Imperial Stout Appreciation Thread (2023)

Had a Põhjala Beer- Mudcake Bänger at Blind Tiger in W. Village today. It was ok. Mexican cake is not a favorite of mine so I’m biased. Also had Maine Angry Old Tom, which is not an imperial but I liked better. Highly recommend the spot. Some very nice beers on tap.

 

Cross-posting from NBW #173:

Happy birthday to a fellow BIF'ster @Luscious_Malfoy , hope you are having a fun day!

As part of the Barleywine/Stout BIF #1, jumping into a Mystery Bottle sent by @Mikexw , this one is an Imperial Stout.

Onto the review,

Beer pours midnight black with a dark brown head that dissipates pretty quickly - 3.75

Nose smells decadent as a medley of medium roasted malts combine nicely with some bourbon barrel that lends a touch of vanilla. There are some chocolate malts or perhaps a touch of cocoa nibs to lend a nice touch of sweetness - 4.5

Taste follows the nose as the roasted/chocolate malt base combines nicely with the barrels which definitely give a touch of vanilla. Each sip gives some alcohol warming and the barrel is does a great job of balancing the malts. There is a decent amount of hopping to assist with the balancing and i am definitely getting cocoa in my post sip aspirations - 4.5

Mouthfeel is medium to large bodied with each sip being velvety smooth! - 4.75

Overall this is an excellent imperial stout that can run with the best of them! - 4.5.

And now for the reveal...
This is Balena from Finback, an imperial stout barrel aged with coffee, cacao nibs, almond, orange zest, and vanilla bean...totally missed the coffee as it was well incorporated, this was very enjoyable, thank you Mike!
Cheers!
Tom

 

Cross post with the Barleywine/Stout BIF #1 & NBW threads

Bell's Larry's Last - Imperial Oatmeal Stout

After a full day of watching marching band competitions I was very ready for a beer!




4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sierra Nevada Imperial Pint Glass

the beer pours jet black with about 2 fingers worth of tan/khaki rocky head that recedes quickly leaving behind very little lacing.

The aroma is sweet and creamy, comprised mainly of chocolate and coffee, with hints of dark fruit and vanilla. Bold and inviting

The flavor mirrors the aroma quite closely; sweet and creamy coffee and chocolate. The dark fruit is less noticeable in the flavor than in the aroma, but still compliment the overall flavor profile quite nicely. Medium/Full bodied and lightly carbonated, the beer is slick on the tongue and finishes slightly dry.

Overall, this is quite a nice Stout

 

Legend of the Liquid Brain from Bull and Bush 2021 vintage. Yet another awesome beer from @beergoot via the barleywine etc. BIF.



This seems to have been highly sought after in the mid 2010s, lots of "wants" from that era. I can see why, this is a really nice throwback. Not thiccc, not sweet, not boozy, it is smooth, mellow, and sublime. Dry overall but not incredibly roasty, semi-sweet chocolate and low-key barrel notes are the most obvious attributes here. Light, oaky char, mild vanilla, and a faint vinous note also present themselves. No one aspect stands out but it all comes together soooo well. One of the best straight up BA big stouts I've tried. Thanks a ton for this Dave!

 

Enjoying my favorite Imperial Stout! Naturally, I’m sending this out to @Resistance88 but also to @RaulMondesi , @ronricorossi , @Beersnake1 , @Dimidiata too!

 

I still owe you a box! This , more than likely, would be included!

 

Don’t forget about little Raul!

 

Shame on me!

 

coco crazee - bourbon barrel-aged from other half courtesy of @Braunmeister_1943

thanks! and cheers!!

 

Went on a guys trip for a long weekend to Santa Cruz where - and I say this just to annoy the majority of the thread - it's still hot & sunny. And I mean, shorts & flip flops "hot". Welcome to November in California.

I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to crack open the Mystery Beer from @Danmullens1.

Immediately it was thick and smooth, clearly of the Barrel Aged Stout variety, but it had a slick sweetness and sheen to it, which led me to recognize that it must have gone through an unusual barrel. There were a lot of guesses around the table, I thought maybe tequila barrels, but that wasn't quite it...

 

Boulevard Spiced Imperial BBA Stout, 15% ABV. I rated this 4.29.

 

I miss the TKD workouts, then going out for an earned beer. We couldn't drink at the school in front of the students.

 

Central Waters Twenty Five - Orange Curacao Parker's Heritage Barrels

(From the BA page)
Imperial Stout aged 54 months in French Orange Curaçao liqueur barrels used to finish Parker's Heritage Bourbon. That's right - this stout has a strong oak character with very subtle hints of orange liqueur from the barrels' first use.

Ah, it was the orange curacao I was tasting! Fantastic anniversary beer, really enjoyed it, and it made for a super fun guy's trip activity! Thanks to @Danmullens1 for killing it on this beer and with everything else!

 

Cheers!