Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

Here I come to save the day! gonna try to do a few impy stouts this weekend. Only one soccer game so can drink a little later into the evenings.
Black Raven Grandfather Raven Imperial stout from Black Raven Brewing in Woodinville , Washington. this is once again a can from the various boxes of beer from @snaotheus thank you! Part of the NBS BIF #17
This beer is 9.5% ABV.

onto my review:


Im pouring a 16 oz can at cellar temp into my snifter. The can is date stamped 1/17/2023. The beer pours a very dark coffee black color.
A spongey tan head of about 3 cm foams up in my glass. This foam fades slowly in my glass and is eventually only an edge layer. Some windowpane lattice as it fades or if I swirl the glass.
Aroma is roasted malts, dark chocolate, a bit of caramel and some unsweetened coffee grounds, although no coffee was used in the making of the beer. No hop presence and the 9.5% ABV is hidden on the nose.
First sip reveals a medium body with smooth texture and fine tingly carbonation. Drinks easier than anticipated, which combined with lack of booziness makes this a dangerous beer.
Flavor is similar to the nose, no sweetness to be found here. Roasted notes dominate with dark chocolate, high cacao stuff. Not boozy and no hop presence. the flavor is sort of one dimensional, but is appropriate for the style and gives the beer an olde school impy stout presence.
I find my glass empty pretty quickly and pretty happy to have tried this beer. id drink another.
4.24 in the BA DB

 

Another stout tonight. last one of the evening for sure. Another effort to empty those dang @snaotheus boxes in my cellar. Sent as part of NBS BIF #17
this is Old School Brewery. Blazing Barrels bourbon barrel aged imperial stout. 125 ABV and out of Winthrop, Washington.

ONto my review:



Sampling a cellar temp 16 oz can poured into a snifter. Can is date stamped 2/27/2023. The beer pours a dark cola brown color and rests in the glass with no light passing through. A fizzy beige head barely covers the surface on the pour and is gone soon after the can empties into my glass.
The aroma on this one is a little bourbon and some hints of fudge, but also a fruity note and something that is sort of lemony. Didnt expect the lemon. No fusol booze here though.
First sip reveals a medium body and smooth texture with very fine tingly carbonation. Beer drinks very easy for a 12% imperial stout.
Flavor is a little muted up front. there are hints of dark chocolate and molasses, that fades and then a strong whisky note and roasted malt with hints of char shows through and lingers long after each sip. no hop profile that I can detect.
There is some warming booze on the finish and this lingers as well.
I have to say this beer isnt what I thought it would be from the description. is it bad, no. But it isnt much like a BBA Imp Stout as I have come to expect from this style.
Definitely a little sneaky on the ABV though. Id pass on this one next time. its definitely not a bad beer, seems subdued and a bit of general mildness.
3.67 in the BA DB