewing Company
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- Sweet / Milk Stout
Ranked #283 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #10,056 - Avg:
- 4.02 | pDev: 8.21%
- Reviews:
- 24
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 13, 2023
- Added:
- Feb 28, 2014
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 23
Imagine the rich roasted malts, smooth mouth feel and subtle sweetness of our award-winning Milk Stout, kicked up a notch or two, by the infusion of dark-roasted, small batch coffee from our friends at Lancaster County Roasters. At 8% ABV, cracked coffee beans in the mash, coffee in the boil and cold brewed espresso in the finished beer, just think of Imperial Jo as Milk Stout's rowdy big sister.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Wattie83 from Pennsylvania
3.93/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz can poured into a nonic pint glass. Look is dark brown, almost black with a small khaki head that falls to a thin cap. Smell is heavy on the coffee with some cocoa sneaking in. Taste hits hard with coffee up front with a bit of roasted grain, some dark chocolate and a bit more coffee in the middle, and coffee and cream in the finish. Aftertaste is coffee and cocoa. Feel is medium bodied with light and tight carbonation making it a pretty smooth drinking beer. Overall, I enjoy sweet stouts and I really enjoy them with coffee. This one is well balanced with no bitterness or off flavors from the coffee additions. Doesn't feel like an 8% beer either. I'd easily drink this again.
Sep 12, 2022Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania
3.77/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12 oz can into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Dark, dark brown pour... nearly black with big mocha colored head. Great lacing.
S: Espresso and roast dominate... some underlying sweetness/cocoa.
T.F: Just like it smells. Strong roast and coffee. Milk chocolate comes next... solid sweetness to go with the bitter roast. Vanilla and lactose... more mocha/espresso. Medium bodied... a bit fizzy. Some booze... warming. Coffee finish.
O: A decent coffee milk/stout. For the ABV and style could have been smoother/creamier. Decent flavor though and definitely showcases the coffee.
Feb 10, 2022L: Dark, dark brown pour... nearly black with big mocha colored head. Great lacing.
S: Espresso and roast dominate... some underlying sweetness/cocoa.
T.F: Just like it smells. Strong roast and coffee. Milk chocolate comes next... solid sweetness to go with the bitter roast. Vanilla and lactose... more mocha/espresso. Medium bodied... a bit fizzy. Some booze... warming. Coffee finish.
O: A decent coffee milk/stout. For the ABV and style could have been smoother/creamier. Decent flavor though and definitely showcases the coffee.
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida
4.09/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This might be my very new, favorite brewer. Three cans and two types of beer into the variety pack, I can tell you, they make some pretty damn good beer. This particular brew was flavorful, slightly boozy, and truly a joy from beginning to end.
Dec 25, 2021Reviewed by cjeep from Pennsylvania
3.94/5 rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
decent offering from a local outfit. gotta like it. "fresh beans 2/20/21" consumed 2/25/21 - now that's what i call service!
L: drinking from the can. what's not to like about a can with a cow?
S: bit sweet, like a coffee milkshake. a bit too simple.
T: i prefer it to the nose. coffee bitterness comes through. more complex & interesting than the nose.
F: solid feel. nice carbonation. could be a bit richer
O: definitely worthwhile and worth your attention!
Feb 26, 2021L: drinking from the can. what's not to like about a can with a cow?
S: bit sweet, like a coffee milkshake. a bit too simple.
T: i prefer it to the nose. coffee bitterness comes through. more complex & interesting than the nose.
F: solid feel. nice carbonation. could be a bit richer
O: definitely worthwhile and worth your attention!
Reviewed by Coronaeus from Canada (ON)
4.08/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a cola black with a moderate deep brown head that dissipates to nothing slowly.
The aroma is heavy on coffee, coffee of the two creams to sugars variety. A little chocolate and toasty grain in the background.
Sweet, milky coffee hits the tongue first. No coffee bitterness to speak of. There is a little caramel note there as well that emerges as the beer warms.
Body is a little thinner than expected, but not thin.
This is a nice sweet coffee stout.
Nov 09, 2020The aroma is heavy on coffee, coffee of the two creams to sugars variety. A little chocolate and toasty grain in the background.
Sweet, milky coffee hits the tongue first. No coffee bitterness to speak of. There is a little caramel note there as well that emerges as the beer warms.
Body is a little thinner than expected, but not thin.
This is a nice sweet coffee stout.
