Barrel Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter | Flying Dog Brewery

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

4.55/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

4.19/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

3.31/5  rDev -20%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Growler poured into a nonic style pint glass.

Dark brown like oil. Three quarters of an inch of solid, medium-brown foam sit on top. A sheet of micro-bubbles along with oily residue cascades down the side of the glass with every tilt.
Nose is moderate with nice aromas of vanilla, oak barrel, cola-like caramel and biscuit malt that carry through
in the flavor with some roasted malt and a small amount of woody hop flavor. Low to medium bitterness. Finishes with a little warmth.
Medium body with moderate to high carbonation. Smooth and a little creamy.
Get some.

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4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.01/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

3.81/5  rDev -8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

3.89/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

On further review. Following another draught 8oz snifter at the Brass Tap here in Baltimore, I've revised my original ratings in a uniformly upward direction. Still NOT my favorite barrel-aged imperial porter, but definitely better than my original impression.

Could this just be a difference in the 2017 & 2018 "editions"?

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4.07/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

4.65/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75

4.19/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.14/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

4.14/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

5/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

3.82/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Sipping beer. Strong teast with soft aroma. Unlike most. Good would not say great.

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3.68/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

4.49/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Spokeasy Public House

A: Pours basically black with a frothy light brown head that settles to a thin layer and leaves somelightlacing.

S: Nice bourbon and toffee, pine, roasted malt, dark chocolate, molasses, dried fruit, and a hint of alcohol.

T: Bourbon, toffee, and molasses fighting with a piney bitterness and a little char up front, some roasted malt, dark chocolate, fig, a hint of berries, oak, peppery spice, toasted bread, with a noticeable though not entirely unpleasant touch of alcohol.

M: Full body, moderate carbonation, noticeable alcohol but not harsh.

O: I've been hoping to try this one for a while. It's good fresh, but I would imagine that if it was given more time to mellow out it would be even better.

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3.45/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Really disappointing. Gonzo is fairly hoppy and the hoppiness was the predominant note in this version - more so than booze, barrel, vanilla, chocolate, sweetness, or anything else you'd expect with a barrel-aged stout/porter. Not very good.

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