What beer are you drinking now? #4363

Good morning and have a great week. It's been almost 4 years (3 years and 9 months) since I asked @JamFuel if he had had experience in aging the Imperial Stouts of this Malmo brewery which at the time in Italy was known by a small niche of people who bought it from abroad. Today the Imperial Stouts of Nerd Brewing with alternating consistency can be found in some beershops with specialized labels (I've seen them with different labels and waxes, compared to these Vintage 2020). I decided to fish this bottle out of the oblivion of my home cellar (fixed temperature at 16 °C, August 15-December 15, the same) to (self)celebrate review no. 300 that I am about to add to the database (never just ratings, always reviews) and also as a wish in view of my first trip to Swedish soil, alongside a 97-year-old lady who always needs to be supported and accompanied, called AS Roma - next Wednesday/Friday between Gothenburg and Borås. I will definitely try to drink something good there too, trying not to spend a fortune since I know that the local laws impose quite high prices on alcohol. But I always say that, then I see what I like and the good intentions will be promptly ignored.

Nerdbrewing (Malmö,SVE) - INDEX OUT OF BOUNDS (Vintage 2020) - Oak Aged Imperial Vanilla Stout (11,5%).

33cl bottle, Vintage 2020. On the label: "Best before: 01/11/2025".
Bottle taken from the home cellar and placed 10 minutes (timed) in the refrigerator: the glass of the bottle has just cooled down, still with that very romantic dust resting on top...
As soon as it is uncorked after having slightly warmed the dark red wax, immediately liqueur and dark chocolate aromas, which transmit a sweet sensation.
Poured it is BLACK, in the truest sense of the word. The foam is minimal, but present and is a dark brown that is truly particular to the naked eye and not well rendered enough by the forts. Rarely seen such dark foams. Obviously, it disappears immediately.
The temperature is certainly not cold, but a light and very fast condensation forms on the glass.
In the mouth the beer has an insane density, almost (almost without) pasty, the carbonation has been extinguished.
The first notes that I perceive are sweet, dark and dense chocolate like the hot chocolate dessert that you take in a cup, lighter notes of coffee and a hint of licorice. A nuance of molasses is also very present, although not dulling. A light metallic note follows, typical and very well contained, so much so as to leave space on the finish for delicate toasted notes, which personally take me back to coconut, instead it is evidently vanilla, whose taste has perhaps been lost a little but I can perceive the sweet and toasted notes.
These sweet and toasted notes re-emerge after having swallowed this very dense liquid that transmits a not indifferent heat, but without any ethyl note of alcohol. The heat and density are those of a chocolate liqueur (in Italy we have a famous Piedmontese gianduia cream liqueur, BICERIN, which immediately came to mind when I put this beer in my mouth) but I think the balance that was created is remarkable and, I repeat, I particularly appreciated the re-emergence of the toasted notes at the end of the drink when the palate is still kneaded by the trail left by the very dense liquid just swallowed. I think this is a beer that you can drink after having gone through your own personal journey made of many Imperial Stouts to drink before this one, because I think it is quite (probably too) extreme to be drunk without a background behind it because the drink is not easy at all: just the consistency and the inevitable alcoholic note could "scare" a neophyte of the style.
As far as I'm concerned, the taste path is quite clear and I appreciated it by enjoying every sip with extreme calm. I can't say if the beer has evolved, I had 2 of this and in the fresher one the vanilla seemed to be more recognizable, but it certainly hasn't decayed: the drink is important for those who know how to recognize it.
Happy with the purchase and that this is my 300th review.
May the next 300 be even better!
See you this week in Sweden!





Sláinte .
Cheers .

 

Good day BAs! Thanks @chrisjws for opening the bar! And @Jack_14 - congratulations on review #300 - your usual excellance!

No New Breakfast Beer today - just a homemade cherry stout that is closer to a porter - had a boil-over with my new electric kettle and consequently the ABV is a bit lower than targeted. Still, the flavor is good with noticeable cherry.

 

Kasteel Rouge.,. on Ales Avenue in Toulouse.,, Cheeers!

Imagine Cheerwine (you know what Cheerwine is.,. right?) at 8% ABV., and this is pretty close. Doesn’t suck, surprisingly tasty!

 

Thanks for the kick off @chrisjws .

Quaffing Great Lakes Barrel Aged Blackout Stout.



Damn tasty stout. For $31.19 a 4 pack it better be!

 

Happy cloudy Monday BAs

Drinking the last of these - on the last day of September, appropriately! Quite tasty!



one of my favorite waterfalls in the nearby Cuyahoga Valley Nat'l Park - Blue Hen Falls

 

Hello BAs! Here comes another week of fine brews. I had a notion ystrdy to start with an Imp IPA but my mind has changed. Pryes Course Correct Citra Pale Ale will take the podium 1st today. Cheers!

 

That would be an amazing man cave/bar sign!

 

Indián Nyár - Viharsarok IPA at Jónás craft beer bar in Budapest. Decent beer, beautiful setting!



Egészségedre!

 

Allow me to insert some more air into the thread here... repeat beer 1 from the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn & Out tulip
Cheers!

 

Grocery shopping done. Now a prewalk lunch of leftover chicken wings and broccoli salad from my youngest daughter's 31st birthday, with a Goose Island Full Pocket Pilsner. Cheers!

 

Pryes Miraculum Midwest IPA. Cheers!

 

Pizza and Coors Light for lunch

 

Back in the ol’ AirBnB, having a helles lager from Rotburger that I picked up at the brewery yesterday. It’s still pretty common here for breweries to sell to-go beer in 1 liter PET bottles.



Egészségedre!

 

Solvem Probler. Double IPA from Wood Brothers (Canada).
Cheers

 

I had Cheerwine for the first time a couple months ago when I visited North Carolina … it’s damn good! So is Kasteel Rouge, though

Edited to add: I want that sign!

 

Sure! One more for the walk home, along the Garonne River for a spell.,. Cheeeers!

 

Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged Old Rasputin. @Resistance88 is right, the regular version is far superior.