Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout - Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)

BeerAngel

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Great brew! Pours a beautiful deep thick black with garnet high-lights with a medium tan head. Smells VERY nice with hints of roasted malts and chocolate. The taste is has the same as the smell along with the addition of a very slight hint of coffee and very nice well balanced hops. It has a medium bodied mouthfeel and is quite refreshing! Again, very good stuff! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2002 19:01:41 | More by BeerAngel

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A virtually black beer with chestnut highlights around the rim of the glass. Pours with a dark tan head which quickly dissipates but leaves a small ring around the glass. The aroma is faint and difficult to place. The taste, however, is astounding. Sweetness, hops bitterness, chocolate, a little vanilla, fruit, and nuts all in a creamy mouthfeel. I keep envisioning chocolate covered cherries as I drink this beer. It also drinks very easy. This is truly a top notch beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2002 12:23:33 | More by aaronh

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.95/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have never had this before, what a feast!!!!.
The 12 fl.oz. bottle has a Royal looking Gold and White label, and so it should, for it proudly boasts Samuel Smiths as, “Contractors to Her Majesty’s Forces”. Bloody Hell - I want to Join the Army right now.
It is totally black, solidly opaque, not even Neutrinos can get through this beer! A velvety brown head coats the beer with a thin head that laces the glass with an old fractel design from the 1700’s. WOW!!. This beer does not have a sense of humor – it is one very Serious Stout. Smell is the very definition of “Imperial Stout”, through and through. Aromas and Tastes are inextricably linked to each other and are (in no specific order); Alcohol, Roast Malts, deeply burnished Mahogany, Roast Coffee Beans, Blackberries, Cocoa Beans, Liquorice from Pontefract, Bourneville Chocolate, Dark Rum, 5 year old Xmas Fruit Cake, Blueberries, Charcoal, distilled Cassis, dark Cherries (you know the ones I mean?), Brandy Chocolate Liqueurs, Dark Rum chasers….. need I go on?.
Extremely well balanced, big start that fades with a lingeruing roast malt bitterness. Man this beer is seriously good. Sams have an uncanny knack of making highly drinkable beers, and this is no exception.
A Simply Stunning Regal Stout that has a truly Nobel, Imperious, Majestic quality.
A "High Borne" Aristocratic Sovereign amongst Stouts.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2002 21:41:01 | More by TheLongBeachBum

putnam

Michigan

4.97/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dark but not opaque with Burgundy highlights and a wisp of foam on top. The aromas are of milk, blueberries, prunes and old-fashioned licorice with a dusting of cocoa and sweet spices. Velvety, peptol-bismol-like texture and even a little medicine-box nuance, like old bandages, kicking in. Delicious sweet milk, walnuts, vanilla bean and burnt sugar. No obtrusive hop herbalness at all. Brilliant, satisfying, and amazingly drinkable for an Imperial Stout. A beer with class and poise.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2002 13:56:56 | More by putnam

mickeymac

California

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

It's jet black with the tan head we've come to expect of Imperials. The head fades rather quickly, leaving a beer that is appropriately low in carbonation. The smell has notes of roasted malt and just a hint of sweetness. The flavor is also heavy on roasted malt, and I found it to be dryer than expected. It's pretty good but nothing spectacular. I've never gotten the fascination with Samuel Smith beers, and this one did little to change my mind.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2002 18:00:16 | More by mickeymac

ADR

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thick "imperial pour", brown head of 1/2 inch...no light transmission, absolutely black as night. Cherry aromas with a chocolate coating -- very similar to the box of candy. Dark and sharp flavor with a sense of some smokiness. Just lays in your mouth like a chocolatey cough syrup with a swell of deepness close to the swallow. The essence of this beer is a whopping presence and overall agreeability. Slightly less interesting than some other bigger Imperials, but a solid (and stolid) presence. If you like the profile, this brew is deceptively drinkable. One of the most delicious beers overall in existence.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2002 06:45:43 | More by ADR

bditty187

Nebraska

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Samuel Smith Imperial Stout pours an absolute black. The head was mainly brown with red intertwined. The head was not as big as I thought it would be but there was lacing and good head retention nevertheless. The nose was liquorish, dark rum, dark fruit, and sugar. Very awesome! The taste complemented the aroma perfectly, kind of a chocolate, liquorish, alcohol, fruity, and candiness. Very drinkable! This is an outstanding beer, complex and flavorful.

Once again Samuel Smith has made a flawless beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2002 15:18:56 | More by bditty187

MJR

Missouri

4.97/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm honestly puzzled how some can rate Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout higher than their Imperial Stout.

Pours pitch black with a dark tan head that doesn't want to stick around, but is easily aroused with a simple swirl of the glass.

