Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2022)

Just damn happy to see BA Speedway on shelves in MN. We've come a long way since the isolated days of 2009!

And $6/bottle where I picked it up. Still a damn good beer to my unrefined palate.

 

What to do about a high rated barrel aged stout that had no barrel character? Simple. Pour 2 ounces of bourbon along side of it. Glad this is my last Modern Times disappointment. Another soy sauce, vinegar, Hershey bar. Cheers, Tomas. Thanks for facilitating another avenue for me to complain. Cheers.

 

As I drink my BA Speedway Stout... and am too lazy to learn how to post beer pics to BA

 

Shout out to Goose Island. While a majority of their beer may be mediocre in 2022, Bourbon County typically delivers for the price point and availability.

Recent standouts have been BBt 2021, Truth, Nascent Truth, Votive b3, Madness and Civilization blend 15, and Damon dandelion

 

Wow. Talk about some heavy hitters. Probably 3/4 of us or more will never be able to try those beers, so I suppose we live vicariously through you. Side note: If you were born in 2001, that’s a hell of a list of beer to try in your 21st year. Cheers.

 

Maybe just dial it back to regular Speedway? Last I checked was $7-8 per 16oz can, super solid value. Not to mention it travels really well.

 

One great thing about living in Western Mass is the beer. The only one of those beers I didn’t personally buy was bbt, which I traded for Samuel.

cheers!

 

Lolololol I’ve never heard of them either. BBT probably stands for; Butt, Balls, Taint. I can only assume. Probably tastes awful… Cheers.

 

The Abyss, and probably earlier, Courage Russian Imperial Stout. I still seek out various years of it.

 

If I lived across the coast, I probably wouldn’t know either. Seeing that HF is a day trip including an hour in the tasting room, it’s more in my wheelhouse. Also, ba stouts are my thing, so I’ll go out of my way to acquire regional ba stouts.

 

I am a big fan of Imperial Stouts and particularly Russian Imperial Stouts. Tributary Brewing of Maine recently released their 2022 Mott the Lesser. I picked up two. One to have right away and it was awesome. One to have a year from now. This is partly why I like Impy Stouts because they can age fairly well. Something to have for a special occasion in the future. I have a some various 2018/2019/2020 Impy stouts in my cellar.

 

This seems less like the Imperial Stouts appreciation thread and more like the “Biggest Imperial stouts letdown” thread.

Geeze guys. You’re doing it wrong.

 

Beer:Barrel:Time 2021

I've been fortunate enough to try the 2020 and this 2021 vintage. Whilst both are world class beers my preference leans more toward the 2021 vintage. Deep impressions of chocolate, leather and tobacco. Some oak and a very nice barrel presence throughout. So many layers and the nose is absolutely massive. Sticky, chewy and coating with some really fantastic legs. Cheers!

 

I had this one courtesy of @colts9016 which was sent to me via BIF 15. It was delicious and exactly what I hope each imp stout is like.

Black Raven - Grandfather Raven



A perfect pouring beer, poured slow and shows just a hint of viscosity. Beautiful slowly forming but dense and thick light/medium brown head with some beautiful lacing. A looker if a beer.

Nose is licorice, wood, some smokiness, rich rich chocolate and some watered down coffee.

The taste is a rich combo of chocolate with licorice and some noticeable hops.

Big body, drinks very smooth due to a lower creamy carbonation; it has just the perfect touch of thickness to it. Bitter roasty hoppy finish. There is really not hint of 9.5%, you know it’s a big beer but there is no warning sign

 

Flying Dog Operation Breakfast. For some reason this one just hits the spot tonight. It's smooth, thick, cocoa, vanilla....

 

This is the appreciation thread, right? Well, somebody appreciates Term Oil S'mores. In fact, at $83 a four-pack, I'd say Toppling Goliath is downright proud of it. As for me, I'll reserve judgment until I see it on draught here.

 

Could you imagine the look on Ken Grossman's face if someone went up to him in the 1980s and said "You know this is all gonna lead to $80 four packs of stout with artificial flavoring right?"

 

My local (8 minutes away) usually does imperial stouts well, as is the case with this recent new one. Loads of chocolate, some char, and a nice measure of resiny hops to keep you on your toes.

All in a 10.5% ABV package that doesn’t drink like that - at all - but reminds you when you stand up after draining the pint that it was very much indeed 10.5% ABV. Very well done, IMHO.

 

Abyss is so good!