Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

Well, I do work with some really sick people. Either all of them, or maybe just me, and I can attest that Loki works most days.

Regardless, that is a nice mask. Thanks for the backstory.

 

Enjoying an Upland Teddy Bear Kisses courtesy of former BA BMBCLT. I don't know what he did to earn a very long time out but miss having him in our forums. And a very generous trading partner to boot!
Anyway, was not expecting much from this brew but man this hits the RIS style very well. Was expecting a cocoa bomb but was greeted with some heavy roasted malts that had a "kiss" of cocoa. Finishes with a serious amount of hopping that gives it a nice roasty and bitter edge. Overall rated 4.17. Actually, a rating that aligns with Untappd ratings for a change.
Cheers!
Tom

 

A fresh batch of Temple of Minerva from Jackie O's was just released along with a double barrel version that I'll try one day soon. This is only my second stout, first non-adjunked from them. Tried close to a score of barleywines and loved almost all of them.



As sweet as their barleywines are, it's surprising how sweet this isn't. Which is fine because I don't appreciate sweet in stout as much as barleywine. This is kind of a stout outlier actually, in the best way. I don't get much chocolate or roast, instead I'm picking up lots of molasses, caramel, bourbon and brown sugar with hints of raisin, leather, and tobacco. Phenomenal beer and the legs on this are sexy too.

This is a stout blend aged 23 months in bourbon barrels. The portion that was double barreled was pulled after 17 months then racked in rum barrels for 6 months. Looking forward to trying it but don't see how it can be better.

 

Won't be asking for a refund, this was killer. Every now and then you get one right.

 

Read an interview with the head Brewer and he said this batch was waaaaay better. Yep, I totally read that

 

Not quite old enough to qualify for the cellar thread, but this late October 2022 vintage GI Blend is holding up well, and at the proper serving size of 12 oz much appreciated this morning, likely the only day this week I'll hit this thread with the hot weather approaching.

Goose Island BCBS 10/27/22 GI Blend



Think I'm sticking with only regular blended from now on packaged, will wait for bargains, and save any variant pours for the GI Block party and bottle shares I attend. The juice has not been worth the squeeze on my end between the output and price increases. YMMV

 

I rarely like modern cartoony beer labels, but they nailed that one

 

Enjoyed Thread Count from Jackie O's, a pickup in Asheville late last year.

Nose is very nice, with a nice blend of vanilla and cocoa making each sip one to anticipate.
Taste is a huge moderately roasted malt base takes on the vanilla and cocoa beans nicely and in the end the vanilla is more perceptible. Barrel is very nice as a perfect balancing agent that lingers in the background helping to tame the overall abv of 13.4%. Finishes with a kiss of vanilla sweetness and some bourbon heat.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied with each sip being very smooth.
Overall another outstanding brew from the Jackie O's cellar! Rated 4.32.
Cheers!
Tom

 

I’ve still got 10 bottles of Stone IRS from 2011–2013. Back when I was first seriously getting into beer, everyone on BA said this one and Expedition aged especially well, and since IRS was much easier for me to get I bought a bunch whenever I saw it on sale. It holds up. I can’t necessarily say this 2012 bottle is better than it was when fresh, but it can’t be significantly worse. For a no-frills, run-of-the-mill, non-barrel-aged stout you could do far worse than this one.

 

Enjoying this delight now
Do good
Be well