Okefenokee Imperial Stout
Big Top Brewing Company

 

12oz can - no date - poured into a wine stem at 55F.

Thank you to Jared for this can.

Pours a slick jet black, with half a finger of dark mahogany brown head that quickly reduces to a razor thin collar. Impenetrable by light. Liquid coats the glass. Thick.

Nose: Heavily roasted malts, Dutch cocoa powder, cedar, cured tobacco, light smoke, char, vanilla, espresso roast bean, and some dried dark fruits hints - raisin, dates, etc...

Palate: Heavy roast kicks things off, immediately followed by dried cherries, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, caramel, dark toffee, a hint of lemon zest, a quick flash of those dark fruits, espresso with cream and sugar, and molasses. The complexity of flavours unfolds very rapidly, with a malt sweetness that rapidly increases, until right into the finish, where it dries out fast, becoming roasty, ashen, and moderately-to-substancially bitter, in a charry way. Burned toast bitter finish. Charred malt lingers for a very long time, with the occasional wisp of smoke appearing.

Mouthfeel/Body: Mouthfeel is easily this beers strong point. It's thick, viscous, sticky, creamy, chewy, fudgy, and still manages to retain a decent effervescence level, considering its weight and heft. More bubbles that the vast majority of stouts this big, which can often border on being flat. The bubbles are a nice touch, and gives this a little forgiving lift. It's a big, hefty stout, and it's a prime example of how I want an imperial stout to feel. Chewy.

Overall: Big stouts are hard, and they don't often impress me, unless they've been laid to rest in a bourbon barrel to mature. Many are often either weak and lifeless, or so overly roasted, that any nuance gets lost in the char. This is definitely a better one. I wouldn't say it's anything particularly mind-blowing, but it ranks higher than many I've had. It's big, bold, has a lot of character, has a heavy roast level, but still shows some depth of flavour, a nice rich malt sweetness, and a delightfully thick and chewy body. It is definitely on the bitter side of things, in a roasted, ashen, charry way, and it just about tests my limits for charcoal bitterness in a stout. I prefer a little less char, and a little more sweet, but there's still enough sweetness to keep it drinkable. Any more bitterness, and it would become astringent, but it's balanced enough to still be enjoyable. All in all, it's a good imperial stout. I wouldn't go out of my way to obtain it, but I would recommend it over a half-a-dozen others, and would drink another one, if ever presented with it. An enjoyable, bold imperial stout.

Had at Lucky Pelican in Tampa. Descent imperial stout. Good overall taste, will get again on tap if I see it. Alcohol was hidden well as the server said it was an 8 or 9% instead of the 11.4% listed. Lots of chocolate and caramel up front eitn malt and nut followed up.

 

 

 

12 oz can poured into Thulsa Doom.

Deep, thick, oil-like pour. Just insanely thick. Deep black color, red-beige head of 1/2 finger.

Aromas of deep roasted coffee, rich dark berries, slight ash, succulent dark chocolate. This is just an amazing nose.

Flavor brings burnt acrid ash, black tea-like flavors, and dark roasted coffee. Faint dark chocolate is buried underneath. Again with the earthy black tea. Very ashy, burnt, acrid, bitter. Earthy, shroomy, piney hops. Fuggle perhaps.

Feel is thick, with a really distinct roastiness, nice firm carbonation.

Overall I'm a bit sensitive to ashy stouts, but if you like Evil Twin and Ten FIDY this will be your cup of tea. For me I like a little more sweetness and a bit less forward burnt notes.

12oz can poured into a snifter. Dark cocoa, roasted malts, lingering charred and bitter flavors from the roasted malts and hops in the finish. Medium-full bodies mouthfeel and silky smooth. Really tasty and dangerously drinkable for a 10%+ ABV Imperial Stout.

 

 

 

The can art is really interesting looking. I am intrigued by it. For such a high abv the alcohol is really well hidden. This is what you want to drink when your trying to stay away from drinking too much coffee & chocolate stouts because we all know that too much coffee & chocolate is not good for you. This is as good as a non adjunct imperial stout is going to get in my book. It's thick, viscous, chewy, and flavorful. Cheers! A

 

 

 

 

 

A: Opaque black, light tan head, decent retention, tons of lacing. 4.25

S: Aroma is coca, roasty, some lactose like cream. 4

T: Taste is roasty, leather, tobacco. Balancing bitterness. 4

M/D: Full bodied, fairly smooth, carbonation on the lower end but appropriate. Drinkability is good. 4

O: Nice beer, nothing spectacular but no complaints. 4

 

From 22 oz bottle with about a year age on it. Very dark almost black with minimal tan colored head. Smells average for style. Roasted malt. Taste is roasted malt, dark chocolate and somewhat nutty notes. No harshness what so ever. Hard to believe it's 11%. Smooth malty sipper. Overall one solid stout worth finding. I hope it's a seasonal release.