Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

Short Throw Controversy Sells Imperial Pastry Stout, 12.2% ABV. Pours oil-thick and black, with a half-finger medium-brown head that left some lacing. Aroma is strong marshmallow/vanilla, chocolate malt, then cinnamon. Taste follows plus coffee, coffee hits early, then marshmallow/vanilla and cinnamon, moderately sweet, equally bitter. Excellent mouthfeel, sticky lips, overall world-class. No shortage of add-junks here. I love BBA/RBA beers, but that would have detracted here.

4.58/5 rDev +0.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Wow, another incredible stout from my recent beer run. I caught myself perving out on the aroma, over and over.

 

That has been my preferred BA RIS for years, this is Drago's unheralded baby brother, Ogard, I assume it the base beer for Drago and clocks in at 11.5, not great, but solid.

 

MikKeller Træblod Imperial Stout, 12.1% ABV. This is mostly about the coffee and roast malt fighting it out. The maple is apparently there to bear witness. I rated it 4.29. Another imperial stout where the variants look intriguing.

 

Finally broke down and bought a pack, would have bought more if I didn't have so much damn beer already.



I'd like more coffee but the rye barrels and base stout are stellar. A bargain at twice the price.

 

So...throw away gold to make room for silver? nah

 

Siren/Cigar City Caribbean Chocolate Molé Cake Imperial Milk Stout, 8.8% ABV. Not sure what's up with the weenie 11.2oz can with a bumpy label. Is this a British trend? It's not a nice round metric number either at 331.22 ml. No moles were killed for this beer. Probably. I rated it 3.92.

 

Komes Imperial Stout - 12% abv. Decent dark chocolate aroma, some dark fruits as well in the taste. Not overly roasty. But pretty thin, and no head. Overall fairly disappointing.

 

Untitled Art Ice Cream Waffle Pastry Stout (Milk Stout), 8% ABV. Nose is an incredible mashup of vanilla ice cream, waffle batter, and light maple syrup. Too bad this didn't taste even half as good as it smells. I rated it 4.21.

 

Destihl's BA stouts are awesome.....fortunately Illinois and esp the Chicago area brew some of the best BA stouts, be they American or the evil Russians. Enjoying this one from just a couple miles down the road.

 

Perennial Abraxas today on tap at Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia. 10 oz pour. Thick, dark, sweet, and sticky. 11.5% But very nice!

 

Obscure Snoozy BBA Imperial Stout, 11.2% ABV. Aroma is chocolate, caramel/toffee, and bourbon. Taste is roast malt, bourbon, toffee, slight chocolate, slightly sweet, slightly bitter, bourbon burn on the close. Solid BBA Imperial Stout on the Boozy side, which I'm good with. A better name would have been 'Boozy'. I rated it 4.24.

 

Rolling Thunder - Rouge



Got this one to drink in honor of the POW/MIA 101st Pukin’ Buzzards, and decided to hit it early. Not sure why it got to me while stringing up the hops, but there it is.

Rouge doesn’t seem to recognize the association, but it hit me hard. Anyways… here’s to you guys! You are remembered, even if you were left behind. :-(

edit - all of ‘em, not just the 101st few.

 

Enjoying Jackie O's Champion Grand, a BBA IS with coffee added. Getting notes of coffee and chocolate along with a light touch of vanilla and bourbon. It smelled kind of different to me, but the taste was spot on. Rated it a 4.26.
Cheers!
Tom