Toaster - 4th Anniversary Imperial Stout - East End Brewing Company

gford217

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

1L swingtop shared by Georgiabeer at the Brick Store.

Pours a viscous black with a ridiculously dark mocha head that recedes very slowly and settles in as a solid cap with some good lacing.

The aroma is of massive sweet malts, chocolate malts, before it warmed up. When it warmed up, the thing turned into a toasted beast with plenty of smoke, toasted malts and espresso.

The taste mirrors the aroma and has a massive toasted malt backbone with plenty of dark chocolate and roasted coffee. There are hints of hops as well and plenty of smoke in the finish.

The mouthfeel is close to full bodied and coats the mouth with the toasty malted body.

This is a great impy stout and one that lives up to its name as it's toasty, smoky, malty and very tasty. I wouldn't call it crazy drinkable by any means, but it's a very good sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2009 01:58:53 | More by gford217

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge bottle split with oglmcdgl. Thank you so much for breaking this gem out.

A- Toaster is a flip top bottle and once it opened a faint sound followed. This toast was burnt to oblivion with a deep dark black tar like presense. It oozed out of the bottle filling a large snifter. A very sturdy almost whip cream like brown head stayed on top FOREVER. This left sheets of thick film on the glass. This stuff looks great.

S- Toaster is for sure toasted with deep roast like scents and some smoke as well although the smoke is not in the forefront. It took a while for toaster to open up but once it did it left traces of burnt, charred wood, roasted malts, deep chocolate and some faint coffee.

T- Lucious malts just pouring out roast and bittersweet chocolate. I had a few sips and just waited 20 minutes so it would really shine. More roast and just a bit of char and smoke. In the middle comes some coffee and vanilla beans. While I dont know the ABV on this I am sure it is high but it is hidden so well. Also if I look for it hard enough some bacon comes to mind. Toaster is a good candidate for breakfast, on your day off.

M- Thick, and even more thick when I come to think on it longer. This stout is full bodied and lightly carbonated but full flavored. The alcohol is not a problem at all. This one needs to be sipped for maximum pleasure.

D- Not so sure of the ABV but the way im feeling afterwards tells me it's high. Either way this is highly drinkable and goes great with some worthy chocolate pieces. This was a great addition for east end's 4th anniversary beer and here's hoping to many more. Still need to try homewood reserve and other's but it's going to be hard to top this. I guess some aging would not hurt this beer but it's pretty much perfect at the present moment.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2009 02:11:14 | More by onix1agr

Gyle41386

South Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a tulip. Consumed at a tasting with a handful of fellow BA's. Review is from tasting notes.

Huge thanks to khiasmus for sharing.

Pours pitch black. This pour is the definition of a motor oil pour. Three fingers of creamy chocolate head. This beer looks perfect.

Aroma is of milk chocolate and roasted malts. The name Toaster is appropriate, as there is a toasted grain quality in the nose and flavor, like a slice of bread left in the toaster for a little too long.

This is a pretty hoppy stout. The roastiness is very nice. I'm not much of a roast fanatic, but I enjoyed it here. Again, this is literally toasty.

The mouthfeel is the highlight here. Thick, viscous feel. Super rich and creamy. Tremendous coating. Just awesome feel.

Very drinkable Imperial Stout. Unbelievably good.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2009 06:05:13 | More by Gyle41386

khiasmus

South Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It's another nightmare. The fourth in as many nights. The black oozes into my brain yet again, the jagged edges of my sight slowly being overtaken by the dense darkness. I look up and see the head, as dark as coffee beans, capping this bloody darkness. It lingers, it lasts, moussy, and I drop into the black abyss, out of sight. There is no escape, there never is, from the claws digging into my spine, into my heart.
Burnt grain, burnt grain, burnt grain, burnt grain, and then a hop, the earth, the hops of the earth, earthy ones. Dark roasted barley, and the earthy, earthlike, the chasm, hops. And the black. Patent, absurd, complete. Black Patent. yes. The dark. And milk. Black milk. Imagine. No, not milk, but milk stout. The Peculiar sweetness. And then the embracing silence, and bitter darkness of earth herself.
And thick, the darkness, this chewy-thick, the dark thick-chewy, milky black, heavy-resistant... The mud, the black closing in, and dry. A thick bitterness, one that can be felt, the flavor of blackness, of dark, an ancient evil inviting me to taste and savor, to give myself over to her, to the dark, the lonesome, thick, sweaty black mud, the embrace of nothingness, of a sledgehammer to my head... I want another. I want more. These tastes of hell, of the inseparable feeling of oneness with nothing, the density of jagged edges lurking, stealing their way into my brain, my vision, all I can remember...
I want more.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2009 03:28:45 | More by khiasmus

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1L swing-top bottle obtained via Growling at the Moon from CrazyMacHarris99. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/4" orangey dark brown head over the opaque dark brown/black brew. Head recedes at the expected pace, with very leggy lasting lace.
Aroma is intense, with dark grains, coffee, and alcohol.

Taste finds rich dark maltiness dominant, with hops bitterness coming out near the end, before the alcohol warming takes over. Mouthfeel is smooth, and drinkability is better than most of this abv.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2009 20:57:14 | More by ppoitras

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Toaster has a deep, dark, black body that light seems to find absolutely inpenetrable. A dark brown head foamy head with very large bubbles sits on top. The head shows above average retention but only leaves spotty lacing.

A noticeable bitter chocolate aroma that reminds comes with lots of roasted notes.

This one is tasty. Chocolately up front, with chocolate flavors ranging from bitter dark chocolate to flavors. A touch of toffee comes through from behind the chocolate. Finishes with a rather intense roasted flavor and some very slight hop astringency in the background. Maybe a touch of warming here from the alcohol, but not much.

