Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

haven’t had this one since 2016 or 2017 when it came in bombers. my friend landed it in a trade and i opened up my BCBCS and we did a little side by side action. i remember BCBCS winning out at the time but this 2022 vintage is better than last year’s BCBCS that’s for damn sure. cheers!!

 

Singlecut ~ Heavy Boots of Lead

 

Ralphius, two year heaven hill barrel aged. They tasted this barrel when blending regular Ralphius and decided it was special enough to age another year. Man I would love to be a part of that decision making process.



This is great, not sure I prefer it to regular Ralphius though. The whiskey is definitely more potent and this somehow sweeter too. Up front it's the beer I know and love, chocolate cake batter and dark chocolate plus plenty of caramel. The finish adds intense sweet booze, prickly oak, and a little vanilla.

This is my last bottle from the 2022 release, looking forward to more at the end of the year. Price is a little salty, $20 per 375ml plus shipping, but damn are these good.

 

Looks like people expected $50 beer to taste better

 

I did just to see what happens. Boosted the score to 3.33. Beer reviews are super reliable.

 

100% - i hate admitting it (and it might be splitting hairs) but i think it edged out crushing mass and definitely beats cafe deth (at least every vintage i’ve had except 2022 which was a huge step up for them).

 

I’d love to finally try that stout one day. Just don’t see it here.

 

One I've been wanting to try for a while, it's not that easy to get hold off in the UK.

 

This is decent. $24 for a 4-pack, but expected more barrel, coffee, and mouth feel at 10.5%. Definitely easy drinking, though

 

Have this up next in my quasi* FIFO beer inventory approach to imbibing.
*Fresh IPA's are the main exception with wild hairs sprouting and randomly try a beer (like today) as the minor exception.

Thoroughly enjoying the last SNBC AHS release of 2022 - "In Stout of Ourselves". This one is a home run IMHO, bourbon barrel aged Stout aged in bourbon barrels with coffee, maple syrup & vanilla. This is really well blended as i am getting coffee and chocolate from the malt base, a nice touch of maple from the adjunct, and a touch of vanilla from the bourbon barrels. The barrels, along with sufficient hopping, balances this beer very well. This confirms how much my tasting group and i liked this at the AHS year end party.

Cheers!
Tom

 

This was my first barrel aged stout. No turning back after that. I can confirm that your taste buds adjust, because when I first had this, I was telling everyone what a bourbon bomb it was. Now when I have it, it’s just a solid BA stout. I can get it whenever, but there’s things like BA Ten fiddy on the shelves, and it’s just in another tier of goodness