Old Curmudgeon Imperial Porter
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Nitro Version. Dark brown color. Cascading white frothy head. Aroma is chocolate and malts, some dark fruits. A full-bodied porter. Malts are nutty and choclately. Hops are slightly spicy. Nice balance. Creamy smooth. No alcohol bite. The dry finish was a little surprising. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is smooth and a touch dry. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Sampled @ Strong Ale Fest San Diego

The pour an atramentous color with the head portly in size and a tan color, semi-creamy in texture and the lace a thick sealing sheet. Nose has a big toasted grain aroma, coffee like, sweet malt under pinning, quite nice and the start sweet with a nice malt presence and the top moderate to full in feel. Finish is forceful in its acidity and hops mighty in their spiciness, quite dry and somewhat bitter aftertaste that lingers on and on, quite drinkable.

Another offering from Rock Bottom sampled at the 7th Annual Strong Ale Festival at the Carlsbad Pizza Port. Served from a nitro-tap, this porter had the classic cascade effect which, once concluded, yielded a near-black brew with ruby highlights and a creamy mocha head. Some nice sheet lace coated the sides of the glass.
The smell was a nice blend of roasted malt, coffee, and some chocolate with a hint of alcohol. The taste was sweet up front with a roasty malt flavor and hints of dark fruit and cocoa. A balancing burnt coffee bitterness hit the back of the tongue and finished with a slap of alcohol. The feel was full, creamy and smooth.
I liked this porter from Rock Bottom also, though not as much as their Bourbon Barrel Porter. This one wasn't quite as drinkable as the alcohol was more noticeable. Still, a nice strong porter.