Smoked Maple Syrup Imperial Stout
Bent Hill Brewery

This was poured into a mini snifter. The appearance was a jet black color with no head nor lacing. The smell had a sweet maple syrup up front with a slight smokiness on the back end. A tad of "meatiness" wants to blend in to balance and then a slight little bit of sour to almost vinegar-esque sort of thing going on. The taste was mainly syrupy sweet with the smokiness showing a nice level to back up. Vinegar-esque feels don’t show as much presence as they did in the aroma. There’s a light cocoa to smokey to maple syrupy aftertaste and a quick sticky sweet finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium in body with a fairly nice sessionable to sipping quality about it. Carbonation runs super light and allows the sticky syrup to run the gamut. Smokiness doesn’t show a whole lot on my tongue, but I’m not worried, I think I get what Bent Hill is trying to do. Overall, RIS's aren't supposed to have vinegar in them. This one seemed to wage war on my palate.

 

Bent Hill Brewery "Smoked Maple Syrup Imperial Stout"
375 ml brown glass bottle without any production coding or freshness dating, on 18 JUN 2016
$6.99 @ Beverage Warehouse, Winooski, VT

With a name like "Smoked Maple Syrup Imperial Stout" how could you pass it by?

It pours an opaque black brown body beneath a finger thick head of dense dark-tan foam. Lacing is minimal.

Raised to the nose it expresses dark chocolate and fruits, as well as a bit of maple if you swirl the glass to bring it out, but no smoke.

The flavor delivers a tartness right up front that's not particularly uncommon to Imperial stouts, but probably not what you'd expect from one with "smoked maple syrup". The mouthfeel is smooth and silky with a medium to medium-light body and very fine-bubbled seemingly natural restrained carbonation. Beyond the tartness it's fruity, almost juicy, with a combination of red and dark-skinned fruits (berry, cherry, plum, raisin). Maltiness follows, softening it, and delivering notes of dark chocolate, deep caramel/molasses, and the promised maple syrup which lingers into the finish where the smoke is only really found, and to be honest, it's not much more than a shadow there anyway. With the alcohol, it's reminiscent of a Ferrero Mon Cheri candy but with darker, bittersweet chocolate. It's an interesting and complex journey from the front of the tongue to the lingering finish, and from the start of the glass until the end as well given that the maltiness builds a little and you become accustomed to the tartness.

I'd like to say that this would be a great sipper for a quite night by the fire with a copy of Dostoyevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov" and Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony playing in the background, but that would be all wrong. It would be too distracting - I wasn't able to put it down! The transition of flavors kept it compelling, and the smooth and silky body allowed that to work and then kept it remarkably drinkable. The alcohol never showed any more than is required of a beer of over 10% abv, and it never built on the palate. It was unique, and it showed finesse, and the fact that it didn't deliver "smoked maple syrup" directly didn't hurt it at all because what it was was better than anyone would've expected. Fantastic! Wonderful! Absolutely worth seeking out!

 

 

had this a few days ago. some smokey malts and chocolate on the nose. taste is similar with a syrupy sweetness and touch of maple. I enjoyed the maple flavor on this beer as it wasnt overdone but was definitely detectable - as opposed to some other 'maple' stouts ive tried. however i did find it a bit too sweet for my taste. overall id recommend trying it but it isnt one id buy again.

 

This beer sneaked up on me. First time over the lips had a LOT going all and I wasn't sure it was all good. Strong tastes. I let it warm up some and more tastes came through. Very enjoyable and I would definitely buy again.

 

Pours as thick and dark as you would expect. Smell is smoke, bacon/meats, sweet toasted malts, a hint of brine that I pick up in heavy stouts from time to time, and a hint of maple syrup. The syrup flavor comes out more in the taste, as the smoked meat flavor goes down a bit. This beer is definitely on the sweet side, but not as syrupy rich as Lawson's Maple Trippel or cloying and intense as CBS. It's delicious, totally drinkable, strong without being crippling or overcooked, and even the body - thick and almost carbonation-free, works perfectly with the beer - just enough bubbles to remind you what you're drinking.

375mL bottle. Pours a blackish dark brown color with no head. The aroma is roasty with some dark chocolate, espresso, and maple notes. Earthy. The taste is smokey and boozey upfront followed by the sweetness of the maple. Bitter dark chocolate and espresso towards the end. Woody, maple finish. Earthy, almost ashy aftertaste. Light mouthfeel with very little carbonation. Overall, I'd probably buy this every once in a while.

 

 

 

Poured medium black with a very thin layer of cream colored head that completely disappeared. Carbonation appears very low.

Big roast aroma with maple and a touch of smoke. Very sweet nose

Smoke is much more prominent than the nose suggested and is accompanied by roast and sweet maple. Some bitter roast in the finish.

Medium body with next to no carbonation.

 

 

 

 

Came in 12 oz bottles and poured into a tulip glass. Smell of smokey maple was very strong . Flavors eliminated any boozy taste and finished with a dark chocolate taste. Was expecting a heavier taste but would not describe it as thin. Letting the other bottle age for a few months to see what happens.