Lateralus
Lupulin Brewing

16 ounce can, canned on 02/25/20. Bought this as a single a couple months ago. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch or so tan head that stuck around a while. There's also a good amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like dark fruit, roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee and some licorice. Taste is similar to the aroma but with a little more kick, and there's also some dark bread and earthy flavors noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's a bit slick and creamy with a moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this brew, wish I got to try it fresher but I have to say the age isn't a problem with it.

Well i'm at a professional convention in Columbus Ohio so i looked on reddit for some great places to buy singles. Palmer's beverage came up so i took a trip out there to see what it was like. I wasn't terribly impressed with their singles selection, there weren't many in fact, but i was able to grab this one for a mere $2.99, which if you ask me is a great deal for a beer that's 11% any day of the week. Can stamped 2/25/20 so this beer is 3 years old now. And now i'm sitting in my hotel room and there aren't any glasses so it looks like i'm drinking straight from the can. There goes any commentary about look whatsoever and hardly a trustworthy commentary on smell. Mostly i'm getting chocolate / brown sugar vibes from the tiny waft sauntering up through the tiny drinking hole in the top of the can. But let me at least comment on taste. Now that's a nice, well rounded straightforward stout. Chocolate, coffee, roast, char, all get to work on my tongue. No adjuncts to speak of so nothing is coloring the beer other than what belongs in an honest-to-god stout. Mouthfeel is medium to thick and light carbonation. Overall, a pleasing drink and quite delicious on this cold February night. Cheers!

A completely adjunct free stout. Did not know Lupulin knew they could do that. 16oz can with a date of 02/25/20 so it has a couple years on it already. Dry, bitter, smoky, with notes of licorice, coffee, and chocolate. The alcohol is well hidden or has mellowed since canning. Looks great and has a good body and carbonation.

 

 

Single 16 oz. can. Split with my wife. Watching Twins. Anticipating drinking lots tonight.

Black. Head collapses quicker than the truth of a KellyAnn Conway statement. Smells pretty good, malt & chocolate, but quiet.

Lateralus is German for “old school”. This has a distinct bitterness that was prevalent in stouts ten year ago, either through aggressive hopping or cocoa nibs that carried that gene. Coconut nips mid-palate, touch of ash & roast. Vanilla on the label is MIA. As full as the ABV suggests, but this is weirdly drinkable, a big stout that one could tipple while manning the grill or sunbathing nude on the deck.

I am strangely indifferent to this beer. Good?

Canned on 2/25/20. 16oz can poured into a tulip. Pours black with a creamy dark khaki head that falls slowly leaving great thick retention and sticky lacing. The aromas are malt forward along with some chocolate. The aromas aren't anything too crazy, but it still smells nice. The flavors basically follow the nose, but are bolder. Lots of chocolate. Nice blend of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate syrup and fudge. Some molasses. Hints of wood and oak. Mild hints of dark fruits. Lots of berry notes coming through as it warms. There's a stickiness going on. Subtle sweetness along with a subtle bitterness. Some hops in the mix. Solid malt backbone. Mild warmth in the finish, but the alcohol is ultimately well hidden. Mouthfeel is full-bodied with moderate carbonation. It's very fluffy, creamy, thick and smooth. Although this is a somewhat big stout, it's still ultimately dangerously drinkable.

This is a solid imperial stout. It might not be anything too crazy, but it's still pretty nice. It's big, bold, enjoyable and fun to drink. Not bad at all. I do like it.

 

Poured from a can into a tulip, while thinking of Tool.

Pours...damn. And hell. And Jesus Mary and Joseph. Viscous, inky black and opaque with a head for which the term "dark tan" doesn't do adequate justice. This is a thick, motor-oil viscous, dark as evil brew. I'll have to consult the official list to be sure, but this brew almost has to be in my personal "top five" for "look" on an imperial stout. If they all looked like this...

The aromas are initially a bit elusive, as this brew is remarkably restrained on the nose; although it improves and opens as it warms, as expected. Roasted malts, faint coffee, and touches of chocolate. Still, even at its maximum drinking temp it's fairly tame albeit pleasant in the nose department.

The brew is definitely up a notch on the flavor. It hits the tongue with roasted and caramel malts providing a sweet as well as an ashy/smoky counterpoint. In midstream, some dark fruits, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cola, leather, tobacco, and brown sugar all join the party. The close of the quaff is warmed with booze and tinged with faint hopped bitterness. The first few sips made me wonder if the residual sugar was a bit high, but that isn't the case at all, even if it shades a bit sweet.

The brew is definitely full bodied, but not sticky. It has a drying ashy finish that helps offset the semi-sweet flavor. And the carbonation is solid and suggests some good attenuation.

This is a very well-done AIS that is nearly dry enough to be an RIS, although the hop and sugar notes keep in on this side of the pond for sure.