Serpent's Stout | The Lost Abbey
Brewed by:
The Lost Abbey
California, United States
lostabbey.com
Style: American Imperial Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.00%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
The history of the bible and religion is indeed the struggle of good vs. evil. Our Serpent’s Stout recognizes the evil of the dark side that we all struggle with.This is a massively thick and opaque beer that begs the saints to join the sinners in their path to a black existence.
Added by BeerBeing on 06-10-2007
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 1,841 | Reviews: 598
4.56/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Speiglau stout glass.
Look is a pitch black with a thin off-white head.
Aroma is thick with roast malt and a hint of coffee.
Taste completely matches aroma. So much roast and a bunch of coffee.
232 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Speiglau stout glass.
Look is a pitch black with a thin off-white head.
Aroma is thick with roast malt and a hint of coffee.
Taste completely matches aroma. So much roast and a bunch of coffee.
232 characters
4.23/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours a good coffee brown head that dissipates at a moderate pace but leaves quite a bit of head around the inside of the glass. The beer itself is a dark chocolate black with a good oily texture to it.
The smell is pretty good. It has a good wood note through out the entire beer that mixes well with a strong coffee note and a slight hint of vanilla. There is a slight alcohol note but that largely gets hidden and comes out more in the finish.
The taste is pretty good. It has more of a bitter coffee note that dominates the taste. There is a sweet chocolate note that shows itself even though it sometimes gets covered by the coffee. Within the coffee note, there is also a wooden note that mixes well with it. Underneath all of this is a light bitter hop note in the finish.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body with a good biting carbonation that is thin but still has a milky feel as well.
Overall, this was a pretty good beer and fairly solid. Often beers from breweries that have been around for a while taste differently and aren't as appealing but this one holds up well against the newer styles of stouts from newer breweries.
1,153 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours a good coffee brown head that dissipates at a moderate pace but leaves quite a bit of head around the inside of the glass. The beer itself is a dark chocolate black with a good oily texture to it.
The smell is pretty good. It has a good wood note through out the entire beer that mixes well with a strong coffee note and a slight hint of vanilla. There is a slight alcohol note but that largely gets hidden and comes out more in the finish.
The taste is pretty good. It has more of a bitter coffee note that dominates the taste. There is a sweet chocolate note that shows itself even though it sometimes gets covered by the coffee. Within the coffee note, there is also a wooden note that mixes well with it. Underneath all of this is a light bitter hop note in the finish.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body with a good biting carbonation that is thin but still has a milky feel as well.
Overall, this was a pretty good beer and fairly solid. Often beers from breweries that have been around for a while taste differently and aren't as appealing but this one holds up well against the newer styles of stouts from newer breweries.
1,153 characters
4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.56/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Tiny, tiny, little stubborn bubbles packed down tight tell you all you need to know.
Double mashed. Bourbon barrel fermented.
The fruit and barrel nose amplify the taste of roast and chocolate with the bittering elements of char, coffee, and hops.
Beautifully crafted.
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look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Tiny, tiny, little stubborn bubbles packed down tight tell you all you need to know.
Double mashed. Bourbon barrel fermented.
The fruit and barrel nose amplify the taste of roast and chocolate with the bittering elements of char, coffee, and hops.
Beautifully crafted.
270 characters
4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at The Pint and Cork in Maui.
Delicious.
Has a little sour twang mixed among the deep, dark roasted flavors that I thought was tasty. Drinks like an Export Stout (would have been my guess) not an 11% Imperial Stout.
Really good stuff.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at The Pint and Cork in Maui.
Delicious.
Has a little sour twang mixed among the deep, dark roasted flavors that I thought was tasty. Drinks like an Export Stout (would have been my guess) not an 11% Imperial Stout.
Really good stuff.
244 characters
4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.44/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This stout checks all the boxes for me
Thick, lightblocking black with a real thick tan head.
Smells include roast and anise.
Nice flavors of roast and anise, silky smooth.
Thick mouthfeel, rich and decadent.
Well done beer that I always enjoy drinking
In cooler weather.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This stout checks all the boxes for me
Thick, lightblocking black with a real thick tan head.
Smells include roast and anise.
Nice flavors of roast and anise, silky smooth.
Thick mouthfeel, rich and decadent.
Well done beer that I always enjoy drinking
In cooler weather.
274 characters
3.77/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Smooth
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Smooth
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4.28/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.1/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
$14.67 (Including shipping)/750 mL cork and cage bottle ($ 0.578/oz) from Tavour, Seattle, WA.
“Vintage 2018” etched beside rear label, stored at 42 degrees and served at 55 degrees in a hand-washed and hand-dried Jester King snifter. Opens with a medium “pop” and does not overflow.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. When held to the light, there is no penetration.
Head – Large (Maximum 5.5 cm, aggressive center pour), light brown, dense with rocks, good retention time, diminishing to a five mm ring and a thin complete layer with a rocky center island.
Lacing – Poor – just a triangle of medium to small bubbles opposite where my mouth is.
First pour – Brown, clear.
Aroma – 4 – Roasted malt, chocolate
Flavor – 4.25 - Begins with slightly bitter chocolate and a bit of roasted malt. The roasted malt dominates the middle and end flavors. It ends with a light bitterness with a long hang-time. No hops, no alcohol (11%ABV), no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide, no gastric warming. Allowing it to warm in my mouth brings the otherwise undetectable alcohol forward.
