Impermanence

Imperanence, Tree House Brewing Company, Charlton, MA
(Imperial Stout, Rated 98)

Imperial milk stout pours a deep, chocolaty brown. Aromas of rich coffee, milk chocolate, and maple. Taste is creamy, milk chocolate, mocha espresso, and cacao all dancing together with lingering maple syrup sweetness. Dense viscosity and rich, silky smooth mouthfeel. 9% abv. Absolutely delightful!

The Jones Dog (12 Year Elijah Craig Barrel Aged)

The Jones Dog, Pipeworks Brewing Company, Chicago, IL
(Imperial Stout, Rated 98)

Imperial Milk Stout aged in 12 year Elijah Craig Bourbon Barrels. Pours pitch black with a thin mocha head. Aromas of melted milk chocolate, vanilla, roasted malts, and sweet bourbon. Decadent flavors of sweet, smooth bourbon, melted fudge, vanilla sweetness, cacao.  Velvety smooth mouthfeel and full-bodied. 13% abv. My all-time favorite Pipeworks beer to date!  Outstanding!

Tweak

Tweak, Avery Brewing Company, Boulder, CO
(Imperial Stout, Rated 100)

Pitch black pour with a thin mocha head. Aroma is strong with coffee, oak, and booze. Taste of percolated black coffee, roasted malts, dark chocolate and bourbon sweetness. Picking up a little nuttiness too. Chewy viscosity and velvety smooth. Finishes dry with an intense coffee and bourbon warming. Not for the faint of heart at 17.81% abv.

The Jones Dog

The Jones Dog, Pipeworks Brewing Company, Chicago, IL
(Imperial Stout, Rated 99)

Brewed with cacao nibs and vanilla beans, aged in Heaven Hills barrels. Pours deep black. Inviting aromas of sweet vanilla, chocolate and bourbon. Taste has sweet vanilla, mild roasted malts, and bourbon. Has a sweet molasses finish with a delicious bourbon warming. 13% abv

Yellow Belly Peanut Butter Biscuit Stout

Yellow Belly, Buxton Brewery, Stockholm Sweden
(Imperial Stout, Rated 100)

Pitch black pour. Strong, rich aromas of peanut butter and chocolate. Super delicious flavors of roasted dark malts, thick, peanut butter, dark chocolate, peanut brittle. Little molasses at the finish. Full bodied and silky smooth. A Reese's Peanut Butter cup fan's delight!

Double Shot Double Black

Double Shot Double Black, Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Duluth, MN
(Imperial Stout, Rated 99)

Pitch back pour with a light, mocha colored head that dissipated quickly. Strong coffee nose with dark roast and sweet vanilla. Taste of melted dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla sweetness, and bourbon. Silky smooth, medium viscosity, with a nice warming, bourbon finish. 10% abv. Super delicious! Up there with some of the best beers I've had this year.

Prairie Coffee Noir

Prairie Coffee Noir, Prairies Artisan Ales, Tulsa, OK
(Imperial Stout, Rated 90)

The coffee variant of the Prairie Noir series pours black with a thin, mocha head. Aroma of coffee, fudge, and an ashy roastiness. Taste is slightly bitter to start with coffee and caramel flavors. Mild whiskey sweetness with a soft oak finish. Alcohol lingers on the tongue. Clocks in at 11.2% abv.

Liquid Confidential

Liquid Confidential, To Øl, Copenhagen, Denmark
(Imperial Stout)

Pitch black pour with a dark, mocha head. Aromas of dark chocolate, roasted dark malts, and a little bit of burnt caramel. Taste is dominated by roasted dark malts and dark chocolate.  Has a sweet creaminess. Thick, smooth, and a bit chalky. The chili finish is subtle but lingers. Packs a nice punch at 12.3% abv,  Not all pepper beers need to burn out the mouth. Many add nice complimentary flavors, like this one.

Aún Más Café Jesús

Aún Más Café Jesús, Evil Twin Brewing Company, Brooklyn, NY
(Imperial Stout, Rated 100)

Pitch black pour with a thin, mocha head. Intense aromas of burnt coffee, dark roasted malts, and notes of chocolate. Roasted coffee beans and dark, bittersweet chocolate dominate the flavor. Touch of sweet molasses. Alcohol (12% abv) is present but subdued. Creamy fudge mouthfeel. This is one fine dessert!  My favorite of the three.

Aún Más Chili Jesús

Aún Más Chili Jesús, Evil Twin Brewing, Brooklyn, NY
(Imperial Stout, Rated 99)

Pours a deep black with a mocha-colored head. Aromas of roasted, dark coffee, cacao, toasted malts, and faint green chilies. Taste is chocolaty sweet up front, roasted dark malts, salty soy sauce, and an abundance of chili. Rich, creamy mouthfeel.  Has a very, nice chili burn throughout that lingers after the finish. Like spicy food, pepper beers appeal to different palates. This beer has an incredible amount of flavor that is accentuated by the chili heat. 12% abv.

Aún Más a Jesús

Aún Más a Jesús, Evil Twin Brewing, Brooklyn, NY
(Imperial Stout, Rated 100)

Pours deep black with a thin, mocha head. Bold roasty aromas of coffee, dark malts, dark chocolate, and a definite hint of booze. Flavors are complex, but well blended. Dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted malts, burnt toast, and touches of molasses and vanilla to add a faint sweetness. Full bodied. Rich, creamy mouthfeel. Bitter baker's chocolate finish. 12% abv. This is one fine beer!

