Dry, Bitter Imperial Stouts

This one pushes all the right buttons for me. It has tons of burnt-coffee bitterness, notes of cocoa, molasses, and licorice, and an ABV that's so well camouflaged that you could drink it all day. Not that I ever would...

 

I bet they would go 25 years just fine. I really need to find a Netherlands hookup

 

Great Divide Yeti.

 

Storm King and Old Rasputin are the two that pop out in my mind.

 

Winchester Big Schloss comes to mind (pretty sure this is non adjuncted... may have cacao)

 

A lot of these here dont fall into the category OP was asking about including my suggestion ( Spencer )

I think dude would like Old No 38 or any dry Irish stout but those lack bitterness .

Tupps Full Grown Beast is something i suggest. i know you dont want coffee but that really helps the bitterness and the cocoa nibs help

 

Samuel Smith Imperial Stout is my personal favorite.
It's not brutally bitter, so may not be your thing.
It's freaking delicious though.

 

Samuel Smith Imperial Stout was my introduction to the Russian Imperial Stout beer style back in 1998 when I was getting into craft beer. I recall my friend who poured my first Samuel Smith Russian Stout warning me about its taste, "As a new craft beer drinker, you might think it tastes like burnt rope!" For a 7% ABV beer, this beer has a lot of flavor.

 

Seconding Victory Storm King.

 

I don't hold on to much beer, but, for whatever reason, I have a bottle of Storm King in my basement that's easily over ten years old. Wonder how bitter and dry it is now?

 

If your basement acts as a reasonable cellar I would actually guess the bitterness fades and some sweetness comes out. I’ve never aged SK before but some other bitter stouts like Founders RIS I have certainly observed that to be the case with age.

 

Highly doubt any beer with hazelnut qualifies in this thread , but the other ones they make , either Spear or the whachumakallit , might .

 

The Whatchamacallit is probably the greatest candy bar of all time. At the very least it’s the most underrated.