Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

This is a beer that I buried in my fridge for almost 2 years. Rubber Soul Brewing out of Hummelstown, PA. This is Maxx'd Out Santas Cookies, an 11.5% pastry stout. I picked it up at the brewery in 2021 and its been fridge since.

onto my review:

This has been in my fridge for almost 2 years. Im not sure why I didnt review it when I added it.
But here we go. Sampling a cold 16 oz can poured into my snifter. The beer pours lighter than I expected with cola brown as opposed to black coffee being more appropriate as a descriptor. Minimal dense and creamy beige head foams up less than .5 cm. This foam fades to almost nothing , remains as a thin edge layer. This ring remains through the sampling.
Aroma on this beer is not surprisingly sweet and malty. I get vanilla notes , cookie dough, cinnamon, and brown sugar in heavy doses. a little milk chocolate too. No hint of any hops and not boozy, even though 11.5%.
First sip reveals a medium body and fine fairly gentle carbonation. Texture is smooth and the beer drinks pretty easy for a bigger adjunct heavy brew.
Flavor is sweet and chocolate with hints of brown sugar and molasses notes. A bit of vanilla comes through but a lingering molasses and raisin note finishes the beer. Never any hops and the ABV is totally hidden too.
The beer is pretty much what I expected sweet and malty, I wonder if any flavors faded while I sat on this one. Either way its still pretty tasty, wish the body was bigger but its enjoyable.
4.06 in the BA DB

 

At Everywhere in Anaheim. Drinking Yet Again, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with cacao powder, coconut, vanilla beans, and MoonGoat coffee. Fantastic stuff.

 

Someone will be receiving one of these tomorrow...if you are in THE BIF and you are my target, then you are in luck!

 

The Spencer Brewery -- Russian Imperial Stout
Trappist Russian imperial stout
ABV: 8.7%; pouring temperature: 42 F; bottling info: BB 11/17/24
Source: @micada (BA Stout/Barleywine BIF#1)



4.12/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out dark brown and appears an opaque black in the glass; thick, frothy, light brown head, semi-creamy on top, very long lasting; nice rings of foam cascade down the inside of the glass. Fine dark malt grain aroma; cocoa and baker's chocolate. Outstanding taste; milk chocolate with a touch of grain char bitterness; a hint of raspberry. Medium-heavy body.

A very nice imperial stout delivering well-rounded taste with an easy drinking mouthfeel.

 

Lough Gill Brewing Co. -- Cask
Barrel aged imperial Irish coffee stout
ABV: 12.0%; pouring temperature: 53.2 ℉; canning info: L2139/40
Source: @micada (BA Stout/Barleywine BIF#1)



4.2/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Clear, deep and dark brown pour, appears black in the glass; thin yet persistent light tan head. Rich, earthy sweetness oozing from roasted grains. Exquisite flavors blending together; milk chocolate and cocoa with a subtle Irish whisky undercurrent; caramel and brown sugar; sweetened coffee in the background. Heavy mouthfeel; dense and chewy on the palate; nice offset of alcohol warmth.

An outstanding Irish stout that gives all the Irish big names a run for their money. Well-balanced, rich and easy drinking.

 

Tonight, im dipping into a beer from @Resistance88 thank you! 2022 Paraboloid at cellar temp and poured into my snifter. The beer came from a trade we did and Im glad to have the opportunity to drink this beer. Ive had older vintages, maybe fresh, but we no longer see FW beers in the stores in Connecticut....

onto my review (which wont be as long due to previously reviewed the beer):


The beer pours a black coffee color with a dense creamy beige to tan head of < 0.5cm. This foams sticks around as a thin edging on my glass. It does give me nice lacing when I swirl the glass or take a sip. A bit of a wispy island chain also floats in the center of the glass.
Aroma is roasted malts, dark bakers chocolate, a good bit of bourbon, some charred wood and a little fusol booze. No hops here to smell.
First sip reveals a medium body, slightly lighter than I expected and very fine tingly carbonation. Texture is fairly smooth and no stickiness or coating on the mouthfeel.
Flavor is some roasted malts, a bit of charred note, some sweeter bourbon, but finish is dark chocolate and slightly bitter dark grain and bakers chocolate. Maybe a little black peppery bite from the booze too. Still never hint of hops on this one.
Beer drinks easier than it should for the ABV and has an olde school impy stout character with the roasted notes and bitter chocolate. Definitely an enjoyable beer.

Thank you @Resistance88 !