Imperial Stout
Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)

Copenhagen 21/52017. 35,5 cl bottle from Høkeren. A lot of Gold and Silver Medals on the label to ensure me that this Imperial Stout is of the finest quality. As these hails from 1896 to 1930 I am not sure I am convinced.

Pours very dark opaque dark brown small off-white head. Settles as thin layer foam covering the surface of the beer.

Aroma is strong sweet and boozy. Cocoa, bitter chocolate, sherry and roasted dark malts.

Soft carbonation and surprisingly thin palate.

Flavor is quite well balanced between syrupy sweetness and bitter chocolate. Aftertaste is fairly short and bitter sweet.

A little thin for an Imperial Stout - but nicely balanced and easy to drink.

 

 

A - Pours solid opaque black body, reddish-brown highlights, light tan head, fading slowly to a persistent thin cap. Lacing runs down the glass, but flows back down into the brew, meaning the glass ultimately looks pretty clean, with just a few lines of extremely fine bubbles.

S - The nose is earth, with a slightly medicinal line, and a solid malty hit of chocolate, molasses and dark bread.

T - Opens with dark fruit, sweet with a bit of tannic bite, dark chocolate, a bit of earthiness, and a subtle bitter bite in the finish.

M - Moderate weight, clean drinker, with just a hint of lingering dryness on the tongue in the close.

O - This is how I like my stouts - rich, big, well-built and ready to drink. Delicious and satisfying.

 

I haven't had this in more than 15 years and it's still just as solid. It was also bottled pretty recently, with an expiration date of 8/31/27, so there's bonus points for the insane freshness. I'm not going to get into all the details on each review point as I feel anyone who's had this already knows, but this takes me back to the late 90's / early '00s when it was hard to come by decent beers, before the craft beer explosion. We drank this stuff, and other Sammy Smith styles, all the time.
I guess things do come around full circle. After chasing that dragon of getting all the new craft beers, I'm coming back to the OG's that got me into stouts, and I'm loving it. Definitely going to pick up more of this. And if you've never had it, what are you waiting for?

 

 

Wow! Awesome!

Drinking out of a small goblet.
Pours a clear black with a moderate tan head.
Smells of roasted malt, cocoa.
Smooth mouth feel.
Dry taste of cocoa, coffee.

 

 

Hard to believe this is an only 7% abv imperial stout. Alcohol flavours dominate and give this beer a liquor-like aroma and taste. Heavy chocolate, stale ale, oak, and roast on the palate. Relatively thin body, but sticky. Gentle carbonation. Very rich

 

 

 

Dark pour and frothy. Smell is of dark bread. There's an enjoyable black liquorice quality and low bitterness compared to what it could have been. The aftertaste is pleasant as this cold beer is similar to Trappist Rochefort beers for mouthfeel.

Poured from a 550ml bottle with a best by date of 2-21-26 into a tulip glass at 52 degrees.

Look- Black, medium brown frothy head, opaque, average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Cocoa, roasted barley, between weak and medium strength of scent.

Taste- Cocoa, roasted barley, slight coffee, moderately sweet, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, average carbonation, highly bitter, moderately sweet, moderately creamy, mildly mouth warming, mildly mouth coating.

Overall- Black and opaque with average head retention and lacing. The bouquet was nice, but underpowered. The flavor was vibrant with cocoa being the star supported by notes of roasted malt and coffee. The mouthfeel was really good with the thinner than expected body being the biggest detractor. Overall this beer at 7% ABV overdelivered in flavor leading to a very enjoyable drinking experience.

 

Pours dark as ink with a thick, tan head. Head slowly gives way to superb lacing. Nose is faint, what I can smell is like cola. Taste is where the magic happens. Coffe and then dark chocolate with a bitterness that is mild yet bold.