Raasted Oak Aged Imperial Stout
Raasted & Randers Bryghus A/S

6/23/2012

Thanks! Snifter. I think this is a 2009 vintage.

A: Black with a finger of mocha froth.

S: Dark chocolate blends with brown sugar and pronounced oak notes. This is pretty oxidized, with a hint of cardboard. Prominent roasted presence with a touch of molasses.

T: Brown sugar and a lot of oak with a firm roasted malt foundation and notes of blackstrap molasses and licorice. The beer is ashen and somewhat tarry. Lightly boozy with evident oxidation.

M: Full body with a chewy, sticky, and lightly tannic mouthfeel. Medium level of carbonation.

Overall: Not my style of Stout: heavy on the roast and oak with a bit much oxidation.

Many thanks to Martin from Raasted for this rare sample during his recent visit to Edmonton. Comes in a 250 ml brown bottle, best before date posted as 19.05.2018. Impressive shelf life on this!

Pours out an intense dark black hue, a quick splash of dark beige head that recedes quickly.

Aroma is complex from the start, with licorice, molasses, dry dark cocoa, roasted malt with some char, some dry mustiness, plus some light grassy, leafy hops.

Immediate depth to the flavour as well with intense notes of alcohol and wood, astringency from burnt malt and hops right from the start. Vinuous character, some black currant and dates, dry finish. Astringency bookends the flavour in the aftertaste as well, both from burnt malt and dry hopping. Has a port-like complexity, but without the sweetness. Alcohol warmth lingers throughout.

Medium-full body at first, fills out completely on the swallow, some astringency and tannins, alcohol warmth, light stickiness lingers.

Enjoyable and intense, the small portion is more than enough to get the point across. This still seems a bit young, it has the potential to age into something pretty remarkable.

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a quite large light brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of dry oak with some tannin and some notes of roasted malt mix with some dry fruits - very complex to say the least. Taste is also very complex with some roasted malt with light alcohol ester and some dry fruits (plums, figs) with notes of tannin and oak more noticeable toward the ends. Body is full with a somewhat creamy texture and a full body with great carbonation and light alcohol. Very well done if maybe a bit too dry for my taste.