Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit
Mikerphone Brewing

clayrock81 from Florida

4.08/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured a black body with large khaki head and minimal lace around glass. Aroma is mostly maple syrup with roasted coffee notes underneath it. A dry, roasted coffee beer that is thick and slightly sticky with well-hidden booze. The coffee aspects are balanced with a strong maple syrup stickiness that ends overtaking the coffee on finish as beer finishes slightly sweet.

Oct 09, 2020

stevoj from Idaho

4/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz can from Tavour. Black and flat, still. Aroma is coffee, accents of maple, roast malts. Taste is more coffee, sweetness, maple syrup. Finishes with coffee bitterness. Sticky, mouth coating.

Oct 05, 2020

brewskis from Indiana

4.34/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours pitch black with some viscosity. Produces a finger of a creamy dark mocha head that sticks around for a bit and leaves behind a thick ring of lacing.

Aroma hits you with rich maple syrup and dark gourmet coffee. As you dive in deeper, you come across some coffee acidity, dark berry, dark chocolate, bittersweet chocolate chip, roasted malt, caramel, slight vanilla, and brown sugar. The roast of the base stout and coffee balances out the maple sweetness nicely.

Taste follows the aroma well. Layers of maple syrup are there throughout, but the Sumatra coffee, which is a bold and dark blend, balances it out wonderfully to where the beer never gets too sweet. Roasted malt, coffee acidity, and dark chocolate also contribute to this balance. The sweetness is not only coming from the maple, but notes of caramel and brown sugar contribute as well. As it warms, layers of fudge brownie and bittersweet chocolate chip emerge. Tastes like chocolate chip pancakes with butter and maple syrup with a side cup of coffee.

High medium body. Coats the palate. Creamy, silky, slick, oily. Carbonation cuts through a bit.

Whenever I come across this beer or it’s variants, I typically pull the trigger. Just an outstanding breakfast stout that has depth, complexity, and balance. It never gets too sweet with the maple, which can be an issue for beers like this. Really well done.

Oct 03, 2020

firesidewithphil from Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

The Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit trio starts off with the original. This one is best described as a maple coated espresso bean. You smell waffles and I believe this is the definition of a true breakfast stout. Add some toast and coffee and you are good to go.

IG: @firesidewithphil

Aug 23, 2020

kevanb from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle, undated but presumed fresh, poured into a stemless wine glass.

The beer pours out with a thick and viscous texture, jet black with a finger of khaki head that has moderate retention, little lacing but a nice ring appears around the circumference of the glass easily resummoning the aromatic head. The aroma is quite pleasant, lovely coffee roast, rich and decadent with a nice fruity acidity that brings out layers of dark chocolate, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, caramel and stone fruits with a hearty dark grain character as well. The flavors are lovely, massive focus on the adjuncts, excellent rich maple character, tons and tons of coffee, nicely roasted with a smooth and creamy cold brew flavor that accentuates the brownie batter chocolate flavors in the beer while the grains are more toasty and forward while a nice dark fruit and caramel finish lingers. The mouthfeel is great, coating, creamy, super smooth and rich medium body, not too heavy but just enough heft with a lightly dry finish.

Verdict: A very good adjunct forward stout from Mikerphone. Tons of maple, tons of coffee as advertised but it's all resting atop an excellent roasty stout base that is super smooth and drinkable.

Jul 02, 2020

mushroomcloud from Texas

4.71/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

25.4oz bottle with no visible date - 10% abv. Opened 5-17-20.
Review #1,000.
Short lived mocha head on a jet black imperial stout.
The head settles in as a thin ring and leaves some wispy, spotty lacing.
Rich maple and chocolate fudge nose.
Coffee is a supporting aroma - smooth, bold bean and maybe a chicory root note.
Some high tone booze under all other aromas.
Chocolate - bitter dark but also fudge and also dry cocoa powder all at the same time! Maple and molasses. Coffee, similar to the aroma, isn't dominant but plays a great supporting role. Chicory root-like bitterness is a good foil for the maple sweetness. Great fudge brownie like flavor that I'm enjoying.
Full body with a smooth, velvety mouthfeel. There's heat from the 10% - perceptible but minimal. Rich, semi-sweet long finish. Delicious and very easy to drink even at a high abv.
Outstanding to World Class.

May 17, 2020

BourbonForBeer from Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It's incredible, very very tasty. Great coffee with maple syrup, the smell is incredible! One of my favorite beers, similar to KBBS but a different maple spectrum. (imo) it's a must try, great fresh or with a few months of age on it. It's all around great!

May 13, 2020

Bshaw22 from Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

If you like maple syrup this is your jam.
Big maple all over. Nice brown head. Flavor has very little imperial stout character.
Lots of coffee and maple. Easy to drink for what it is.
Split the bottle 3 ways. That’s about all I need

Apr 18, 2020

thebeers from Pennsylvania

4.17/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a rich, chocolatey color that’s very close to black with two fingers of dark mocha foam head. Solid retention for the ABV, but minimal lacing.