The smell alone is enough to buckle this beer lovers knees. Roasted malt, raisons, burnt fruit, molasses, alcohol-covered fruit, you name it, it's in here. The flavor is stunningly complex, with more and more flavors showing up as the beer warms up. The mouthfeel is outstanding...nice and creamy, which I think is the main thing lacking from their Oatmeal Stout...it's a bit thin.

One of the great beers of the world.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2002 15:51:18 | More by MJR

MaineBeerMan

Maine

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Whoa! How have I gone all this time drinking the Taddy Porter and Oatmeal Stout without ever trying the Imperial? This stuff is dark black in appearance although a bright light behind it revealed rich bugundy red. Beautiful inch thick light brown foam that left rings down the glass.
Very fragrant with smell of malt, chocolate, molasses and a slight alcohol twinge.
Rich, robust flavor that just doesn't quit. Roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee, raisins and others are all present. Good hop presence helps to balance the sweetness.
Nice sweet, full mouthfeel this is so rich, it's like a meal in a glass.The flavor is so full that I couldn't tell it was 7% alcohol.

One of the best I've ever tasted, extremely drinkable, I wish I had bought more than one.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2002 19:36:11 | More by MaineBeerMan

jtw5877

Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dark as midnight, thick and chewy, caramel, coffee, chocolate, intense flavors. Hands down my favorite stout.(until I tried storm king) Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is everything a beer should be. This is the first Imperial Stout I ever tried and I love it.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2002 21:07:29 | More by jtw5877

mzwolinski

California

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

With awards dating back to 1896 displayed on the bottle, it's a safe bet that Samuel Smith has done something right with their Imperial Stout. And it's easy to confirm this suspicion as soon as the bottle is opened.

Pours black as night with a really nice head. Dark tan, about a finger thick at start. It soon dissipates down to a thin creamy top which rides the beer the whole way down, leaving a substantial sticky lace on the side of the glass.

The aroma is really excellent. Fruity -- I detect cherries and fig -- with a malt undertone and a liquor like alcohol boquet.

Fruit is evident in the taste as well, here I pick up something more along the lines of raisin. Chocolatey notes become evident as the beer warms. The head lends a nice lightness to a texture which might otherwise be a bit overpowering. Assertive hop finish.

Indeed, the finish might be the only real downside of this beer. Something about the floral/fruity hop finish strikes me as a bit astringent. This mellows a bit with warmth, but it's still distracting and an unfortunate way to end such an enjoyable sip of beer!

Nevertheless, this is a good, medium-full bodied, generally very smooth imperial stout, and the fruit/chocolate combination in the flavor is really quite luxurious. A very fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2002 18:55:08 | More by mzwolinski

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, just when I thought I had tried Samuel Smith's best beer, this beer comes into my life. At $2.25 a bottle I can't think of a better choice. Wonderfully rich aroma, roasted coffee and smooth chocolate flavor. Medium thick tan head and really nice lacing. This is a new favorite, I can't wait to try it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2002 09:35:22 | More by Dogbrick

Lupe

New York

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Black and opaque with a fine head that is coffee colored that leaves wonderful lace all the way down. Coffee, rum, and plum aroma. Mouthfeel is thick and oily. Sweet with a very long complex aftertaste (bitter, fruity, molasses, chocolate); hard to think it's only 7% - a wonderful beer !

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2002 16:57:53 | More by Lupe

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

This near opaque brew throws out a thin creamy brown head that retains nicely. This Imperial has a sweet toffee-like aroma mixed in with the usual roasted and burnt tones. The body of this beer is a little light for an Imperial Stout in my opinion (as is the a/v which is a mere 7%). The body is medium at best. However, this lends to a very easily drinkable Imperial Stout. There are no hints of alcohol in the taste. And the taste is very pleasant. Nice chocolate tones. Nice bittersweet tones. Nice subdued burnt malt flavor. And some bitterness to boot. Dark fruits surface halfway through and molasses seems to be mixing things up a bit too. A highly drinkable and flavorful Imperial Stout. Things could get messy if you lined up a few 4 packs of this for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2002 21:33:02 | More by Bighuge

beerluvr

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours with a billowing tan head settling over barely opaque liquid. Nose is a bit of dark fruits, followed by malt...the classic Sam Smith dark beer nose. Taste is smooth and sublime, with notes of raisins, burnt malts and yeast fruitiness apparent. Silky-smooth on the palate despite it's 7% alcohol content. A refreshing change of pace for the style, as most Imp.stouts feature an upfront hoppiness...this one emphasizes the malts quite nicely.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2002 21:05:37 | More by beerluvr

psugrad98

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Excellent stout. Rich carmel dark brown with tawyny tan head. Creamy head lasts impressively long. Slight sweet alcohol aroma nose and is also first taste. Roasted malts follow and persist throughout. Slightly bitter toward the end, but warm finishes warm.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2002 06:15:44 | More by psugrad98

ryanocerus

Iowa

4.03/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thick caramel head on top of a jet-black appearing beer. The malty aroma was a little on the heavy side. The first drink offered very nice lacing and a heavy chocolate flavor. This beer is a little too stout for my taste, but it is a well crafted beer and I would put it against any stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2002 10:09:32 | More by ryanocerus

