Imperial Stout - Stranahan's 24mo BA
Kros Strain Brewing

16 ounce can into a tulip snifter. Had 8/29/24.

Pours near black and opaque, with a quarter inch quickly dissipating head of darker foam and some clinging darker foam. Aromas of roasted malt, whiskey, chocolate, some caramel and oak, light vanilla. The flavors are similar, but a little more barrel forward: whiskey, roasted malt, oak, chocolate, light vanilla and coffee. Has a smoky taste when warmed. Smooth, a little creamy, a very good full body, well carbonated.

Solid from top to bottom. Lots of roast and chocolate. The barrels are quite tasty- would have liked them to have a little more impact overall. Very enjoyable.

Pours an effervescent ebony with a thumb of mocha colored head. Average-ish head retention & lacing, fairly viscous

S: Rich boozy barrel, tons of figs & dates, fades some once warm

T: Follows the nose, some leafy hops, a touch of vanilla & dryness up front. Dark chocolate, a little caramel, whisky notes, leafy hops & figs as this beer warms up. Finishes with dark chocolate, a little vanilla & maple syrup & just a little whisky at the edges

MF: Medium/chewy body, dialed back carbonation, warming

Drinks great for the heft, great flavors

Imperial Stout Stranahan’s 24 Month from Kros Strain Brewing. Received from @bbtkd 27/03/25 in a LIF associated with BS BIF #2. 16 fl oz can. Reviewed 02/04/25 (Review 3490). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated can. Stored in at 39 degrees F at home: served at 54.8 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 61.5 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Amber-brown (SRM 18), nearly opaque.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, ruby at the bottom edge.
Head – Average (Maximum 1.9 cm, aggressive center pour), deep brown, high density, very short retention. Drops to a 0.1 – 0.2 cm brown bear ring and a thin island.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4.25 – Heavy dose of whiskey with chocolate overtones. No yeast, no malt, no hops, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4.25 – Begins sweet but not cloying, with whiskey and chocolate, some extremely weak “dark fruit.” No yeast, no hops, no roasted malt. No alcohol (13 % ABV, according to the label). No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Painful gastric burning.
Palate – 4 – Medium: more than watery, less than creamy: lively carbonation.
Style: Mostly follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.

Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for an undated personal container) The relatively thin body makes it seem more like a porter than a stout, possibly accentuating the uncomfortable gastric burn. Flavor and aroma are both OK but not up to the standard set by yesterday’s Double Barrel Imperial Stout. Overall, an OK but not great Imperial Stout.

Kros Strain Stranahan's 24mo Whiskey BA Imperial Stout, 13% ABV. Pours thick and black with a slight dark-brown head that left no lacing. Aroma is whiskey, malt, and chocolate. Taste follows, slightly sweet, faintly bitter. This has a very complex aroma and flavor I struggle to describe, which I suspect comes from the whiskey, and it's real nice. Excellent thick and sticky mouthfeel, overall outstanding.