The Grim Reaper
General Lafayette Inn & Brewery

A dark, near black pour, minimal khaki head, leaving little lacing. Smell is of dark roasted coffee, bitter baking chocolate, faint notes of spice, nuts and muddled hop notes. Taste is a rather mild concotion of the noted scents with a noticable spicy and earthy hop presence, lacking in the way of bitterness or dark fruits that ive come to expect in an RIS. Full bodied, smooth, no aftertaste. A decent beer that lacks the oomph of a traditional RIS... maybe its just an imperial stout?

I heard about this beer and was told it's a must try. Well, I guess I have to try it then. Nice pour into a tulip glass from the man himself, thanks Chris.

Grim Reaper is a black beast, that's for sure. No brown spots when blinded by the light, just black like my 'little black dog'. On top a smidge of beige /tan foam that does not stick to the glass and dies, but can be brought back with a swirl.

Reaper smells like a RIS, although it's kinda muted compared to other big rizzes, I guess because it's not huge in alcohol as this is on the low side of ABV content for the style. Smells of baker's chocolate, tootsie rolls, roasted malts and some vanilla rounding out the herd. Kinda smells like Kate to me.

Grim is good, no wait grim is great, and as I type this and it warms grim is superb. This is what a RIS is all about. Everything here is greatly balanced, an excellent juggling act. Choclate and roasted malt blend together followed by a coffee shot of espresso, rounded out by some dark fruit and some tootsie roll in the finish. I did not pick up any alcohol.

I'm going to be short with the feel on this because it is perfect, not to thin, not to thick. The low ABV creates a slight warming effect, but does not come out of the bag. I am amazed.

Im kinda out on big RIS as of the moment but this was a treat and it did not kick my ass, although if I had another that would change. This was too drinkable and im glad it's out of retirement, or maybe it was a cellared keg, I don't know. Good stuff, that's not scary.

On tap at the gen.

A- came to me with a nice finger or so of coffee colored creamy head that slowly settles to a simple ring and some floating islands of foam.

S- tons of coffee and dark bakers chocolate. Layers of deep roasted malts and oaky woodiness.

T- wow the depth of complexity is astonishing. Dark roasted espresso and bakers chocolate. Hint of spice, anise, and cocoa powder. Molasses and a spot of vanilla.

M- perfect can that be. Its full bodied and a ample carb that carries this brew to all the right spots. Nice long linger and I want it I need it.

D- christ this is the tits. Super drinkable. Tons of flavor and no hint of the abv. This is why fresh beer is where its at. Thanks to the fine folks at gen laf. This is why local is where its at.

Serving Type: On Tap @ General Lafayette Inn & Brewery

Look: Pitch black, with a dark brown head, and good lacing

Smell: Chocolate, coffee, and molasses

Taste: Up Front: Chocolate, malt. Finish: Dark fruit, espresso

Mouthfeel: Full body - thick & creamy with low/medium carbonation

Drinkability: It was rich, yet smooth, and it went down easy

Overall Impression: This English Style R.I.S. went over well with ReRe The Dark Beer Goddezz and I. In fact, she stole my my first one and went back for seconds - hahaha!!! It doesn't get much better than this mortalz!

I grabbed a bottle of this off the vintage menu at the General with the little lady, NolanGTI and Mrs. GTI.

This beer looked dark, dark brown at a glance, but what blew me (us) away was the colors that crept in along the sides. There was an absolutely beautiful dark red plumb that snuck in the shallower places in the half-pint snifter that faded to a delicate caramel color towards the very edge of the glass. The head was a slightly rusty tan that replenished itself with a swirl. This is clearly one of the most beautiful beers I’ve ever seen.

Smells of a big sticky barley that has the freshness of a freshly snapped twig. There’s also a bit of molasses that fades to a distinct aromatic alcohol that’s accompanied by a slight medicinal quality that fades nicely into the gooey barley. I think another year would take the edge off this marvel.

Tastes of the same fresh, organic, roasted barley that surprisingly transitions into a plumb and red grape fruity sweetness. The ride ends by turning to a slightly sour coffee. Very nice. Great dynamics here.

The mouth feel is surprisingly light and easy and also surprisingly clean. The finish leaves my mouth surprisingly dry considering the flavors here and what I anticipated they would leave me with.

Very nice. I highly recommend this one split between a few beer lovers if you find yourself at the General with a craving for one of Chris’s vintage beauties.

This beer kicks A55! I love a good Imperial Stout and this one does not disappoint. A dark deep black with a creamy head. First sip had extreme malt and burnt chocolate. As you continue you get dates, coffee, and oak. This was a great companion to the cheese and meats plate.

Appears a midnite black with a 1 finger dark tan head. Scattered lacing is left around the interior of the pint glass...they must've ran out of tulip glasses.
Smell is of dark chocolate malt with some bitter cocoa powder, roasted nuts, a touch of coffee, and a nice blast of minty hops.
Taste is up there with the some of the best Imperial Stouts. I would put this in contention with Storm King anyday.
Mouthfeel is full bodied, roasty, and bitter sweet with some bitterness that is just right.

Midnight dark pour of jet buh-lack into the glass (14 oz due to 8.8% ABV) topped with a thick light brownish beige headcap. Scents of roasted malts with cocoa.

First swigs: Cocoa front with smooth chocolate and roasted malts. Smooth cookie dough balance. Smooth and thick as all get out. Thock full bodied with dense carbonation. Went back way too fast but I couldn't help it. This is a solid flavorful Impy.

Pours a deep very, very, dark brown -- not black. Still, for all intents and purposes, this is close enough. Small mocha ring of bubbles show that a head was at least considered here.

Smell is deep burnt almonds, roasted barley, dark chocolate, and definate espresso notes. Deep aroma, but clean.

Taste is an excellent balance between sweet, deep dark chocolate malt, and crisp, cracking bitterness. Don't be fooled though, this IS a General beer. Malt is the star here, and hops their dutiful manservant. As far as the RIS style goes, this is much more in the British style, as opposed to the American. There is an exceeding smoothness to this, and a depth of flavor that belies the relatively low (for the style) ABV. No alcohol heat to be found on the finish, as it is clean and reasonably dry.

Mouthfeel is nice, allowing the stout to sit on the tongue, but keeping things from getting too heavy.

Drinkability is quite good -- I could have had a pint or two more (and I probably should have).

Excellent stuff from Chris Leonard -- get your face in the place to try some.

The Grim Reaper is assertively bitter and very dry... how appropriate! Its body is colored black as death, and its thin, still, head is a dark tan. The traditional "burnt-currant" aroma greets you in the nose along with black coffee and some more lively espresso (at least it doesn't smell like death!!!). It's slick in the mouth, medium-full but not dextrinous (the bone but not the meat...), and oily smooth but not really creamy... again, ... as the name implies. The flavor is a solid, impervious wall of burnt black coffee and heavy espresso; bold, berry-like fruit; dark malt acidity; and bitterness. The alcohol is occassionally noticeable, but for the most part it keeps to the shadows; and it finishes bone-dry with a lingering roastiness, bitterness, and some occassional hits of berry. It's unique, and for that it deserves more attention than it might normally get!