Palate – 3.5 - Full, creamy, lively carbonation.
Impression and summation – 4.25 – This is a dangerous stout! The completely hidden alcohol can put you down, particularly if you’re drinking more than one bottle. The appearance was excellent, until the head dissipated. Lacing produced by dropping the level was poor and tended to coarsen into all small bubbles. The aroma definitely accentuated the chocolate but this failed to translate into flavor past the initial taste – the middle and end are predominately flavored as roasted malt. The palate is somewhat over-carbonated but otherwise only marginally better than other Impy stouts. Overall, this is a better than average example of an Impy stout.
1,832 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
$14.67 (Including shipping)/750 mL cork and cage bottle ($ 0.578/oz) from Tavour, Seattle, WA.
“Vintage 2018” etched beside rear label, stored at 42 degrees and served at 55 degrees in a hand-washed and hand-dried Jester King snifter. Opens with a medium “pop” and does not overflow.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. When held to the light, there is no penetration.
Head – Large (Maximum 5.5 cm, aggressive center pour), light brown, dense with rocks, good retention time, diminishing to a five mm ring and a thin complete layer with a rocky center island.
Lacing – Poor – just a triangle of medium to small bubbles opposite where my mouth is.
First pour – Brown, clear.
Aroma – 4 – Roasted malt, chocolate
Flavor – 4.25 - Begins with slightly bitter chocolate and a bit of roasted malt. The roasted malt dominates the middle and end flavors. It ends with a light bitterness with a long hang-time. No hops, no alcohol (11%ABV), no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide, no gastric warming. Allowing it to warm in my mouth brings the otherwise undetectable alcohol forward.
Palate – 3.5 - Full, creamy, lively carbonation.
Impression and summation – 4.25 – This is a dangerous stout! The completely hidden alcohol can put you down, particularly if you’re drinking more than one bottle. The appearance was excellent, until the head dissipated. Lacing produced by dropping the level was poor and tended to coarsen into all small bubbles. The aroma definitely accentuated the chocolate but this failed to translate into flavor past the initial taste – the middle and end are predominately flavored as roasted malt. The palate is somewhat over-carbonated but otherwise only marginally better than other Impy stouts. Overall, this is a better than average example of an Impy stout.
1,832 characters
4.17/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Solid black color, low carbonation with a thick heavy feel. Aroma is all roasted malt followed by a boozy alcohol smell. Eventually the more subtle aroma of black coffee and cocoa came through. Taste played out exactly like the aroma,let it warm so other flavors of coffee and cocoa come through. The roasted malt and alcohol linger and coats the mouth but isnt unpleasant. I would try this again
397 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Solid black color, low carbonation with a thick heavy feel. Aroma is all roasted malt followed by a boozy alcohol smell. Eventually the more subtle aroma of black coffee and cocoa came through. Taste played out exactly like the aroma,let it warm so other flavors of coffee and cocoa come through. The roasted malt and alcohol linger and coats the mouth but isnt unpleasant. I would try this again
397 characters
4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.9/5 rDev +15.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Awesome stout out of Lost Abbey. Keep me coming!
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Awesome stout out of Lost Abbey. Keep me coming!
48 characters
4.48/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A really excellent stout.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A really excellent stout.
25 characters
4.28/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Current year bottle, poured into tulip glass and allowed to warm.
L: Very large light brown head with incredibly good retention, especially considering 11% ABV. Leaves lots of sticky tan lacing. Beer is motor oil (remember that?) black.
S: So simple, yet refined. Lots of roasty malts, with hints of coffee, cocoa, leather, and dried dark fruits.
T: Lots of nice roasted malts. Key to let it warm so you can enjoy the subtlety of coffee and leathery notes. Straightforward, but still nice.
F: Full-bodied, not much carbonation. Construction is very strong and balance is great. Very little evidence of high ABV. Drinks well, but you won't want to rush it anyway.
O: About as good as an uncomplicated, non-aged straightforward RIS can be. Nicely done.
755 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Current year bottle, poured into tulip glass and allowed to warm.
L: Very large light brown head with incredibly good retention, especially considering 11% ABV. Leaves lots of sticky tan lacing. Beer is motor oil (remember that?) black.
S: So simple, yet refined. Lots of roasty malts, with hints of coffee, cocoa, leather, and dried dark fruits.
T: Lots of nice roasted malts. Key to let it warm so you can enjoy the subtlety of coffee and leathery notes. Straightforward, but still nice.
F: Full-bodied, not much carbonation. Construction is very strong and balance is great. Very little evidence of high ABV. Drinks well, but you won't want to rush it anyway.
O: About as good as an uncomplicated, non-aged straightforward RIS can be. Nicely done.
755 characters
3.96/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Does deep, deep roastiness really well. Not complex, but a solid stout you can count on to warm your bones on a winter's eve. The 11% abv is shocking, because nothing about the taste indicates such a torqued up imp stout.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Does deep, deep roastiness really well. Not complex, but a solid stout you can count on to warm your bones on a winter's eve. The 11% abv is shocking, because nothing about the taste indicates such a torqued up imp stout.
221 characters
Serpent's Stout from The Lost Abbey
Beer rating:
4.23 out of
5 with
1,841 ratings
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