Caulfield - Not Just Plain Vanilla
Freigeist Bierkultur

 

Bottle shared by Radek, 500ml (?) into a snifter. Great porno label, I might add. A German imperial stout (wtf?) featuring sugar and rye. Suck it, Reinheitsgebot. Best before June 12, 2012 (so says the label).

Pours a syrupy black, with a tan head with a reddish tinge. Big legs, but is almost still for the most part. Nose of smokey rye, chocolate, light brown sugar. Dry for the better arpt with some slight charcoal character and a bit of alcohol. Taste has lots of chocolate and rye as the main feature, brown sugar, slight charcoal notes, some smoke, vanilla and hint of nuttiness. Mouthfeel is sticky and syrupy, but feels almost flat. Interesting and from Germany of all places.

Radeks bottle

Brown-black colour, tan head hangs around the edges. Smell is quite smoky, bittersweet chocolate and brown sugar are the biggest scents picked up, vanilla is quite subtle but is there. Taste is very smoky, vanilla more apparent in the taste, malty, chocolate notes come and go, faint alcohol is there as well as a charred earthiness. Very lightly carbonated, good feel, full weight. Nice stuff here, I cant believe this is german, quite enjoyed this.

Radek's bottle brought back from Germany. Someone who does notfollow the purity laws. Virtually no carbonation. This bottle noted only 8% a.b.v. Reddish black syrup, bittersweet chocolate. Above average mouthfeel. A good amount of smoke. Some smoke and chocolate in the nose.

375 ml bottle with freshness date March 2012, into 180 ml Chimay chalice. A high pour creates thin but well-formed tan head that fades to a lacey film atop of dark reddish-brown, semi-opaque body (translucent at the edges). The nose is esters of plum, prune and raisins, roasted malt with dominant chocolaty and minor coffeish qualities, caramel sweetness, solid vanilla notes, oak-wood, herbal and spicy hops, and evident alcohol. Very full bodied, viscous, almost chewy and smooth on the palate, with soft carbonation - one of the best mouthfeels I've ever came across in Imperial stout. Flavor is explicit, warming and somewhat hot alcohol, dark-fruit tartness, chocolate, vanilla and oak, finish is moderately sweet with lingering, quite aggressive hoppy bitterness, alcohol-warmth and mild coffeish roastiness.