Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 8

Thick as sin! Absolutely ZERO light passes through this stuff. I held it up to my TV set and usually I get some light through so I can enjoy the color. Not this stuff. Very small head after pouring the full bottle. You can see the thickness of this beer. Sort of like lightweight motor oil. As to tasted? Well, the first thing I notice is the heavy flavor of roasted grain, almost a roasted barley flavor. Almost to a point of being fishy-like though the fishyness doesn’t last very long. Zero aroma to speak of. When I think of an imperial porter I think of a Baltic Porter with some sweetness to it. To me I’d rather call this an imperial stout. Even Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout has more sweetness to it than this. After letting the glass warm up a bit there is a little more sweetness and the fish taste dimishes. Probably let it get a little too cold for this style? (three more bottles to tell!). All-in-all I’d rather have a Rasputin. I’ll modify my review if things are different enough after a resampling.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Black with brown head. Sweet malt and burnt black patent make for a nice aroma. Taste is rich sweet malt that balances out the dry burnt malt of the black patent. Adds welcome complexity to the porter like malt flavor. Nice. I was expecting an over abundance of burnt black patent. This malt combo creates balance and added interest in the next sip. I also detect a bit of a port wine flavor and some wood. Very good beer.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 4

On tap at the Trivia Pub in Moon Twp. Pours a very dark opaque brownish black. Very little aroma, probably due to the neat smelling cigar smoke that surrounded us. Initial bitter roasty impact. Little carbonation. Too much personality for my taste buds. Lingering bitter finish. This taste more like an imperial stout than porter. Well, I guess baltic porters do taste like light imperial stouts anyway. Probably will not buy again.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 9

Bottle at home, black beer, small head. Aroma is hops, citrus, malt, coffee, chocolate. Taste is the same, long bitter dry aftertaste. nice one.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Bottler: Poured a black carbonated color with a beige head. Aroma was sweet chocolate malts with a hops to it. Taste is sweet coffee and chocolate, the finish is hoppy.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

June 10, 2022
LCBO Outlet #010 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Summerhill)
355ml bottle
10.0% ABV
Best Before: July 31, 2023
$5.00
The beer pours a solid black colour with a creamy brown head that lasts and delivers good lacing. The aroma is coffee, roasted malt, chocolate, and dish soap. The mouthfeel is full bodied with average carbonation. The flavour is coffee forward with hints of dark fruit and chocolate. A very good beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

355ml bottle from LCBO. Pours a pretty big frothy tan head, thick dirty soapy lace, has a dark brownish appearance. Moderate carbonation. Aromas of roasted malt, crystal malt, grassy and herbal hops, a little bit earthy as well. Flavours are mostly the roasted malts and earthy, herbal hops. A little of sweetness in the finish. At 10%abv, goes down quite well and smoothly. Dry mouthfeel with a tad bit of bitterness on the palate.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

355ml bottle with 10% ABV from the LCBO. Aromas of molasses and hints of Bourbon over the roasted malts. Coffee notes eventually come out with a tad nuttiness, caramel and hops. Dark brown colour, almost black with light copper highlights, a creamy, frothy, light mocha-coloured head, very good retention and beautiful creamy lacing. Good bitterness in the mouth lingering showing some grassy hops. Roasted malt background, but not much more. Just really hoppy, bitter, Imperial Porter.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Notes from 2012. 2006 edition. Rounded pint glass pour. Tar-ish black, droopy pour. Minimal tan head. Looks almost flat. Smells of Dark/burnt/charred bread & oats, faded hops, & sharp/dark fruit. Taste is more sooty, with burnt bread, old chocolate, cardboard, & caked malt. Mellow. No hint of sourness. Quite different with age, but still not a fan.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Pours darkest brown with full, creamy head. Nice lacing remains as you sip it down. The aroma seemed fairly light with understated burnt malt and coffee notes. The flavor is much bigger with earth, coffee, a faint chocolate sweetness playing against floral and citrus hops bitterness. Very tasty. Full bodied, creamy, almost viscous. I've had a few Flying Dog beers and this is certainly their best showing. Thanks to mwiscount for picking this out for me.