Venganza de la Panela

Vengza de la Panela, 51st Ward Beer Company, Westmont, IL
(Imperial Stout, Rated 95)

A little change-up from all of those IPAs and pale ales here. Pours a deep, black in color with no head. Aroma is molasses, carmelized sugar, dark fruits, and chocolate. Mouthfeel is creamy and slick. Taste is sweet, burnt brown sugar, and rich molasses. Nice roast with just a bit of a tart, acidic finish. Not harsh though. The 11% abv certainly warms the throat.

Good Morning

Good Morning, Tree House Brewing Company, Monson, MA
(Imperial Stout, Rated 100)

The hype is real with this imperial stout. Pours pitch black with a creamy, mocha head. Fantastic, bubbly aromas of rich milk chocolate, fresh roasted coffee, and maple syrup. Taste is rich, roasted mocha coffee with creamy, melted chocolate, with sweet maple syrup. Full body with a creamy velvet mouthfeel. So complex and so delicious! All I can say is "Wow!".

Dragon's Mile Reserve - Raspberry

Dragon's Milk Reserve - Raspberry, New Holland Brewing Company, Holland, MI
(Imperial Stout, Rated 91)

The original Dragon's Milk is a great beer, but then New Holland produces variants like this one introducing raspberries. Pours dark black with no noticeable head. Aroma is roasted malt, cocoa, with a faint undertone of raspberry. Flavor is sweet, chocolaty, raspberries, and a nice, mild bourbon finish. If served from a chilled bottle or from on tap, let it warm in the glass, as you would with most imperial stouts and barrel aged beers. The flavors of this beer get better as it warms. A delicious treat to the end of my day.

Sea Monster Imperial Stout

Sea Monster Imperial Stout, Ballast Point Brewing Company, San Diego, CA
(Imperial Stout, Rated 98)

Continuing with this string of Ballast Point beers, this imperial stout pours black in color with a tan head. Aromas of roasted malts, cocoa powder, and coffee. Taste is a touch bitter up front with chocolate, dark roasted coffee, an dark malts. Full bodied and full of flavor. This 10% abv beer is dangerously drinkable.

New Belgium/Perennial Artisan Ales Lips of Faith Series: Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout

Lips of Faith Series: Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout, New Belgium Brewing Company, Fort Collins, CO
(Imperial Stout, Rated 91)

Deep, black pour with a nice, finger-thick, beige head. Belgian yeast aroma, roasted malts, and nice dark chocolate.Taste is roasted malts, chocolate, and a faint hop bitterness. Little bit of a salty finish. Flavor develops as it warms in the glass. Another solid addition to the Lips of Faith series.

Ale Epeteios Imperial Stout

Ale Epeteios Imperial Stout, Left Coast Brewing Company, San Clemente, CA
(Imperial Stout, Rated 94)

Solid black pour with a faint mocha head. Rich aromas of roasted malts, coffee, licorice, and chocolate. Flavor is robust with bitter roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a toasted nuttiness. Nice hop-malt balance. Easy finish. Just a tad boozy at 9.5% abv.

Founders Imperial Stout

Imperial Stout, Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI
(Imperial Stout, Rated 100)

One of the finest imperial stouts I've had. Black pour with a dark mocha head. Immense aromas of roasted coffee and dark chocolate. Rich, dark, black, coffee flavors mixed with dark chocolate, malts, and a bit of sweet dark fruit. Full bodied and loaded with flavor. The 10.5% abv provides a nice alcohol warming to the finish. Amazing stout!

Dragon's Milk

Dragon's Milk, New Holland Brewing  Company, Holland, MI
(Imperial Stout, Rated 98)

Someone shared a sneak peak of Game of Thrones' forthcoming 4th season today, so I thought it was appropriate to have a little Dragon's Milk tonight. Another fine offering in this recent string of imperial stouts for me. Nice black pour with a thin off-white head. Sweet aroma of molasses, chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of bourbon. Vanilla sweetness and roasted malts are apparent up front followed by light bourbon flavors. For a barrel-aged beer of the 10% abv variety, I expected the bourbon to be stronger. As it is, this one is smooth and definitely drinkable.

Sixteen

Sixteen, Central Waters Brewing Company, Amherst, WI
(Imperial Stout)

Last weekend, January 25th, some friend and I traveled to Amherst, WI for Central Waters Brewing Company's 16th Anniversary party. They released their anniversary beer, aptly named Sixteen. Each person in attendance was afforded the opportunity to purchase up to an allotment of eight of these 22oz bombers. The party was a blast. Met some great people and had some great, tasty beer. I sampled Sixteen on site, but now I'm sharing with everyone. Well-known for their barrel-aging program, Central Waters aged Sixteen in bourbon barrels for 21 months. This beauty pours a deep, dark, chocolaty brown with a dark mocha head. Fantastic aromas of chocolate, vanilla, molasses, oak, bourbon, and faint burnt notes. Taste is dry, roasted coffee, chocolate, molasses, and great bourbon flavor. Full bodied, roasted and boozy with that bourbon warming your throat. Amazing beer!