Imperial Chaos
Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom

On tap at the Bier Stein the other day. According to the BS menu, they've ramped up the abv. on the current version (10.6% abv., if memory serves).

Unfortunately, I tried this beer side by side with a barrel aged stout from Lagunitas, and this beer just didn't show nearly as well, comparatively. This RIS showcased a lot of vanilla, licorice, dark coffee and roasty malt, both on the nost and on the palate. Alcohol was well integrated in the flavor profile, and the finish was long, fairly dry, and lightly bitter.

A solid enough RIS, but nothing really to get excited about either.

Served in straight pint glass. Poured black, as the style should, with a thick dark tan head that had very good retention and good lacing.

The aroma was the expected and typical roasted malt scents, with a strong alcohol presence also in the nose. The flavors were also typical strong roasted flavors. The taste of burnt coffee lingers at the back of the throat and that alcohol burn also hits the back.

The body was typically full for the style. Drinkability was good, but that burnt coffee hung around too much for me to want more than one at a time.

Overall, a pretty good example of the style. Worth trying if you see it.

poured into an imperial pint at Bailey's Taproom in Portland, OR

appearance - pours dark with a tan head and good lacing

smell - chocolate and malt are present

taste - heavy in chocolate, some bittersweetness, malt undertones and alcohol is present

mouthfeel - medium to heavy body, some chewiness

drinkability - great complexity and enjoyable, but fatigues the mouth a bit

Poured a jet black with good carbonatio and a tan head. Nose is big roasted malt, coffee, cocoa. taste is wow, like a Imp Stout should br. big chrred taste with coofee, cocoa and booze all rolled up, balanced and hefty. Very nice to drink. Will drink again and def recommend. Well crafted!

Served snifter at Double Mountain, Imperial Chaos is a nice blackish brown with a tigh, creamy tan head that leaves nice lace.

Smell is strong skunky hops with a nice, sweet dark malt aroma.

Taste is roasty dark grains but with a nice sweetness, countered by a very firm bitterness and skunky hop flavor. The dark malt flavor is accentuated by the candi sugars, with loads of bakers chocolate on the finish.

Mouthfeel is oily, and on the lighter side for the style.

Drinkability is pretty good. A tasty, satisfying strong stout, but very flavorful, requiring slow sipping. The strong bitterness and acrid malt flavors are not conducive to more then one of these in a sitting, but it's certainly a beer I'd enjoy on another occasion.