Imperial Maple Stout
Bent Hill Brewery

Bottle from Luc

Bottle to snifter, the appearance was a murky dark brown color with a finger’s worth of quickly dissipating white foamy head. Lace? Yeah, it’s somewhat there, sliding into oblivion. The aroma had some sticky sweet maple qualities up front, with a fairly strong caramel/toffee malt base. Light milk chocolate. The flavor was super sweet all around through the prior mentioned aromas. Aftertaste was super sweet maple and flowed right on into the finish in the same sort of way. The palate was about medium bodied with a super cloying sweet maltiness over my tongue. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt fine. Overall, another mess by Bent Hill, why am I not surprised?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: Pours nearly black, minimal tan head which dissipates rapidly.

S: Sweet dark fruit immediately, quickly followed by strong mineral alcohol and ending with molasses.

T: Sweet. Starts with roast but quickly negated by pure sweetness. A touch of tannin-like minerality with dry biscuits at the back of the palate. Aftertaste is that of maple. Overall just sweet.

M: Relatively full due to the high residual sugars and medium carbonation. Over carbonated for the style.

O: Overall the sweetness really kills the palate after the first couple of sips. This is a very one dimensional beer but given its characteristics (sweet, decent alcohol content and medium carbonation) I wonder what a year or two would do for the overall flavor.