JeffreyG

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is what one expects in an exceptional beer. This beer has a beautiful deep black color and a rich foamy head. It has a wonderful molasses cookies character to the aroma. It's the complex tastes that make me want to keep coming back to this beer. It has a coffee-like robustness and just a hint of sweet. Even the finish is complex and develops into roasty sweetness. While this beer leaves you wanting more, with it's strength and fullness you probably won't drink these all night. This is truly a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2002 17:47:34 | More by JeffreyG

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This stuff is excellent. Lots of chocolate, coffee and roastiness, my only complaint was the slight sweetness at the start, otherwise, world class brew, very black, with a tinge of brown, nice foamy head. Oh yaeh, and i got a bit of licorice in their aswell, interesting brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2002 03:06:20 | More by rastaman

marc77

California

4.65/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Virtually jet - black in color-- you have to hold this one to a bright light to notice the deep, clear ruby edges. The dark tan head settles quickly into a thin but persistant layer. The aroma is outstanding, complex, and highly appetizing. Sweet, highly caramelized malt, vanilla notes, and sugary milk- chocolate hit the nose at first. They are followed by delectable smooth roasted unmalted barley coffee notes, mellow diacetyl butterscotch, and a hint of pruneish esters. The flavor is a superlative balance of roasted barley bitterness, perfectly calculated hop bitterness, chocolate malt, and malt deeply caramelized, anise laced sweetness from both the dark lovibond crystal malt and residual unfermented sugars. The body is dextrinous and full, but not overly rich. Finishes robustly bittersweet with lingering but pleasant diacetyl. I've forgotten how great this brew is. Although not as strong as other imperial stouts, the myriad of flavors make this brew an absolute delight. Superlatively drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2002 19:23:37 | More by marc77

Sigmund

Norway

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A beer for extremists - if the brewers / maltsters had roasted the malt more, we'd be talking about cremation! An excellent after dinner beer, could stand in for a cup of espresso. Aftertaste lasts forever. One bottle is enough for the evening.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2002 13:20:23 | More by Sigmund

stoutman

Michigan

4.78/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This rich, powerful, and flavorful stout has a deep chocolate color with a roasted barley nose and a noticeable burnt currant character. Serve with rich cheeses, caviar, oysters, or double-dark chocolate cookies in a brandy sniffer at 60°.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2002 13:38:35 | More by stoutman

Wildman

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured a very dark black color with very little light getting through it. An aroma of malt, hops and coffee. A flavor of malt, hops and coffee. The body of it is lighter than some imperials and the finish has some bitterness to itAs I probably have said before, I am a big fan of Samuel Smith, just suffer sticker shock from the price. When I was over in England and saw it in a local pub for the price of a local pint here, I jumped on it. That being said, I love stouts so my opinion may be biased. The look and taste of this is great! I rate the imperial over the oatmeal, even though both are excellant.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2002 21:23:02 | More by Wildman

packetknife

Idaho

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

You'd think you were about to drink used motor oil. Thick, nice tan head. Smells of chocolate, coffee, nuts, and hints of caramel. Not harsh at all considering the ABV. Wonderful stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2002 19:31:07 | More by packetknife

cokes

Wisconsin

4.8/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This lives up to all expectations. I shied away from this for a while due to the price...how foolish I was.
Pours absolutely pitch black with a clinging tan head..lasts all the way down.
Bombards the nose with a plethora of aromas....dark fruit (plums, raisins), dark chocolate, brandy..God only know what else. Huge.
Taste follows suit. So many levels to this that I have to consciously focus on each one to make sure I get the most out of it. The dark fruit and dark chocolate show up right away with some roasted barley as well. The hopping of this Imperial really sets apart it my book. Puckering and fruity at the same time. Almost astringant at times. But not overpowering either. Try it and see.
Finish is more roastedness with some pronounced nutty flavors as well....yum.
Maybe just a little thinner than some others...something about the mouthfeel just wasn't perfect...the rest of the beer was. Very drinkable for the style.
Believe the hype. This is it.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2002 22:54:28 | More by cokes