Tag Archives: Imperial Stout

Grey Monday by The Bruery

by tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

375268_10100970740155910_403711075_n (1)Rating: 6/5 * Final Review of 2012*


Grey Monday by The Bruery is an 18.6% ABV Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with Hazelnuts. Essentially, this is the Black Tuesday Variant but made with Hazelnuts. Black Tuesday along with it’s cousin, Chocolate Rain are one of my most favorite Chocolate beers ever. They may not be the highest in the world but they certainly rated higher in my opinion. While St. Bernardus abt 12 and Trois Pistoles covers my most favorite Belgian/ World beers ever. Mainly this cover covers my ultimate chocolate beer sweet tooth. This is like a very special chocolate liquid of the gods.

 

Label:
Originally brewed for a molecular gastronomy dinner at Beachwood BBQ, this decadent version of Black Tuesday is brewed with Oregon grown, roasted hazelnuts.
___

The ABV on the label said 18.6% however, at the tasting rooms in The Bruery they have it at 19.2%. Chocolate Rain was about that much, maybe more. This year’s Black Tuesday is in the 19 something as well. Anyways, on to the review 🙂
Grey Monday is hard to get. You have to basically go out of your way to get it so for those that want to seek this on out, be ready to climb over a good amount of obstacles. If your lucky, you may find it online though. So immediately after you open the beer is an massive explosion of extremely rich chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, cherries, plums, pecans, hazelnut, and caramel. Like literally, you can smell how sweet and nutty this is. Aromas are just that rich. Just like I said about Chocolate Rain. Basically Diabetes in a bottle. Also a note to the wise. Take your time and do not consume in one sitting. 1 small 8 ounce glass or less is best. Nectar of gods should be taken lightly and savored to the best ability and saved some for later or for friends. I decided to drink this on Monday 31st as being the last beer of 2012 I review :). So I figure why not. Upon trying it I was taken to the boozy world chocolate nirvana. Immediately I was surrounded by flavors of very strong milk, dark, sweet chocolate, chocolate covered raisins and tart cherries, rich mocha, rich dulce de leche caramel, rich sweetened condensed milk (Mexican Lechera), flan with pecans, almonds, walnuts, Bourbon, vanilla, raisins, port chocolate, Chambord Raspberry in chocolate cake, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, chocolate cheesecake with maybe some macadamia nuts and well lots of burnt sweet caramelized sugars and cocoa. There is also an underlying banana nut bread with cherry and chocolate, vanilla and caramel hazelnut in the aftertaste. This beer is pretty deep and it takes grasp of the spirit. You would probably be done in one sip. The Oak Bourbon is present but no burn, just a small level of intensity for this super giant megaton fusion super saiyan of an ABV beer. Certainly one of the greats and nothing less. World Class in its own special way. The Grey Monday, The Black Tuesday and The Chocolate Rain. I love Trois Pistoles and I love St. Bernardus abt 12, but just as Chocolate Rain has taken me above and beyond this has taken me to another level of rich hazelnut, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, dark fruits and oak bourbon vanilla heaven.

The Abyss 2009 Vintage Reserve by Deschutes Brewing

by tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

537623_10100942762423510_1398929182_nRating: 5.55/5

The Abyss 2009 Vintage Reserve by Deschutes Brewing is an 11% Imperial Stout brewed with Licorice and Molases with 33% aged in French oak and Bourbon Barrels. This version has been cellared for at least 3 years and now it is time to unleash it’s fury…of flavor ofcourse…I assume that the ABV is probably higher as it has risen over time. Like a 12 or 13% maybe higher. 

Label:

