Imperial Stout Trooper | New England Brewing Co.

4.27/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12/2013 bottle.

Allowed to warm and served in a goblet.

Near black, very dark mocha head, stays nicely and leaves decent fine bits, low sheeting and sticky strands of lacing.

I pick up a rich chocolate note on the nose along with some charred dark grains.

Viscous and thick in the glass. More chocolate and dark malt goodness. What can be said? World class Imperial stout.

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3.83/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

In review is a 2012 vintage.

A - Pitch black pour with a thick toffee colored head.

S - Dark chocolate, cream, and licorice aroma. Mild astringency.

T - Based on the age - Molasses, licorice/anise, dark chocolate, cream. Nice lingering dark chocolate bitterness with a little bit of sugar molasses on the finish.

M - Full medium body, slippery, sticky on the lips.

O - Good, but I let this bottle sit too long.

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4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Its long been a want of mine and I got to try a 2009 and 2014, side by side. At its core there seems little change only the mellowing of age. The nose is classic stout with char, smokey embers, chocolate malt, oats and coffee.

The flavor delivers that same classic stout but with a nice balanced assertiveness. This has nice coffee, embers, charred oats, chocolate malts, dryness and roast. The feel is not particularly viscous and lightly dry.

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4.04/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Black with a quickly dissipating head. Smells of dark chocolate and roast malts. Burnt malts, oatmeal, boozy edge, cocoa nibs, molasses. Heavy body, light carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel, chocolate and char aftertaste.

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4.55/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pour is nearly pitch black, big frothy mocha head with great lacing. Aroma is super nutty, getting plenty of almonds and hazelnut. Hints of roasted malt, chocolate and cold pressed coffee. Super rich taste, plenty of almonds, sweet malty profile with a splash of milk chocolate and lacto. Suprisingly full out mouthfeel, thick and chewy. Fantastic beer, surprised more people don't talk about this.

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3.92/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2014 Edition poured into snifter

A - Black, with a creamy looking mocha colored head that dissipates pretty quickly, but leaves a nice film and significant lacing.

S - Strong deeply roasted, almost burnt malts, dark chocolate, some coffee.

T - Dark chocolate, expresso, dark chocolate/cocoa powder. Charred barley and coffee beans gives it a very bitter taste.

F - I wouldn't consider it really full bodied, but does have a fairly creamy texture. Average amount of carbonation.

O - This beer has some really good flavors and feel, but it is a little short of outstanding for me because of the amount of bitterness. I think the coffee profile is way short of Founders Breakfast Stout, so that surprised me. Almost comes across as hoppy like a Victory Storm King. Still very good though.

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4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

4.28/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

4.49/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: This is a fine looking beer with a thick expresso colored head mostly creamy, slightly rock bubbles. The head is very looking lasting and leaves a light touch of lacing on the glass. This impressive head sits atop a jet black beer showing a hint of deep garnet on the edges.

S: A nice rich malty nose with coffee, cocoa and some licorice notes. Some moderate dark fruit notes of prunes and figs. There is a medium-low citrus hops aroma and a low, floral alcohol aroma.

T: A creamy, coffee and unsweetened chocolate with rich dark malt flavors that just go on and on. The level of malt flavor is high on this but it's fairly smooth with just a touch of dark malt bitterness and a light charcoal flavor; dark caramel, brown sugar and more my tongue is getting lost. The hops bitterness is moderate as is the earthy hops flavor. It has medium to medium-low fruity esters of plums and figs. There is a fair amount of malt sweetness but the balance is still bitter with a medium finish. The aftertaste is of dark grains, unsweetened chocolate and a light hops bitterness.

M: A very creamy, full bodied beer with a moderate level of carbonation.

O: A rainbow of dark malt flavors, well executed and pleasantly balanced. Sometimes when you use too many grains the flavors end up muddied and muted like mixing to many paints it ends up dull and grey; that is so not the case here this beer is rich and flavorful.

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4/5  rDev -4.5%

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

4.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

3.2/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Poured into a snifter for the Superbowl,

A: Fairly dark, with a large brown head that dissipated quickly.

