Goya Imperial Stout
Duel Brewing

Thanks to shuntstout for sending me this bottle! Reviewed from (very) long-standing notes. Poured from the 375mL bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass. 2014 bottling, consumed on 10/17/17.

A: Very dark brown and opaque. A low amount of visible carbonation, but still manages a finger's worth of tan head that fades quickly.

S: Dark roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate mix with dark fruit, booziness and fruity yeast esters (apples and pears). Notes of tobacco and vanilla as well.

T: Follows the nose pretty closely – chocolate and cacao, dark roasted malts. Dark fruit – sweet prunes and raisins – and a fair amount of booze. Belgian yeast esters again – apples, pears, a touch of clove. Tobacco, milder coffee and vanilla. A mild hop bitterness attempts to balance some of the sweetness near the end, but fails. More chocolate and booze soaked apple-raisin salad in the hang.

M: This is pretty heavy-bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. Low but befitting carbonation sensation. Alcohol quite noticeable, but what did you expect for 13+%?

O: Not bad for a "Belgian Stout" – a style that just doesn’t align with my taste buds very well. I don’t think the Belgian fruitiness plays well with the big chocolate flavors particularly. While the booze is obvious here, I don’t think I would have expected over 10%, so I’m gonna say it’s pretty darn well-integrated, and likely a little dangerous here. Nothing I’d likely drink again, but one that I’m glad to have tried. And better than I expected.

 

 

Pours a dark black. Smells roasted malt with notes of chocolate. Not getting the Belgian notes I would expect. Taste is absolutely fantastic at 15.9% I get a little booze but not nearly as much as expected. Some Belgian characteristics but more of the roasted malt then anything. Overall a fantastic beer and another reason why ABQ is an underrated beer city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

great surprise from nm! even if touted as "nm's highest gravity beer!"

smell was dark, sweet fruit and taste was similar with sweet fruits and heavy chocolate, on the sweeter side as well. mouthfeel was great as the bubbles made this a moderately full(er) beer with plenty of body. great drinking experience, especially for my first brew from duel. what 15.9%?

guess i have to try more of these belgian-inspired beers from duel!

 

 

 

 

 

Pours like crude oil, midnight black, thin dark brown head. Aroma is heavy on baker's chocolate and roasted barley with hints of tobacco, leather and some woody notes. Taste is prominent on roast/coffee, extra dark chocolate with subtle yeast esters and tobacco, slight booziness and sweetness. The mouth feel is incredibly smooth and full bodied, rich and perfectly carbonated. Deceptively smooth and drinkable at 15.9% ABV, flavors are so deep/complex you'd expect it to have spent time in barrels. Fantastic!

 

ABV is now 15.5. Had it on tap at the brewery. Is fantastic with a surprising finish.