Southampton Imperial Russian Stout

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

A super nice, complex imperial stout, that even bested a barreled Jackie O's head to head. Molasses, chocolate, lots of roast, hops...all rolled in to one delicious package. I'd drink this all the time if it were available.

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

Vinous and complex, the blend of fruitiness and rich roasted malts seem to allow this beer to straddle between Imperial Stout and English Barleywine (at least for the bottle I sampled). A dark brown/black pour with a pencil thin head and a few spots of lacing. Mildly carbonated, rich and smooth. Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, mixed berries, dried fruits and port wine all took opportunities to present themselves.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

Wow. It’s been awhile since I’ve been really underwhelmed by a beer that’s been well hyped/rated, especially one like this. Received via trade with daknole a few weeks back and cracked this open the first chance I had to properly share it. My brothers house was the location, and our Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving get together with friends and neighbors. This was one of the beers towards the end. We didn’t have a huge amount of beers to have (7-8) so I don’t think it was palate fatigue. Anyways...

The beer pours out a stunning onyx black body with a huge 3 finger dark brown/grayish looking color, tight bubbles, creamy and nice lacing left behind. Notes of coffee, dark chocolate, rubbing alcohol, black licorice and jammy dark fruits. First taste, I get the coffee/dark chocolate notes up front but there’s something strange. I get a ton of ashy sawdust/bloody/mineral/olive oil thing going on which is strange. Very astringent too. I let it warm-up a little more (we were drinking outside, so it was already about 60 degrees) and nothing changes, except for a nutty bitterness seems to creep in that I didn’t get the first few sips. I kept going back to the beer for about 30 minutes or so, swirling, warming with my hands, etc. It just didn’t change for the better at any point.

I asked my brother, who is also a beer geek, what he thought and without giving him my thoughts, he just said he felt like it was a bloody mucusy mess in his mouth! Yeesh. I don’t know about that but the beer seemed to look good in every aspect save for the taste, which if fell on it’s face I think. A bad bottle perhaps? Maybe, can’t rule it out. But I think this was a once in a lifetime beer, so I doubt I’ll get a second chance with it. Bummer.

Bottle #381 / 450

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

This poured a solid black color with a moderate to large tan head. The aroma contains coffee, chocolate, tobacco, licorice, and a hint of alcohol. The flavor is rather sweet with coffee, chocolate, and some dark fruits. The finish is slightly bitter. Overall this was a well balanced and awesome impy stout.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

04.16.05 Brewtopia ’05, Draught. Now this stuff was great! Maple-black pour; dark brown head. Choco-roaty with much pitch, caramelized fig. Unctuous as a beer can be. Really sweet on first sip, settles in to chocolate and roast - sharp hop bite to finish. Excellent balance, . Really thick. Very tasty.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

22 ounce bottle. Poured black with a thick tan head. Good lacing. Aroma had port, cherry, smoked chocolate and coffee, roasted malt, courant and caramel. Some vanilla was added into the taste. Amazing Imperial Stout.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

2005 Bottle Pours blackish with a thin cocoa-puff colored head. The aroma is a bit subdued: a hint of malt & chocolate When I took a sip, I initially got a tart taste on the tip of my tongue, which I didn't like. Otherwise, it was dry, roasty w/ a clean finish.

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

On tap at Blind Tiger in NYC. Pours very black with a thin white head. Enjoyable aroma and taste, espresso chocolate, all the good stuff one expects in a notworthy imperial stout. Almost too heavy for a spring evening, but I was the one who ordered it. Very good, very enjoyable. Recommended.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 10

had this beer on tap at the Blind Tiger ale house NYC. this beer was Really dark, like black , with a tan head. smooth as hell mouthfeel. flavas of Coco/chocolate, coffee,roasty maltyness too. really good stuff,had a few and was feelin pretty good. this needs to be bottled.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

Growler... Poured opaque black as night with a small, tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of port, cherries, raspberries, smoke, chocolate, and roasted malt. Taste of chocolate and roast, more vinous qualities, certainly a little bit of tar, with a superb mouthfeel. Finishes with light, dry, alcohol. Phucking Phenomenal!