Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2022)

Drank this last night. Absolutely insane. It tasted great fresh, but it's probably better now. So thick and full of fresh coffee. It's barrel aged for 2 years, so the bourbon definitely comes through strong. One of the best for sure.

 

Parabajava from Firestone. 2022 edition. Bourbon barrel-aged imperial coffee stout, coming in at 13.8% ABV.

Poured at fridge temp. Pours jet black with a thin (half inch) layer of light brown head. Tiny bubbles rising throughout the glass. The nose is fantastic. Intense coffee, but a really nice coffee smell. Not cheap stale coffee grounds. This is a fresh coffee smell. I roast my own beans, and this is like dipping my nose in the beans a few hours after roasting. Lovely. Other smells of chocolate, vanilla, toffee, malts, burnt wood, and some brown sugar.

The taste is absolutely insane. One of the best tastes from a coffee stout. Again, the coffee is front and center. A lovely fresh coffee taste. Not overly bitter at all. Dark chocolate, vanilla, marmalade, brown sugar, a touch of maple, walnuts, and salted caramel. The barrel comes through here for sure, but definitely complimentary rather than dominant.

The mouthfeel is thick and robust. The alcohol is there on the swallow, but definitely doesn't drink like it's 13.8% ABV! Overall, one of the best coffee stouts I have ever had.

4.59/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

 

I would probably agree with you! Somniphobia probably wins for the mouthfeel since it's double mashed. Super thick. Both showcase amazing coffee notes (seems to be similar quality of coffee). Somniphobia leans more towards the barrel (longer aging), whereas Parabajava showcases the coffee a bit more. Both stellar beers.

 

I'm with you! Sucaba is still one of my all time favorite barleywines, Stickee Monkee is one of my favorite quads, and Parabola is one of my favorite stouts. For a brewery to kick ass in all of these categories is very impressive. Haven't tried many of their other styles, but I'm sure they are good.

 

I have, and I love it as well!

 

Time for another imperial stout. Barleywine tomorrow for me I think. This is Rusty Rail Brewing Dread Wolf Bourbon barrel aged Imp Stout. 10.3% . Brewery is in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. I picked this up at Breski's, a great beer store in the area.

onto my review:

Sampling a cellar temp 16 oz can poured into my snifter. Date stamp appears to be January 3 2023. so must be a best before date, unless time travel!
The beer pours a cola brown color with a fluffy tan head of 3 cm foams up and fades slowly to a sturdy surface layer. Very dense clingy lattice forms when I swirl the glass. The foam sticks around through entire sampling.
Aroma is some roasted malt notes and dark chocolate with some sweet bourbon scents mixed in the background. The bourbon is there but definitely not dominant.
First sip reveals a medium body with fine tingly carbonation. The carb is actually sort of prickly as it rolls across my palate.
Flavor is roasted malts some coffee grounds and dark chocolate. Almost bakers choc flavor, so bordering on bitter. Bourbon is almost non-existent, but there is also no warming booze or fusol notes. The beer drinks pretty easy.
Not flawed anywhere, but not super robust or memorable either, just fine. I am not sure I would buy it again, but also wouldnt turn it down at a party.
3.8 in the BA DB

 

My second big beer for the evening. Went and saw Black Panther movie tonight, really appreciated the Chadwick Boseman homage(s). Back home in PA and figured time for more beer. This is 2nd Shift brewing in St Louis, a 9.1% Imperial Stout with no mentioned additives to the beer. Date stamp is packaged on 2/14/2022.
Part of a swap with @Beer_Economicus Thank you!!

onto my review:


Sampling a cellar temp 16 oz can poured into a snifter. The beer pours a jet black color with no light passing through the glass. Think black coffee. A tan to brown fizzy head of 1.5 cm foams up, but this head fades to a thin edge layer quickly after the pour.
The aroma on this beer is roasted malt, dark chocolate, some coffee grounds and a bit of molasses. Certainly not sweet on the nose, and no hops nor any ABV hints either. Straightforward aroma on this malty imperial stout.
First sip reveals a medium body with fine gentle carbonation and relatively smooth texture.
Flavor is dark chocolate and some roasted malt notes with a molasses coming through again. No hops and the booze is hidden. There arent any adjuncts or flavorings on this one so it is pretty straight forward malty imperial stout. Well made and no flaws in my opinion. Worth a pick up for sure if in the area or see the brewery and want a good no frills imperial stout.

4.08 in the BA DB

 

I got the rare and elusive double beer post on the imperial stout thread!

YAY ME! now get some more beers in your bellies you slackers!