Thick, creamy, full bodied. A great mouthfeel.

For a stout that is 11+% ABV, the alcohol was prettty damn enigmatic in here. Another winner from East End.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2009 20:03:52 | More by Hojaminbag

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to EGledhill for grabbing this 1 L swingtop for me. This is East End's 4th Anniversary beer.

A: Damn this is black! The stout opens with a pop and pours in one long viscous stream. Black seems to be an understatement, this is black hole quantum singularity black. A two and a half finger head was a deep brown, almost black color before settling down.

S: The nose is intoxicatingly full, heavy on chocolate, coffee, burnt toast (lots of burnt toast) and cocoa powder.

T: The first sip leaves a scorched earth in its wake. Roasted and toasted, the stout doesn't skimp on the burn or the smoke. Everything in the nose, save the cocoa powder, is intensified. The toasted element is especially strong, like drinking charred slices of bread. The confluence of overtoasted flavors leaves a lasting bite in the mouth.

M: The mouthfeel is one harsh landscape, toasted beyond recognition. That being said, it does bring some chocolatey sweetness and chewy smoke to the table as well.

D: Finishing the whole liter may be tough if only because the flavors do scorch the palate. A hell of an anniversary ale. Happy Birthday to East End.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2009 19:05:19 | More by akorsak

hopdog

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1-liter flip top bottle.

Poured a dark black color with a large sized brown head. Aromas of chocolate, dark fruits, roasty, and toasty (or was that a suggestion placed in my mind by the name!). Tastes of chocolate, dark fruits, roasty, coffee, and some smokiness. Alcohol content well hidden. Oily body.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2009 13:05:48 | More by hopdog

DrewOSU

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

Consumed at BA Cincinnati RIS tasting on 3/5/2009, hosted by Yetiman420

A: Pours thick and looks like used motor oil. Black and chunky with a big gritty sediment in the lacing on the side of the glass.

S: There is everything on this nose. Smoke, coffee, molasses all at once.

M/T: Medium, gritty body. Huge alcohol taste, bitter shock with a smokey middle and a dry but malty aftertaste. Complex.

D: This beer is amazing, but in small amounts. Pallet killer with the smoke and bitterness. A huge treat though.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2009 03:23:51 | More by DrewOSU

woodske1

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Very nice smell, I'd say that is the highlight of this beer. It also lives up to the name...this barely has been seriously toasted.

I really didn't find it that drinkable though. One was good, but after that it was just too toasty. If you see it on tap, try one, but that's it.

Serving type: growler

03-03-2009 00:43:29 | More by woodske1

tpd975

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge Thanks goes out to the LEGENDARY ibrew2or3 for this one.

A: Pours a beautiful dark jet black hue. Nice tall creamy mocha head that seems to last and last. Lace, yeah there is enough here to weave a doiley or two.

S: More like toasted than toaster, but this baby is shiny and new. To say the malt is roasted is an understatement, that is unless it were to be roasted in hell. Burt malt up front with hints of smoke, dark chocolate, and over roasted coffee.

T: It is very much roasty in flavor as well, but not to the level of the nose, which is a good thing. Wonderfuly roasted malt with just a touch of smoke. Decadant chocolate and dark roast coffee. Very tasty and complex.

M: Full bodied. This one clings to the glass and your jowls.

D: It's a bold brew, but one that is a real joy to sip.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2009 21:11:18 | More by tpd975

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Looked thick and dark during the pour with low carbonation. A fine, dark brown cap appeared slowly, then formed a thick ring after settling a bit. Sheets of bubbles coated the glass. Great head retention. No edges that I could detect - this stuff is black. Roast and burnt aroma, cocoa and toffee, faint leafy hops, slight sour cherry and alcohol. A bit fruity as it warmed. Malty and sweet with moderate hop bitterness that lingered in the finish. Dark malts contributed additional bitterness and a bit of astringency. Dry roast and burnt notes melded with the sweeter chocolate and toffee flavours. Alcohol was present throughout, but stayed mellow. A bit fruity up front, but that became more noticeable as it warmed. Great balance. Full bodied with low carbonation, fine bubbles, quite smooth, mild warmth. Quite an easy drinking big stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 20:00:39 | More by DrJay

CrazyMacHarris99

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 1 quart flip top. Pours a thick black engine oil with a thick dark mocha head. The smell is strong burnt malts with a hint of chocolate and coffee. The taste has a quick bite which mellows out to a creamy thick milkshake mouthfeel. Drinkability is low with this one but then again, it is the amped up version of East End's amazing Blackstrap Stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 09:15:46 | More by CrazyMacHarris99

sonicdescent

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is black oil, thick as hell pouring with little carbonation and only a crown of mocha head.

Smell is strong with chocolate, toffee, and cream. You can tell how strong this brew is from the nose.

Taste is similar to smell with a hint of smoke and a definite warming sensation to compliment it's thick body and low carbonation.

Drinkability takes a slight hit because it is rich and high in alcohol. I would absolutely get it again, but I'd struggle to drink more than a pint at a time. Another winner from East End.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2009 02:57:42 | More by sonicdescent

wingman14

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

4th Anniversary labeled on the Bottle.

Pours like motor oil, thick and black, with the darkest brown head I've ever seen. The smell is sweet with nice chocolate and burnt notes. The smell leads into the great taste, starting sweet with some fruit notes, that are very different for a heavy stout, but are very well done and complement the beer very nicely. The flavor moves to a malty taste, then finishes with a nice burnt/smokey flavor. The smoky flavor lingers in the aftertaste inviting another sip. The mouthfeel is as heavy as they get with a smooth liquid velvet feel. This is a great beer, with nice drinkability, an amazing stout that everyone should check out!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2009 05:04:42 | More by wingman14