Harveys Imperial Extra Double Stout (A.Le Coq Imperial Stout)

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

Sent from Blue Lou, and enjoyed by yours truly. Immediate aroma of soured fruits & berries, heavily roasted malt, brown sugar, and earth. Streaky / filmy lacing, thin head and a dark brown body. Tangy sourness follows through in the flavor along with leather, and mild medicinal kick. Dry bitter bite. An odd medley of barnyard and chocolate......along the lines of a Jolly Pumpkin stout. Not sure if the sourness is intentional with age as some of the classic versions of strong stouts and porter did indeed have a mix of soured malt. Not bad, but not what was anticipated.

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

2003 version - jet black motor oil pour with no head nor much lacing. Aromas of burnt brown sugar, walnuts, molasses, a touch of licorice and alcohol. Taste is burnt sweet maple and brown sugar with nuts - walnuts - and warming alcohol. Nicely aged and somewhat mellow but satisfying nonetheless.

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

2003 bottle ..Thick, .. Pours a very dark brown syrup .. . low foam, some very sparse lacing .. lots of black chocolate and sweet reduced molasses, thick .. . a good brew, aged very well.. did i say thick? ... . When I get real bored, I like to drive downtown and get a great parking spot, then sit in my car and count how many people ask if I'm leaving..

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

Had this a while ago, may have been my first IPS. I remember it being very tart, and the taste was off somehow. Was one of those beers that stood in my mind not to buy again, especially for the price. Not really that bad of a beer, just unique for it's style.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a very thin foamy head with not much head retention or lacing. Aroma of soy-sauce and salty malt makes for a weird and unique experience. Taste is again very unique with some salty notes and weird soy-sauce like finish. Body is full with very light carbonation and no signs of alcohol. Very unique experience but unfortunately not one that is really to my liking.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

The first whiff of this beer was like a barleywine, but the second was more like a stout - smoky with hints of coffee. Still there is a decided barleywine or cider overtone. It pours a deep opaque sable with a decent tan head. Flavor is rich, oily and smoky with a mocha undertone and a strong alcohol bite. Texture is smooth, a little fizzy, and just a bit slimy. Aftertaste is a rather strong alcohol bite like brandy.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

WOW.... Very Weird.. . Smells great... looks great... now if we can just work on taste....2003 bottle and I was excited to see it.... But is was a total mess... Let us be honest.. I spent $6 on this and I cannot pour it out... but I want to.. . there is know way that it will get better with age or taste better if it warms up.. I could sit here and describe the beer for you.. I would rather tell you DON"T DRINK IT!!! this was crap..... I fell ripped off!!

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

pours an oily black with no head to speak of. i don't mind the big abv sippers, but this one is a miss. something's wrong here. smells had some pleasing port like qualities that didn't quite add up. smelled a little smoke and tart/sour notes in there as well, which kept me from rating the aroma higher. mouthfeel is nice at first...it's the type of beer that little or no carbonation can work well for, but it blends right into a flavor that is...just...not ...nice. previous raters used words like tar, musty, paint thinner, soy...too harsh. the otherwise smooth body goes right out the window when you actually taste it. gross finish. i know this isn't supposed to be an everyday brew, but it's a bad sipper as well. one reviewer says this is a cigar beer...i agree, to the extent that someone may have used the bottle as an ashtray before the beer was added, giving it it's "unique" taste. We had a 2003, so maybe it was past it's prime, but it's what was on the shelf last month!

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

Nice. 2003 - Pours oil black with a thin tan head. Aroma of scotch and chocolate. For the naysayers, this is an excellent rendition of what it is intended to be. I think this may only be bested by a JW Lees Harvest Ale. This one is a sipper, NOT an "I think I'll grab me a brewski". Light the fire, light a cigar, and slowly enjoy this, as all the elements are presented quite nicely.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Enjoyable beer, and one that I shared with some family members while enjoying Thankgiving 2008. The beer has a perfect pour, deep black in color, a rich, creamy, thick 2-finger head which stayed the entire length of the drink. Aroma was roasted malts, dark chocolate, and slightly musty. Flavors had the same characteristics as in the aroma, with a bit of earthy anise and alcohol thrown in. Decent beer.