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Imperial Black Mocha Stout
Highland Brewing
- From:
- Highland Brewing
- North Carolina, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 9.5%
- Score:
- 90
- Avg:
- 4.04 | pDev: 9.41%
- Reviews:
- 111
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 01, 2017
- Added:
- Sep 21, 2008
- Wants:
- 41
- Gots:
- 16
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia
3.31/5 rDev -18.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.31/5 rDev -18.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
"The next brew in our renowned Imperial line, this hearty stout is rich with coffee and chocolate notes, all achieved solely through the use of special roasted barley grains. The complex malt character blends the velvety sweetness of specialty grains with the creaminess of a classic stout. No flavorings have been added to this product." Brewed in the style of an American Imperial Stout. This was a one-off brew introduced in 2008, and is still available in select markets in Athens, Georgia. Available in 22 oz. bottles and previously limited draft.
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass. Served above 54º Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a mocha brown head of a crisp, creamy appearance that quickly subsides. Body tone is dark brown near black. Retention is below average, lacing is nonexistent. 3
(Smell) 6 years of storage may have sharply impacted the aroma and flavor of this beer. Moderate roasted malts and a dash of muted cocoa give way to bold fruit notes of figs and raisins, as well as a bit of tartness and funk that are gaining ground. Not a lot of depth nor complexity is to be found in the aroma, and the chocolate, roasted malts and especially coffee have all long been diminishing. Potency is medium. 3.25
(Taste) Up front a thin, yeasty fruit profile of raisins transitions into a pronounced heavy roasted malt and charred wood finish, both very bold and unwavering despite the age of this beer. Not a lot of residual sweetness remains to balance the specialty grains, and neither chocolate nor coffee make a notable appearance in the flavor. Any previous hop presence is nullified entirely. Ultimately the greatest undoing in the flavor is the lack of sweetness to compliment the body which creates an unmistakable imbalance and generates a much lower drinkability. 3.25
(Mouthfeel) Texture is thin, oily, mildly roasty. Carbonation is soft, adds some slight froth and a bit of creaminess but doesn't influence the texture much. Body is medium for an American Imperial Stout, medium/heavy overall. Alcohol presence is medium. As before mentioned, the imbalance of sweetness to body lowers drinkability and suggests that the yeast in this bottle have fermented a bit too long for the beer's own good. 3.5
(Overall) My recommendation for any potential buyers of this fairly old beer: don't go for it. While certainly at one point a great and tasty stout, 6 years has done it in. My hopes are that Highland rereleases this beer at a later date, so I can enjoy it's full potential. For the record, I could not legally drink in 2008 so there is no way I could have enjoyed this vintage "fresh". 3.5
Highland Brewing Company's
Imperial Black Mocha Stout
3.31/5.00
Mar 19, 2014Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass. Served above 54º Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a mocha brown head of a crisp, creamy appearance that quickly subsides. Body tone is dark brown near black. Retention is below average, lacing is nonexistent. 3
(Smell) 6 years of storage may have sharply impacted the aroma and flavor of this beer. Moderate roasted malts and a dash of muted cocoa give way to bold fruit notes of figs and raisins, as well as a bit of tartness and funk that are gaining ground. Not a lot of depth nor complexity is to be found in the aroma, and the chocolate, roasted malts and especially coffee have all long been diminishing. Potency is medium. 3.25
(Taste) Up front a thin, yeasty fruit profile of raisins transitions into a pronounced heavy roasted malt and charred wood finish, both very bold and unwavering despite the age of this beer. Not a lot of residual sweetness remains to balance the specialty grains, and neither chocolate nor coffee make a notable appearance in the flavor. Any previous hop presence is nullified entirely. Ultimately the greatest undoing in the flavor is the lack of sweetness to compliment the body which creates an unmistakable imbalance and generates a much lower drinkability. 3.25
(Mouthfeel) Texture is thin, oily, mildly roasty. Carbonation is soft, adds some slight froth and a bit of creaminess but doesn't influence the texture much. Body is medium for an American Imperial Stout, medium/heavy overall. Alcohol presence is medium. As before mentioned, the imbalance of sweetness to body lowers drinkability and suggests that the yeast in this bottle have fermented a bit too long for the beer's own good. 3.5
(Overall) My recommendation for any potential buyers of this fairly old beer: don't go for it. While certainly at one point a great and tasty stout, 6 years has done it in. My hopes are that Highland rereleases this beer at a later date, so I can enjoy it's full potential. For the record, I could not legally drink in 2008 so there is no way I could have enjoyed this vintage "fresh". 3.5
Highland Brewing Company's
Imperial Black Mocha Stout
3.31/5.00
Imperial Black Mocha Stout from Highland Brewing
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
137 ratings
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