Big maple in the aroma with clear chocolate and coffee as well. Hints of chicory, gentian root and cherry cola if you really study it, as well as a whiff of alcohol.

The taste follows fairly closely with chocolate, maple, coffee, slightly-ashy / charred wood, and some hidden depth from root-like flavors. It has a very nice sweet maple finish with just a little coffee bitterness for balance.

Relatively full bodied and creamy, without going over the top, coupled with some fizzy carbonation just cutting through.

This is one of the more maple-forward beers I’ve had, but the slight char, as well as the coffee, provide a great balance that keep it enjoyable throughout.

Sep 22, 2019

maximum12 from Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the first Mikerphone beer that’s shown up on the MN/WI border that I’ve seen. Jazzed to take up this 12 oz. can & knock another brew off my wants list.

Black & sweaty, with a head that’s shy & doesn’t last long. Nose is a short cup of coffee with a liberal addition of maple syrup & brown sugar. Not bad.

Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit tastes like breakfast in Mac’s Café in Bagley, MN. Prominent roast is mixed evenly with rich, sweet maple syrup to create an experience that whispers “breakfast” silkily into one’s ear. In addition there’s an exquisite creaminess that leaks lactose & vanilla, with a depth to the rich malt that’s hard to fathom (hahaha!). So drinkyble.

This is, if I may double up on a word used previously, exquisite. The maple is masterfully woven into the roast & malt. The bottom line is that now I want to try every variant of this. Magnificent beer.

May 28, 2019

SD-Alefan from South Dakota

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep brown with a plentiful dark tan, rocky head that slowly fades.
Aroma is roast coffee, maple syrup and chocolate.
Roast coffee leads this flavor parade, nicely balanced by the maple syrup. Chocolate and a touch of vanilla follow.
Creamy and thick. A few specks of congealed something (syrup?) in the bottom of the can. Excellent!

May 26, 2019

GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Batch #2. Bottled 7/5/16; drank 7/8/16 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown appearance.

A rough pour yielded a small, noisy dark khaki head; almost no lace.

Maple syrup, dark roast coffee bean & milk chocolate notes in the nose. Bold!

Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Bitter black coffee & milk chocolate flavors up front; maple syrup & faint booze heat notes on the finish.

Dark yet sweet; a touch boozy. A bit over-the-top this fresh but still enjoyable.

Apr 15, 2019

jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

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

A - Pitch black oil colored pour with soapy caramel colored lacing.

S - Pungent coffee bean, dark roast chocolate char, and maple.

T - Light coffee bean, dark chocolate char, light smoke, roasted caramel on the backside.

M - Big medium body to light heavy body. Sticky on the lips. Nice lingering chocolate char.

O - Very nice beer!

Dec 15, 2018

TheBrewsky from California

4.52/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

L: Pours pitch black with motor oil-like viscosity. Small tan ring formation around perimeter of glass. Minimal lacing. The ring is maintain though, which looks satisfying with the contrast of the black content.
S: Perhaps the most maple forward beer I've smelled yet. So much maple. Apart from maple, coffee comes in second which is also in abundance. Molasses and malts present as well.
T: Coffee and chocolate forward. Maple isn't as strong in flavor as it is in smell, but it is present on the finish and in after taste. A lot of chocolate and coffee character. As it warms, the maple comes through even more, making its presence throughout entirety of flavor. Very nice.
F: Heavy in body and feel with moderate carbonation. I am drinking a bottle that has been opened for a bit, but I am liking where its sitting right now. Not quite syrupy slick feel but does have mouthcoating properties.
O: An amazing stout that is worthy of a try. The amount of maple is awesome. I am very grateful to have tried and would gladly drink again (or recommend). Cheers!

Nov 01, 2018

brentk56 from North Carolina

4.41/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Arrives fudge colored with a tan head that leaves a few strands

Smell: Dark chocolate, coffee and maple tones

Taste: Dark chocolate and maple forward with robust coffee tones emerging and adding balance, to the middle; a hint of molasses arrives in the finish

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation

Overall: A well-crafted breakfast stout with a great coffee burst

Sep 29, 2018

StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

a really incredible imperial stout with coffee and maple syrup, one of the better beers i have had from these guys, but lets be honest, i like pretty much everything they do. i was excited to see this one on the menu when i visited, a really robustly flavored stout even without the additives, rich and creamy, full bodied and roasty, with a ton of depth and roast character and the right amount of booze, enormous feeling and intimidating too without being sweet. the coffee and maple of course set it off, a really prominent and natural maple syrup complexion, woodsy and the right amount of sweet still, i can taste it right there with the dark barley, impressively forward in such a strongly flavored beer. the coffee tastes fresh too, probably more so than it would if this spent any kind of time in a barrel, and i like the sort of just brewed nature of it in here. the combination of the two is sensational, silky and dark and sexy, like something that should be poured over ice cream, breakfasty but also midnighty, deep and complex and so smooth. huge body, hints of sweet tobacco and charcoal, teasing molasses and licorice too, there is a lot to unpack in the grain here. bold with the added ingredients, but this base beer is big and sound enough to handle that. this is exquisite and i would love to try the barrel aged version, although i fear it may come at the expense of the coffee...

