Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

Interesting, my memory of it was much closer to obsidian stout or a less hoppy Sierra Nevada stout. I may have to revisit it if I can find it around.

 

This actually reminds me of cafe deth. Not as good, but a similar profile. I’m definitely looking forward to the base version

 

@Resistance88 i had to do a taste test on the Zebulon beer we discussed yesterday and i believe this passes Tomas' standards!
Excerpt from my review today:
Tastes is a malt base that is fairly heavily roasted and has absorbed a nice touch of the barrel. Malt base is giving me a cocoa powder profile. Finishes well balanced with the barrel support as this is not heavily hopped. Funny thing is that the vanilla beans are so subtle i am not getting a distinct flavor but rather, a touch of sweetness to balance out the roastiness.
Overall 4.32.
Cheers!
Tom

 

Willettized. Cheers!

 

another solid BM from Voodoo. this one’s aged in George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey barrels. cheers!!

 

I am usually against cellaring beer. Drink fresh. Some beers may be better for my palate with some age, but most do not improve for my tastes. This fall I sampled the French Toast Bastard by Founders and conclude it may be a rare exception for me. I think the edge coming off the flavor will likely improve the beer.

Another Founders beer - Curmudgeon's Better Half - I hated that beer when it came out and pushed two bottles to my coolerator Siberia for two years. I came across one after aging, said what the hell and cracked it open. An amazing change making that old ale a fantastic beer.

The beloved Willetized certainly is delicious with age, but to my estimation it does not improve with age. Loss of barrel just doesn’t make it better. As always, YMMV.

 

To paraphrase each of you, if I buy something and choose to age it because I feel it will improve; that is on me. I do not expect to pay nearly a dollar an ounce for a 14 month old beer without being informed prior. That is bad business. Cheers.

 

You're not the rowan berry and smoked malt guy?! Shit.

 

Good day BAs! Off to a snowy start today and gots a repeat brew from the BA Extreme Stout box:



Even though I'd reviewed this back in March 2018, I decided to re-review it this morning, just because!

Updated review 26/01/23
Ten Fidy Bourbon Barrel Aged from Oskar Blues. 12 oz can. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Received in Beer Advocate Extreme Stout Box 2022 - $158.99 (Including tax and shipping) for the box containing 168 total oz of beer ($ 0.946/oz). Re-reviewed 26/01/23. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on bottom of can “??HH?? 0? 11/12/22 ? “?2 ??0 ?43 OIL ??? YER EFF THE FIDY”. Served at 58.2 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 62.4 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Ruby Brown (SRM 24), barely translucent.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, still opaque with light penetration at only the edges, ruby.
Head – Large (Maximum 4.2 cm, aggressive center pour), buff, medium density with many rocks, average retention, dropping to an undulating 1.0 -1.4 cm crown fed by spotty carbonation, and a thin, rocky cap. An irregular halo of bubbles remains on the glass above the crown
Lacing – Poor – some broken bands of various size bubbles hang on the inside of the glass.
Aroma – 4.25 – Roasted malt and chocolate with some bourbon in the background. No hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4.25 – Roasted malt forward with a weak bourbon aftertaste, no hops, no yeast. No ethanol (13.8 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Mild gastric warming which just edges into the uncomfortable range. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Ends weakly sweet.
Palate – 4 – Medium, short of creamy, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Decent BBA Impy stout but not impressive. The basic tastes of roasted malt and bourbon come through, but not any barrel oakiness – pretty much a two-trick beer. At $4 a can, it’d be good; at $11.35 a can, not so much.
New rating 4.21, rDev -5.8%

Original review 26/03/18
Received in a ninja box from @Dragginballs76 – Thanks Michael!
“Canned on 11/7/17” printed on the bottom of the can. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 45 degrees in a hand-washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.5.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque.
Head – Large (Maximum 7.3 cm, aggressive center pour), brown, medium density with rocks, slooowly diminishing to a four mm ring and layer. Head retraction leaves open curtain lacing.
Lacing – Wide complete rings of tiny to small bubbles.
First pour – Dark brown, clear.
Aroma – 4 – Strong chocolate fudge, slight amount of bourbon. After head retraction, a bit of wood appears.
Flavor – 4.25 – Tastes like bourbon barrel aged chocolate with some alcohol slipping in at the end. I’m not picking up the vanilla or coffee others have mentioned. Definitely no hop taste. No diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 4 - Full, creamy, soft carbonation.
Impression and summation – 4.25 – This is almost too much of a good thing – the term “decadent” has been thrown around when describing this fluid and that seems to be accurate. This is almost too rich and chocolatey to enjoy. The alcohol is barely noticeable. I’m glad I tried it – it never got to my area so without Mike I probably never would have – thanks again!
Rating 4.18, rDev -6.7%.

So... Basically the same review nearly five years later.

 

Headed to San Diego in April. Based on lists here stout wise seems like the best options are Alesmith and, if paraboloid and Parabajava survive, getting those shipped while I'm there to me. I've only had Parabola by firestone and Monkee so wondering how the coffee is holding up at this point. I assume the double barrel version is just fine to make it to spring without dropping off. Otherwise I assume every few months Alesmith puts out a special speedway like the Vietnamese coffee? (normally i can get regular speedway in NJ area)
Thanks for any input.