The Abyss: Stout brewed with licorice and molasses with 33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels. It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. Aged in French Oak and Bourbon barrels, this special brew has immeasureable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. The flavor of molasses and licorice draw you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.
====Upon getting the first aromatic notes of this ale I immediately thought of Madrugada Obscura a.k.a Dark Dawn from Jolly Pumpkin. The fragrance is like a funky sour wine mixed in with an imperial stout like Madrugada Obscura was but less sour. Although a sour Imperial Stout is pretty awesome. Lots of rich dark chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla, grapes, molasses, licorice, milk chocolate, barley wine caramel, graham crackers, almonds and some other spicy aromas that are just nice but not sure I can name 😛 . What a challenge :D. The flavors are going all over the place. As I figured, just because it smells as good as Madrugada Obscura, doesn’t mean it taste like it. The flavors are much much more complex. We have sweetness of dark and milk chocolate, espresso and mocha, raisins, cherry and plums but still allowing some roasted and smokey notes from the coffee to develop. The sweetness bitters up into a earthy hops with notes of citrus and pine. Some tangy wine and oaky wood flavor follow and are complemented by the vanilla, bourbon, almond, coconut and caramel on the way out. The beer actually gets better in flavor as it warms up. This beer is crazy as the alcohol notes are still pushed back to let the flavors go through so it finishes smooth and dry which many may find nice as it may not be too overwhelming. Yes, even if it does have a lot to offer, the flavors don’t stay forever and the alcohol will have it’s wrath simply because you don’t really feel that it is there. It will creep into your soul O.O. The beer is definitely setup for you to keep exploring more and more. A rollercoaster of flavor in a bottle.

Crazy how one beer can do a lot in one. I have had several of the best beers in the world and to some that have exceeded my expectations usually fly because of their caramel or chocolate sweetness or just some crazy flavor that is so awesome and overwhelming. This one exceeds my expectations because you get a variety of many aspects of beer(bitter, sweet, sour, smokey, tangy, fruity and hoppy) and they are all balanced, delicious not too overwhelming. No wonder for people, this is once of the best Imperial stouts in the world and well, damn hard to find. It is definitely up there with the Founders KBS, Bourbon County Stout and others. Although Chocolate Rain is the major bad ass for me simply because it is pure chocolate in a bottle. But this definitely in great world class league and can still compete. As it warms ups it goes up to more chocolate covered raisins and vanilla flavors 😉

Wreck Alley by Karl Strauss Brewing

by tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Rating: 4.6/5Wreck Alley by Karl Strauss Brewing is a 9.5% ABV Imperial Stout. This was recommended to me by my friend Eric although he advised that it is better and fresher on tap. LOL I agree to some extent. Although this beer can be aged as stated on the bottle. So I took his word for it and sought this beer :).

Label:

Beneath the tides off Mission Beach rests Wreck Alley – a dark and mysterious seascape of forgotten ships. Amidst the rusted wreckage is a marine ecosystem, an artificial reef teeming with life. Our Wreck Alley is as dark as the depths of its namesake, an Imperial Stout of uncharted complexity. Brewed with darkly kilned malts, cocoa nibs, and Ethiopian coffee beans, Wreck Alley boasts rich layers of dark chocolate, toffee, and espresso-like roast. Save a bottle. This one has a stout shelf-life. 
—The aroma of this beer is quite nice. Roasted malts, vanilla, chocolate, cream and almost like a faint tobacco. In terms of the flavors, Vanilla is king in this one. It is then followed by the sweet chocolate, coffee, licorice/anise, slight coconut and caramel. The after taste is not smokey or bitter but almost like a brownie or a chocolate cake with anise but the earthy notes settle the sweetness so it is not overly sweet. Well hidden alcohol as it is hard to tell that it is there. It is quite a nice imperial Stout. As with many stouts, each more unique than the other. It think vanilla is the big hit with this one. This is an awesome pick up if you can get it. I think it is only seasonal too.

Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing

by tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing is a 8.9%ABV Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout.

Label:

You’ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. We’re actually not sure if this is some type of coffee cake or a beer. Either way you can drink this ale with a fork. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose topped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever.
–A world class beer that seems to be highly rated on the interwebs. Had to figure out what it was about. This beer comes in a 4 pack and available in the Fall and Winter. To be honest I couldn’t help my self but to have the first bottle as a beer float. Pure mocha goodness mixed in with that cookies and cream Ice Cream. Even though it was sweetened out, I could still taste the roasted malts and bitter earthy hops. Quite nice. So This is a review for the beer stand alone, I just figured I add that stuff extra to say it goes good as a beer float too. The aroma of this beer is like a nice rich coffee. I think one of the biggest reasons it is highly rated is because it is closer to a nice cup of coffee than a lot of other beers. Don’t know a lot about coffee types since I don’t drink that often but yes the fragrance is rich with it. Also, it is not just pure coffee, I can smell some vanilla, cocoa, caramel and crème sugar. The flavors of this beer is quite exquisite. This definitely like drinking a cold coffee that is sweetened up. However, not to the level of an Espresso. Although, the fresh flavors reminds of a light Khalua.. Notes of dark, bitter chocolate, followed by a light crème, oatmeal, raisin, mocha, vanilla, and alittle bit of caramel. Not too complex but as close as a very good cup of coffee goes. As for the alcohol…what alcohol?…hard to find it in the taste but it does get you after. Definitely because it is the closest to Liquid cold Coffee a beer can be is probably the reason why it is rated highly. If you can find this at the store or online, go try it. Coffee drinkers and Stout lovers will find this one very pleasing. I think the hype definitely lives up to it

