Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

My notifications seem to be not working… I sent that one? I know I sent you that BBA Peche Mortel. I can’t recall. Either way, there are still some of both around. The WWS is a little more scarce because I think the distributor pulled it back in favor of the Wake Up WWS and 120 Minute Utopias BBA all over the shelves. I need some more for myself too.. only 3 or 4 on the shelf.

 

Business - Stillwater

 

Drinking a Boulevard whiskey stout now, though my camera flash is not cooperating.

 

Oliphant - Practitioner of Duck Art Volume 1
Imperial stout (13%)

It’s doing it. Good stuff.

 

Old Rasputin - North Coast





a little inside joke here. HA!!

 

Bourbon Barrel Aged Siberian Night with cherries. 11% stout by Thirsty Dog.

 

Modern - Quarrelsome Coffee Stout (12%)

nice coffee notes with a rich chocolate base. good stuff. cheers!!

 

I have one of each of those coming from @azuelke too. I cant wait. Glad to hear they were both good! Cheers Micah

 

Half Acre Benthic 2x4 BA Imperial Stout. 2022 version. 10 months old at opening. The brewery's notes:
2 x Dark Matter Catuai (washed, Guatemalan) whole bean coffee and 4 x hand-toasted coconut. This recipe is a blend of the following select barrels: Elijah Craig bourbon aged 9 months, Willet bourbon aged 9 months, Eagle Rare bourbon aged 10 months, Woodford Reserve bourbon aged 10 months, Woodford Double Oaked aged 16 months, Bardstown bourbon aged 16 months and Pinhook bourbon aged 16 months.

Pours a viscous jet black color. An aggressive pour yields a two finger dark mocha, almost reddish head that slowly forms due to the viscousness of the beer and impressively sticks around for a while given the abv.

Aroma is giving off huge Mounds bar vibes, with a plethora of coconut and chocolate coming through. Chocolate-covered coconut macaroon, fresh toasted coconut, and dark and milk chocolate all are at the forefront. As you dig deeper, the coffee shows, giving off a light fruitiness and fresh ground gourmet coffee beans. Nothing acrid or green pepper thankfully. Also get bourbon-soaked nougat, vanilla, oak, and bourbon spirit. As it warms the coffee and barrel intensify to match the coconut and chocolate notes.

While the aroma is more adjunct-forward, the taste, albeit still full of coconut and coffee, brings a big barrel presence. Oak tannin and bourbon wonderfully balance out the sweetness of the base and adjuncts. The coffee is also a bit more forward in the taste compared to the aroma, which brings a nice, slightly fruity dark roast coffee presence that also balances out the sweeter characteristics. The coffee adds a slight bitterness, but nothing acrid or green pepper. Get milk chocolate-covered espresso beans, coffee grounds, no bake dark chocolate cake, toasted coconut macaroon, vanilla frosting, Mounds bar, bourbon-soaked nougat, toffee, charred oak, vanillin, and forward, yet smooth bourbon spirit.

Full body. Dense and viscous. Oily, sticky, and slick. Mild carbonation.

I'd describe this as aggressive, yet refined. Despite the enormous amounts of coconut and coffee added to this one, it is still done tastefully and has balance to it. The barrel and coffee do a wonderful job balancing out the sweeter base and coconut presence. The base, adjuncts, and barrel all come together harmoniously and complement one another so well. Half Acre's barrel program is one of the best not only in Chicago, but in the country in my opinion and this is yet another example of that.

 

Don’t really want to drink this. But I’m 3 in, and don’t want to waste a non-adjunct one . Plus, I need to drink down my stash so it’s less of a pain to move

 

well, this was friggin awesome. collaboration er ween perennial and phase three. wheated imperial stout aged in wheated whiskey barrels and then conditioned on cinnamon, coconut and vanilla beans.

the vanilla adds more chocolate to an already chocolate base stout while the coconut is in check and doesn’t get overly sweet. but it’s the cinnamon addition that they knocked out of the park here. not that over-top-way, way too much, drier than shit cinnamon addition kick that SP was on there for a while. it lends a nice spice to a sweeter stout. i thought this one rocked. drank over two sessions - saturday night and sunday night. just as good the second night after being capped and put back in the fridge. cheers!!

 

Anybody try the Central Waters 25th stouts that were released on 8/26/2023?
I might head to north east WI this weekend, Amherst is a little bit south of my target area. I might stay up there for a few nights at a friends cabin.

 

I enjoyed the draft pour so much I bought a bottle I'd like to share with my two brothers when the Vegas one comes to visit next year. If I didn't have so many BA stouts at home, I would have bought a few more. I did get a Black Gold to share as well. It was the second beer I poured at FOBAB (3 Floyds Chemtrail Mix the first) and a personal favorite.

Here is my write up for the 25 Elijah Craig Bourbon Barrel:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...-drinking-now-3856.672748/page-2#post-7768792

I'm more about the barrel these days, not additives, and really appreciated the base and barrel with this selection.

Hope you get a chance to stop and try a pour or grab a few bottles to share with your friends (or solo dome and go to bed!).

 

Crux Fermentation Project continues its trajectory toward being my personal brewery of the year with a bottle of Love Lost, a rye stout aged in rye whiskey barrels.

Sweet boozy heat and a rich flavor that ultimately reminded me of a whiskey soaked rye carrot cake. Incredibly smooth and easy drinking with a perfect full body to it. Probably my favorite barrel aged stout I've had this year. Helps that I'm a chronically underserved rye beer fanatic

 

Summer vacation is over, back to the playground and the bus today. Celebrating with a classic.



As good as ever, I love the almost ashy char note. Amazingly for BA Firestone stuff, if I buy at least 5, it's cheaper for me to have them shipped from California than buy them retail locally.

 

Great choice @DIM . I have 2 of those left. This is the content we’re here for

 

Great choice yourself. Good luck with your move!

 

https://i.imgur.com/52QkgzA.jpeg

CHEERS !!!