Pitfield 1792 Imperial Stout
Pitfield Organic Brewery

Viscous magenta with just the slightest beige film in spite of violent pour.
Tar, charcoal, blackberry skins, and slight oily espresso grounds – roasty and very dark, if a bit intimidating.
Marmite, pork cracklings, molasses, prune, dark fruit stones and dark roast coffee bean with no real hops.
Dark chocolate-covered black cherry finish and oily raisin linger. Heavy, greasy, plenty of cling.

A different label, but definitely not retired.

Wow – it’s been so long since I’ve tasted a true-to-history RIS that doesn’t pump up the hops that this is shockingly gooey and… dirty. Soil notes and motor oil consistency show black malts at their maximum, though it sweetens and gets some licorice as it opens. Not entirely pleasant, but definitely one to be reckoned with.

Black is black. Dark cream colored foam, one finger. Not really compact, but quite beautiful.
Smell: eh? Olive? Well, yes. Olive.
Obviously not only: even malty, toasted, chocolate.
At the taste toasted, some cocoa, and in the back, again a litlle hint of olive.
Well, quite strange.
After some while, there are more common notes, coffee, chocolate. Some alcohol, too.
But, after all, not irresistible.

A: Dark and thick/viscous, like used motor oil. Tan head.

S: Sherry/alcohol smell, with a strange touch of burnt rubber. There weren't any top fuel dragsters in 1792!

T: Nice fruity flavour from the British yeast. Alcohol isn't harsh, but it's very warming (and becomes more assertive as it warms to room temperature). Well rounded dark malt flavour. Very different than the American versions of this style.

M: Moderate to full body, slightly syrupy, well carbonated.

D: This would be a nice winter warmer... but the alcohol taste is a little much for multiple drinks.

Thanks Kevin!

Got my bottle quite recently. The BB date is 05/2008.

A: served in a tulip shaped big wine glass, it pours an almost jet black hue, with just a tiny brown hint against light. No beer head what-so-ever, with just a rim of espresso-creme, while tiny bubbles are detected creeping up along the sides of the glass.
S: smelling quite sugary and intoxicating upfront (luckily it softens fast), but simultaneously an implicit aroma of coffee beans + sweet dark chocolates is also there, bringing plenty of indirect smell of smokiness and char/roastiness, hint of leather, and a juicy dark fruit aroma like dried dates plus black plum syrup.
T: a juicy flow of roasted malts with a hard alcohol touch hits the palate in full force, underlined by lots of coffee beans, a spicy/licorice and tannic flavour mixed with smokiness, and ripe dark fruitiness without the sweet edge; quickly giving way to an intensifyingly dry bitterness lingering at the back of the tongue. Very warmish in the aftertaste, and luckily not sticky nor sugary, leaving only slightly clashing mouthfeel of bitterness and smokiness deep down the throat.
M&D: apart from the initial alcohol attack the mouthfeel is reasonably smooth, or dangerously smooth for a 9.3%abv. Overall this beer is moderately flavoursome against a relatively light texture and a moderate depth. Pretty easy to drink for an Imperial Russion Stout. A solid brew, if not excellent.

Really sweet, with some residual sugar right at the front of the mouth, really upfront sweetness, and then the flavour stops about mid palate, with a minimal roasty bitter finish. Predominantly sweet, with sweet chocolate, and some dark fruits, and licorice, too upfront and sweet for my liking, i need some more drying bitter roastyness. Still, a very respectable brew.