Santa’s Little Helper by Port Brewing

by tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Santa’s Little Helper by Port Brewing is a 10%ABV Russian Imperial Stout. This is the second time I try this beer. Both the Oak Aged and regular versions are awesome :P. 

Label:

Each year santa works up that famous list. He takes notes of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. To the nice people he brings good cheer. For the people who have been anything but nice, he loads up on big fat lumps of coal. Thankfully, santa knows this is one seriously nice beer. Brewed only once a year since it was first released in 1997, Santa’a Little Helper has been our annual insurance policy against lumps of coal in our stockings. Each year, we look forward to the release of this beer which signals the impending arrival of the jolly old fat man and his merry band of eves. Santa’s Little Helper Imperials stouts is as back as christmas eve with a decidedly smooth finish. We know you’ll find it the perfect companion for chestnuts roasting by an open fire paired with that lump of coal you’ll be receiving.
—

The easiest way to describe this beer is to say that if you were to take Old Rasputin and collided him with Christmas and made him run gift errands on Christmas Eve, you would have this. Think of a Russian Imperial stout and add Christmas spices to it like nutmeg, cinnamon, cherries and other Christmasy goodness. The flavors of chocolate, coffee and earthy hop bitterness is toned down to release more sweeter flavors. There are notes of cinnamon, cherries, raisins, molasses, vanilla, caramel. However as you keep trying it, there seems to be more chocolate flowing here. Milk, dark, baker and bitter sweet chocolates that flow into a coffee like a mocha. One of the better Christmas beers you will find along with some of the ones I have already reviewed here for sure :). Many places including Bevmo have this around this time of year. Get it before the season ends :P. LOL and you are lucky to find the Oak aged version which was released in he summer, get that too 😀

2011 Review:
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas..lol even if its barely gonna be Halloween…lmao!! Anyways. We have here a nice Christmas Imperial Stout. This is the Santa’s Little Helper by Port Brewing company. Delicious chocolate and coffee flavors like most Imperial Stouts with 10% ABV. However, this beer is heavy in bitterness but there is this delicious note of dry cinnamon and cherry. Like those delicious Christmas chocolates that come out around that time. LOL looks like the guys took some of last years coals left in the stockings to heat and roast up the malts to use in this years beer. Definitely a good present to receive this holiday season…or even before Halloween >:)

choklat by Southern Tier Brewing

by tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

400133_10100981949781730_1726044407_nRating: 5.5/5

choklat by Southern Tier Brewing is an 11%ABV Imperial Stout brewed with chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, chile chocolate oh yes and CHOCOLATE PRIME!!! Imagine Chocolate rain toned down enough by alcohol but also with adding some bitter-sweet chocolate into the concoction. You get this beer. One of the most Chocolatey beers I have ever 

had D:….aside from chocolate rain ofcourse.Label:
“the ancients called it ‘food for the gods’“ The Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, unfolds a complex web of mystery around a beverage known as xocoatl (ch-co-atle). At Southern Tier, we’re not surprised that hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya depict chocolate being poured for rulers and gods. Even through the many voyages of Columbus, the mystical bean remained nothing more than a strange currency of the native peoples. Moving through centuries, the circular journey of cacao has been realized in our brewing house, encompassing the complexity of the darkest, bitter-sweet candy together with the original frothy cold beverage of the ancient Maya to bring to you our Blackwater Series Choklat Stout. We have combined the finest ingredients to tempt your senses & renew the power & interrelation of history in every bottle. 

