Commitment
Saint Arnold Brewing Company

A: Pours and opaque dark brown color, nearly opaque black. On a vigorous pour, a two finger tan head forms that sticks around a minute. Plenty of sticky lace is lefty behind.
S: Dark fruits, dark bread, bitter bakers chocolate. A touch of fusel alcohol. Dark fruits consisting of plums, raisins, and cherries. Reminds me more of a Port than a stout, but I like it.
T: Definitely dark fruits all the way up front. Cherries, plums raisins. Baked bread, bitter chocolate covered raisins. Sweetness lingering, but not cloying in any way. The esters and malts are great. Again a touch fusel, and again is like a Port. I really enjoy this, and everything is well balanced for me.
M/O: While not "thin" in any way, its not as syrupy thick as some Imperial Stouts tend to be. A fullish body with high carbonation. The fusel alcohol is certainly present here. Though also warming and something I want to wrap myself in on a cold night.

The reviewers below have legit critics about this, I'm not saying they are wrong in any way. Just I have gone through a 4 pack trying to decide for myself, and i really do enjoy this. Maybe some time will mellow out the alcohol, but I still find this a good sipper. Just like Double Art Car, hopping this isn't a one off. Only Saint Arnold can make a "balanced" 13+ ABV Imperial Stout.

 

Appearance: Black glass holds a thin halo of brown foam that doesn't lace.

Aroma: Purple grape jam, sweet, bit of grape skin tannin, and a base note of an earthy hop that borders on horsey.

Taste: First blush is sweet malt with a ester heavy grape. It fades out to a sharp almost metallic taste that I think is alcohol driven, maybe just a touch fusel.

Mouthfeel: Flat, medium heavy body, slick texture, light oil in the finish.

Overall: Big ole beer, malt bomb, hefty but pretty easy drinking. It's candy sweet hiding a big alcoholic punch, so a slow sipper, probably best shared. Not my favorite St. Arnold, but a nice thing to cellar until I need a big warmer come winter.

 

 

 

Poured from bottle into tulip, nice 1 finger dark tan head, so so retention and good lacing. Jet black in the glass, no light passes thru. Roasted malt, coffee and faint whiff of chocolate on the nose. Taste follows the nose, big roast on the front, little chocolate peaks thru, very little vanilla, but body on this beer is nice, almost creamy. Finish is a good firm bitterness with residual chocolate on the palate.

 

The beer is a nice beautiful black with a brown tint, light brown head, and few lacing so to speak of. I enjoyed one while watching the Astros game in St. Arnold's beer garden, place was totally packed except for a seat or two at the bar. Some malt in the nose. It's got a nice creamy feel, I wrote in my note that it tasted like "every other stout that I've ever had combined". A mixed bag of sorts, the usual chocolate, vanilla bean, a little bit of grain, charred wood barrel flavor.

Some have mentioned fruit, there was a little bit of a candied cherry type thing going on that set it apart, like you sometimes get in a cherry coke or in a little cup at a Mexican restaurant. Really enjoyable sipper that lingers, but is surprisingly easygoing for me in contrast to what some have said. I would've guessed maybe 10% at most, not 13.4%, a totally sneaky booziness to it.

Definitely a wholesome stout, I needed it to wash down that hella spicy chicken sandwich that they do. Just a great experience overall. I grabbed the glass they made for it, which is a neat little snifter. It's always a pleasing experience to visit ol' St. Arnie's.

from bottle: "Diving into darkness, you can gain insight into your potential. Allow the absence of light, and truly find what it means to have it. With Commitment, we pushed our limits. We start by brewing an immense, rich imperial stout with massive amounts of flavor and aromatic qualities. After fermentation, the beer rests for three months before a tasteful amount of Madagascar vanilla beans is added for an extra layer of complexity."
Dark ruby black nontransparent.
Malty sweet barley chocolate.
Dark chocolate malty bomb nuts wood.
Smooth and heavy a little bitter on end.
I want more...
Bottled 1/27/2021, 12oz bottle.

 

 

 

 

 

look:
Dark black, some red coming through similar to red wine when held up against a light. Nice tan head forms, at least a half inch but recedes rather quickly.
Smell:
I get roasted malts, cherries, dark chocolate, dark fruits, and vanilla.
Taste:
Similar to the smell with some light smokiness.
Feel:
Intense, spicy, full bodied, creamy/oily, low to medium carbonation, syrupy.
Overall:
Very intense. Looking forward to the muscat and port barrel variants.

Nose is ash, tobacco, bakers chocolate.
Taste follows. Creamy chocolate, coffee, vanilla, tobacco. A hint of warming alcohol.
Creamy body and mouthfeel but not super thick like some stouts.

 

Bottle courtesy of NolaHopHead (I think).
One big stout! Unassuming little bottle.
Boozy, dark chocolate and cherries.
Some burnt character.
A sipper.