Jun 04, 2018

stortore from Illinois

4.31/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle into a snifter. Had 3/16/18.

Pours a very dark brown, opaque and thick looking, with a one inch head of darker foam and some darker soapy lacing. Smells great. Aromas of maple, dark roast coffee, malt, some caramel and vanilla, cocoa, light chocolate. The taste pretty much follows along- coffee, malt, maple- less than the nose, caramel, vanilla, some chocolate, light molasses. Smooth, creamy, a solid full body, well carbonated.

The add- ins are really expressive, especially in the aroma, and the flavors mesh very well. Great coffee, too. Well worth a purchase.

Apr 16, 2018

Vidblain from Minnesota

4.02/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Batch 4. The maple has faded from this one - the coffee is the predominant adjunct now, and it has some bitterness and acidity to it (I got a bit of green pepper). Time for Tums. There is a slight dryness to the beer that I don't remember when it was fresh.

I wouldn't sit on these bottles - they don't seem destined to age all that well.

Feb 04, 2018

REVZEB from Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap. I can see why everyone in Chicagoland is going gaga over the variants, because this as the base beer is mind-blowing. The smell is almost perfect, with warm maple, coffee, malt and molasses leading. The taste is coffee forward, it just dances beautifully on the palate, and very very rich with maple and chocolate malt complementing. Feel like I will get gout after drinking this! The feel is robust and super creamy. Would love to try some other iterations of this one!

Nov 30, 2017

gibgink from Missouri

4.47/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours more brown than black. Loved the aroma. Huge vanilla goodness mixed with a hint of maple background. Muted flavors of vanilla and coffee and just a smidge of maple at the end. I really enjoyed the brew.

Sep 17, 2017

eppie82 from Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From bottle into chalice. Pitch black color with no foam head upon pour. Loads of coffee on the nose, which follows into the taste, but with a good bit of maple coming at the end. Nice sticky mouthfeel. A very solid non-BA imperial stout.

Aug 23, 2017

Stevedore from Oregon

4.49/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 029, 750ml blue-capped bottle served in a snifter glass.

Pours a dark black body, one finger mocha head, good retention, medium collar, bits of lacing. Smell is maple, coffee and milk chocolate. The coffee is more mellow and imparts more of a dark fruit and cacao more than roast, it’s certainly not acrid or burnt like some coffee beers can be. The maple is all there, and reminds me a lot of old school Mornin’ Delight. Flavour is perfectly balanced rich maple syrup sweetness that is ever present, milk chocolate, coffee being there but not overpowering, light cocoa powder, mild earthy bitterness on the finish probably from the coffee. Mouthfeel is medium-fuller bodied, good carbonation, substantial, with a lingering maple sweetness. An overall excellent maple coffee stout with the body to stand up to the adjuncts. The maple is nicely executed and remains prominent the entire time from the sip to swallow. It reminds me a lot of what Mornin’ Delight has been in the past, and in some ways, equals it.

Jul 02, 2017

bennyman12 from Missouri

4.47/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

On tap at criderfest. Best beer of the fest? Buddy correct to name it best stout, best new beer. Idk. It's pretty good. Buddy notes deliciousness. "Not too syrupy, but a warm buttery pancake feel. Super sweet but that's ok." I agree. Wow. So much better than kbs. A little more yeasty than I like--not so clean an aftertaste. A little more maturation would have helped, but we're nitpicking. And I say that as a guy whose kids may have lice. I'm going to keep drinking now. Buddy: "tastes so good to drink tho."

Jun 24, 2017

jimmycoulas from Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Look: Jet black pour with slight lacing with a very thin tan head.
Smell: Vermont Maple Syrup and coffee dominate.
Taste: Maple syrup sweetness and incredible coffee flavor take over my taste buds. As the beer warms up the coffee becomes even more pronounced.
Feel: I thought the body was a little on the lighter side, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this terrific stout.

Jun 12, 2017

Sabtos from Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Black with a short tan froth.

Tons of coffee fills the nose with smoky maple, roasty charred malt and wafer.

Taste is chocolate, maple and just tons of coffee, including whole bean, with a thick, chewy but slick feel. But sticky, cloyingly sweet.

May 20, 2017