Spaghetti Western - Grappa Barrel-Aged
Brewfist

 

 

 

Smells like sweet red grape juice, vinous and brandy-like Grappa, oak, rich chocolate, peppery coffee, sweet toasted malts, caramel, with earthy hop notes. Taste brings intense lingering dark chocolate and dark espresso coffee flavors, slightly tart vinous brandy-like Grappa, oak barrel, some peppery spice, caramel, toasty malts, with earthy piney hops. Smooth medium bodied, creamy with moderate low carbonation.

 

Served in a snifter glass from the bottle.

Appearance: Thin black body with a light tan head lacking a lack of body. Doesn't look bad but could be a touch thicker. Even lacing with little stickiness to the glass.

Smell: Grape scent with touch of brown sugar.

Taste: Wine feel which is awkward for an imperial stout. Sweet light molasses and a wood note which comes off catchy to the beer.

Mouth: Sticky brew, touch soft with sticky finish.

Overall: Good brew, might feel like a Merlot but it is definitely not wine. Beer with a twist and the dry mocha feel alone is worth grabbing for life.

 

Bought at Liquor Shed. Notes: 30 12 25, must be best by date. Also L 17085.

It pours black, served at room temperature, there is a big billowy head of tan foam. Loads of lacing too.

Big roasted and toasted malt aromas, substantial barrel nose, espresso brings bitterness along with the dark chocolate. Light sweetness going on.

Toasted malt and barrel big up front followed by roasted malt, espresso, dark chocolate. Bit of anise peeking through. Some warming and to me, it's a bit hotter than the abv suggests.

Medium bodied up front that thins out in the finish.

Overall, I dig it but not the price.

 

 

-opaque ebony tap pour with a wispy tan foam swirl. Aroma is coffee and walnut. Flavors are toasty, malt and wood. There is espresso and significant sweetness too. The booziness is pleasant. The mouthfeel is slick.

 

 

 

Pours black with a finger of khaki head. Fair head retention and lacing. Aroma is toasted and roasted malts, with an emphasis on the first. Dark chocolate sweetens it up just a touch. Flavor profile is toasted and roasted malts, with oak, dark chocolate, cocoa, and pasta starch filling out the bulk of the flavor profile. Mouth feel is medium-thin with a semi-velvety texture. It just looses a touch of creaminess to the fizz. Overall, a wonderful stout, but not much oomph for the price. Still, it's well crafted and a tasty endeavour to sample.

Served in a 12oz snifter from a 375mL bottle.

Poured from tap in Zurich. Pours black with surprising amount of carbonation. Nose is nutty and definitely getting some barrel. Taste is slight bitter, but not much at all. Also getting licorice, tobacco, and some sweetness. Mouthfeel is medium to light, with almost no alcohol heat. Overall a bit thin, and this makes sense with the lower ABV for a BA stout.

330 ml bottle into snifter; bottled on 3/26/2017, best before 12/25/2030. Labeled at 9.7%. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy dark khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Dense soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, nutty coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, toasted oak, raisin, date, red grape, and dark bread; with lighter notes of smoke, char, tobacco, vanilla, and roast/smoke/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, cocoa, coffee, and grappa barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, nutty coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, toasted oak, raisin, date, red grape, and dark bread; with lighter notes of smoke, char, tobacco, vanilla, and roast/smoke/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate roast/char bitterness and light oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, nutty coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, toasted oak, dark fruit, dark bread, smoke, char, tobacco, vanilla, and roast/smoke/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, cocoa, coffee, and grappa barrel flavors; with a great roast/charred bitter/sweet balance; and zero acrid/astringent roast flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from roast/char bitterness and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready/silky, fairly sticky/chalky, and lightly tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 9.7%, with zero barrel booziness. Overall this is a fantastic imperial stout! All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, cocoa, coffee, and grappa barrel flavors; very smooth and easy to sip on for the ABV. Very rich and complex with big cocoa nib/coffee flavors, and nice Grappa barrel presence; without any booze. Not as intense on the barrel as I expected for 6 months aged, but still nice amounts. A highly enjoyable offering.