Rated by bankboy66 from New Jersey
3.61/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.61/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Smells great but the taste is just too bitter for me. It’s just ok.
Dec 07, 2019Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania
3.62/5 rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of strong coffee, light cream. Taste is dominated by coffee, little else, there is mild bitterness, no alcohol. Feels medium/full bodied in the mouth and overall is an enjoyable beer.
Aug 06, 2019Reviewed by dacrza1 from New Jersey
3.81/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
DATE: May 3, 2019... OCCASION: chilling with the fam after putting in a higher bid on 354 Naughright... GLASSWARE: crystal mug... pours a dark black body with random bubbles clinging to crags in the glass... its head is brown, fizzy and swift in its simmering to an uneven ring... rich roasted coffee beans, dry oats, light vanilla (almost like a creme brulee but not as sharp), lactic acids and some trace phenol... this smells like a welcoming morning kick... its body suggests cola, with a bit of creaminess and texture that slows the sips.. its ABV is not prevalent, but the vibe sneaks up on you as the can drains... its coffee bean, vanilla, sweet lactic acids, and thick cream make for an appreciable flavor profile... though this doesn't reach the heights of other coffee-infused imperials, it was a nice surprise in the mix pack I bought... it is indeed a nice amped-up version of its already solid original stout...
May 04, 2019Reviewed by AyatollahGold from Indiana
3.55/5 rDev -11.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.55/5 rDev -11.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pouring from a 12 oz. can into a whiskey tumbler glass, this beer pours out looking like dark coffee. It forms a brilliant one finger width, thick and creamy, peanut butter fudge colored crown that holds well. Leaves spotty lacing down the glass.
The nose brings a sweet, creamy and slightly bitter coffee presence. Milk chocolate with slightly roasty malt notes as a background. Pleasant, but it seems a little thin and underwhelming.
The taste brings a much more present roasty coffee kick along with notes of creamer and milk chocolate again.
The mouthfeel is a bit thin for my liking. I wouldn’t say it’s watery, but it’s not too far from that spectrum. Smooth other than that and finishes with a roasty note, along with a slight bitterness.
Overall, this isn’t a bad milk stout.
Mar 28, 2019The nose brings a sweet, creamy and slightly bitter coffee presence. Milk chocolate with slightly roasty malt notes as a background. Pleasant, but it seems a little thin and underwhelming.
The taste brings a much more present roasty coffee kick along with notes of creamer and milk chocolate again.
The mouthfeel is a bit thin for my liking. I wouldn’t say it’s watery, but it’s not too far from that spectrum. Smooth other than that and finishes with a roasty note, along with a slight bitterness.
Overall, this isn’t a bad milk stout.
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
3.6/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
$ 8.00 (Including tax)/four-pack of 12 oz bottles ($ 0.167/oz) from Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA. Reviewed 12/15/18.
Undated bottle. On shelf at distributor. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 54 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. When held to the light, still opaque.
Head – Large (Maximum six cm, aggressive center pour), light brown, medium density with rocks, average retention, diminishing to an irregular four to nine mm ring and a rocky partial layer. A few small islands of lacing remain as the head retracts.
Lacing – Excellent. Wide band of tiny to small bubbles.
First pour – Dark brown, translucent.
Aroma – 4 – Coffee, roasted malt, char.
Flavor – 3.5 – Coffee, slightly bitter. No alcohol (8.0%), no hops, no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3 – Thin, watery, soft carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 3.5 – This is both thinner and bitterer than expected from a sweet/milk stout. The flavor is dominated by the expresso to the expense of the roasted malt. However, both the look and smell are appealing.
Dec 15, 2018Undated bottle. On shelf at distributor. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 54 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. When held to the light, still opaque.
Head – Large (Maximum six cm, aggressive center pour), light brown, medium density with rocks, average retention, diminishing to an irregular four to nine mm ring and a rocky partial layer. A few small islands of lacing remain as the head retracts.
Lacing – Excellent. Wide band of tiny to small bubbles.
First pour – Dark brown, translucent.
Aroma – 4 – Coffee, roasted malt, char.
Flavor – 3.5 – Coffee, slightly bitter. No alcohol (8.0%), no hops, no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3 – Thin, watery, soft carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 3.5 – This is both thinner and bitterer than expected from a sweet/milk stout. The flavor is dominated by the expresso to the expense of the roasted malt. However, both the look and smell are appealing.
Imperial Jo from Lancaster Brewing Company
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
117 ratings
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