Makin Memories Imperial Irish Coffee Stout
Ellison Brewery & Spirits

Pours a very dark brown, almost black with ample light brown head that dissipates leaving a ring around the surface of the glass. Aroma is heavy chocolate with a touch of coffee and malt, and a very faint metallic odor, possibly from the high ABV or some added artificial flavoring. Taste follows the nose. Deep creamy chocolate and syrup up front, then roasted malts and coffee comes into play. Dry finish, with a medium sweetness kicking back in. 12.5% ABV is well masked. Slight alcohol warming. The taste suffers from some chalky, metallic notes. There is some contradiction between the chocolate and coffee, which swirl around and play off each other in an interesting, but ultimately in harmonious juxtaposition. The mouthfeel is slightly watery. Overall it is good but had some flaws. I can easily imagine someone who doesn’t perceive the off kilter flavors finding it outstanding.

 

Surprisingly delicious, amazing, full-bodied imperial stout with a lot of depth and character. Pours a very nice deep dark black color that looks very opaque and has a little bit of nice tan head and spotty lacing. Smells richly of dark roast coffee, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, oak and a nice hit of whiskey. Taste follows the nose along with some good malt, roasted nuttiness and a faint hint of mint. Smooth, slightly thick creamy mouthfeel that coats the palate. Good amount of carbonation. Really very flavorful and easy to drink although this is definitely a beer that needs to be sipped slowly. Lots of warming alcohol as expected for the high ABV. An excellent offering from a great local brewery.

16 oz can from drunkenmess poured into large snifter.

Deep dark brown-black with a creamy beige head of 1 finger.

Aroma of spiked irish coffee, marachino cherries, hot caramel, and hot fudge topping.

Flavor brings the sweetness of vanilla and cream, then a rush of green pepper coffee and earthy hop bitterness. Dark toasted bread crusts. Black tea. Slight chai. Menthol/spearmint. The green pepper aspect comes back at the end in full force.

Feel is fantastically creamy and has a proper amount of carbonation for itself. Roasty dryness on the finish, mild to moderate warming alcohol. Definitely the highlight of the beer.

Overall a pretty decent but not completely stellar stout. The green pepper coffee throws the beer off kilter a bit, but I think with a different roaster or bean supplier this stout could be amazing.

Well, I just don't know. Makin' Memories is a pretty attractive pour, with a thick, roiling emollience and fizzing foam. A reasonable mint creme on the nose beside the coffee, but on the palate, it morphs into a more ashy menthol sharpness. Modest chocolate, good dark-roasted malts, enjoyable overall, but the Irish bit is off-putting, and I never quite get over it.

 

16 ounce can into snifter; no can dating, but is a recent release. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky khaki head with amazing retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Thick soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big nutty medium roast coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, coconut, cream, frosting, almonds, cake batter, and toasted dark/brown bread; with light notes of smoke, char, dark fruit, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts, coffee, lactose, spices, and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of huge nutty medium roast coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, coconut, cream, frosting, almonds, cake batter, and toasted dark/brown bread; with light notes of smoke, char, dark fruit, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/spicy hop and roast/char bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of nutty coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, coconut, cream, frosting, almonds, cake batter, toasted dark/brown bread, light smoke/char/dark fruit, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, coffee, lactose, spices, and light earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and zero acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from hop/char bitterness. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Mildly increasing warmth of 12.5%. Overall this is a fantastic dessert style imperial coffee stout! All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, coffee, lactose, spices, and light earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV. This tastes exactly like Tiramisu stout but richer, so probably the imperial version. Extremely rich malt complexity with great fruity/nutty coffee presence, and some lactose/spices to make it taste exactly like the dessert. Not overly sweet for a dessert stout, with solid lingering dryness. A highly enjoyable offering.

 

 

 

 

 

A - Pours black with a two finger tan head.

S - Aroma is dark roasted coffee and roasted malts.

T - The taste follows the aroma with dark roasted coffee, roasted malt and a nice lactose sweetness.

M- Heavy body with medium carbonation. Soft creamy mouthfeel with a dry finish.

O - This is everything you want out of an imperial coffee stout. The flavors are big and bold. Deceptively drinkable.