Midwinter's Imperial Stout
John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House

Served in a small tulip glass. This beer poured a bitch black body with a small tan head.

The nose was a mix of dark malts and chocolate with a soft fruitiness.

The taste was of rich, dark, bitter chocolate with a slight touch of dry wood. There’s an overall fruitiness with this huge hop taste and big bitterness. The hops were fruity and piney reminding me of the big stone beers.

Overall a nice classic imperial stout. Big, malty, a little woody, nice fruit flavor to compliment the big malt. Reminds me a lot of a homebrew I made recently. I think I’ll have another.

Served in a 10.5oz. or so glass...probably a good thing.
Now this is the color I like to see for my Imperial Stouts...not black as night, but has a garnet hue to it.
Aroma is fantastic...sweet w/ raisins, chocolate, and coffee up front. A touch of hop and malt in the background.
Taste is real nice...syrupy sweet w/ hints of cherries and raisins.
The alcohol is present, but nothing overpowering...I could enjoy a couple of these, but not a session brew for me. An excellent offering of this type from Geoff at John Harvards.

Saw my shadow and headed back indoors with this one on 1/14/2005. Looked like a 10-oz. pour in a goblet at the Cambridge location. Listed as 8.8% abv.

Plume of head settles to a nebula of schizophrenic froth to the middle and sides, bubbles of all different sizes that hold an almost ruby coloring. Tumescent black hue, 'nuf said. Sweet lactose on nose with some hanging char character, though in no way overwhelming. Mocha, sweet chocolate, and a slight curdling red flag on mouth; frank alcohol in tailing is welcomed, washing away thoughts of gloppy lactose. In the end, the whiff of rank is dismissed by the positives: medium body, touching roast on tongue, and perfectly fabricated balance of alcohol.