S: Roasted coffee, some sweet chocolate. The coffee aroma in this was great.

T: More coffee finishing with a bit of very bitter chocolate. Finishing boozy with a lot of heat from the alcohol. Maybe a bit of herbal backbone from the hops.

M/D: Thick and syrupy, with a bit of creaminess to it, great feel. The heat from the alcohol with the heaviness made it very hard to drink. Definitely a sipper

Aside from the awesome name and bottle art, I wasn't too impressed by this one especially given all the hype. I have another bottle and am gonna age it to see if some time makes this one a little better

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4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sludgy, viscous inky black pour into my glass that's as dark as the dead of night with a half inch of creamy dark tan head on top. Sticky patches of lacing ensue. Aromas start with rich malts alongside deep, vinous dark fruits. Cocoa and molasses mingle with licorice undertones. Hints of toffee with a bitter cloak about it.

First sip brings rich, smooth dark malts upfront with lots of dark fruit flavors swirling about. Somewhat vinous as it moves into baker's chocolate and mild coffee accents. Flows down with a nice kick of bitterness to counteract the sweet maltiness. Creamy finish with a hint of marshmallow. Bold and tasty with well hidden alcohol.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with good carbonation. Not overly heavy which is nice as it makes it easier to enjoy. This here is a tasty imperial stout that doesn't go overboard on ABV, making it something I can actually drink and enjoy on a weeknight. Thanks to warriorsoul for the hookup.

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4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

4/5  rDev -4.5%

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared this bottle with family at Christmas. There definitely wasn't consensus about the beer but here is my review.

Black black with a big thick creamy heady. The head stays to the end floating on top and lacing the edge. This is a beautiful beer, that everyone agreed upon.

The aroma is buttery roasted chocolate and chocolate and maple syrup

The mouth is smooth and very nice with big maple and butter. It's like chocolate pancakes with maple syrup this is very nice.

Although there was slight disagreement among we all concluded it was unique and best as a desert beer.

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4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 - 750ml

Awesome bottle/artwork! Pours an inky black with a tremendous, creamy, light brown head that goes nowhere. Great lacing. Smells of rip dark fruits, roasty, char, raisins, molasses. Taste follows with sweet rip dark fruits at first which then completely turns to a heavy roastiness and charred flavors. Fantastic. Mouthfeel is creamy, not really heavy, and finishes dry and roasty. Very drinkable.

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4/5  rDev -4.5%

3.48/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle that pours dark brown. This beer appears to be water thin. There is a decent brown head. The aroma presents light chocolate, char, and cooked sugar aromas. The flavor is mostly cocoa. Pretty hoppy and sugary. Thin body with lots of carbonation. Seems fairly run of the mill to me.

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3.21/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Short Review, Poured from a 750ml bottle into my CBS glass. 2011 vintage.
L: Great, Nice and black and an awesome dark head that fades instantaneously.
S: Coffee and some caramel, mostly stout like.
T: Ehh not the best. Lots of Coffee notes, maybe some burned something or other. Little Caramel.
M: Same as taste.
O: Really disappointed in this. Wanted to like it, just didn't.

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3.66/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2011 vintage 750ml
Pours a hint mocha head that is easily roused to a half fingers worth. Alcohol legs are present with some wisps of head and some lacing. Black body with deep brown/red around the edges.

Roasted malts, coco powder and some earthy hops. I can also smell some burnt sugar, sweet sugary malts and alcohol.

Tastes like a solid Russian Imp Stout with some ashy, smokey and roast quality. A good bit of coco, dark chocolate, raisins and earthy hops. A bit of alcohol in the taste with a definite warmth as it goes down.

Medium full bodied. Low carbonation. Fairly oily and coating.

Overall this is an good beer. The steep price tag of this one may keep me from trying it again. I can't see myself spending $20 for another bottle for this coming release. I know it's cheaper at other stores but I have buyers remorse for this one. Maybe if I see it on draft coming up I'll get a taste to see if it's worth it.

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