Alc. 11.0% by vol.
27o plato
195o L
2-Row barley
Caramel 60 malt
barley flakes
chocolate malt
bittersweet Belgian chocolate
kettle hops: chinook & williamette

This is one of the ultimate tributes in chocolate history right next to chocolate rain!! While Chocolate Rain reaches flavors in the 10th dimension, this reaches somewhere near there…maybe the 5th dimension of flavor. So what is this stout like? If chocolate milkshake with cinnamon, cocoa powder, and that sweet sweet chocolate soda I had in Iowa along with chocolate syrup and dark bitter chocolate and chocolate with a little bit of chili spicy but so faint it only contributes to the bitter-sweet then this is the flavors you have. Some Espresso coffee mocha lingers with caramel and vanilla too. Damn… This is another Diabetes bottle :X….but it is so good!!!! IF you ever had a beer where you had to dig to find the flavor or something that wasn’t easily defined in terms of flavor….well look no further….this beer will help. You don’t even have to taste it to know it has strong chocolate odor. If you do taste it though….you’re done!!…this is a massive dessert here…you may not stop drinking it…careful though :P… You probably have not lived a “Chocolate Lover’ life if you have not tried this beer…

Serpent’s Stout by The Lost Abbey

by tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Evil Evil beer…LOL my friend Nataly called it the blood of Christ, a very viscous but sweet stout….One of their strongest and a fav 😛

REVISIT: Another year has passed by and finding this beer on the shelves is hard as it is a seasonal ale. Luckily it is out while supplies last. This is the evil brew, Serpent’s Stout by The Lost Abbey brewing at a whopping 11.0%ABV. Story goes about the tree of life and how it is forbidden to eat the fruit of Knowledge. Long behold, the serpent with his cunningness convinced Eve to partake of this fruit of knowledge. She also was able to convince Adam to partake of the fruit. So it goes, original sin is born!! However according to the story, the serpent was not satisfied with his evil deeds. So he brought forth this dark liquid of temptation. Those who would try it would be mesmerized by evil. For those seeking cleansing, they would find nothing. Struggling between good and evil, or so is told by Lost Abbey. After trying this liquid, yeah its pretty evil, but it is so sweet and tasty. So let me explain what this is all about if you ever want to try it >:)….. It has hints of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla and caramel, some earthy and oak bourbon (possibly from the strength of the alcohol). The amazing thing too is that it does contain some hoppy bitterness and some minor yeasty bread flavor. Chocolate chip cookies anyone? There is some dark fruit like raisins which is big with The Lost abbey brewing. The aftertaste of chocolate and cookie cream linger after every sip. You will notice the alcohol in this one and it has to be taken with small sips at a time. If your doing something really bad like sinning by having this beer…at least enjoy it while you are at it :)…Also, moderation is very important.

Bashah (Black As Sin Hoppy As Hell) Collaboration between Stone and BrewDog

by tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ImageRating: 4/5

Bashah!!…Does not compute…It is a collaboration between Brewdog and Stone Brewing company. It is a 8.6% ABV Black Strong Belgian Dark fused with a Double India Pale. It is my response to the what ifs in terms of beer fusions. Mixing my favorite style a Belgian Dark Strong Ale with a Double IPA. My answer for an Imperial Stout and Belgian Dark Strong ale came with Sam Adams 13th hour Belgian stout long ago.

Bashah is the other end of the spectrum. What if you took the arrogant and hoppy bastard or the Ruination of stone and you added some dark Belgian bready yeast not to mentions BrewDogs influence with malts that add that chocolatey and coffee like flavors. Smooth and hoppy bitterness. Hard to find this beer is, hard to find meaning as stated in the label. There is no real meaning to any of this…Beer is here….Bashah…Bashah Bashah….literally it works…there is no reason for such combinations to work…sweet bitterness I should say….but they do ..and they work damn well. Aged for those added oaky and bourbon notes as well… Not to be mistaken though..those that are not worthy should probably leave this one for a more enlightened soul. Those who believe is that gut feeling shouldn’t let this beer pass by as it is a rarity as well…Delicious…fulfilling and complex. Just plain…doesn’t make sense…but its there :P…..Thanks dudes at Stone and Brewdog for this one B-)