Smuttynose Imperial Stout (Big Beer Series) - Smuttynose Brewing Company

froggyfrog

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just got into my last bottle of this over dinner and happened to see that I don't have a review for it so here's a quickie:

Damn nice on the appearance front. It pours black with a dark khaki head that drops forthwith. A quick swirl reveals mahogany red hues and an adhesiveness to the glass's walls.

Aroma is this beer's best feature. Sweet caramel coffee with a hit of hardwood smoke blends with an alcoholic spiciness. Dank forest woods come out in the end.

First thing that hits ya on the flavor is the smokiness. The flavors here revolve around charred wood, caramel, chocolate and a healthy dose of warming alcohol.

Mouthfeel is sticky with some alcohol heat, spot-on for an RIS.

Drinkability is good but the noticeable alcohol in the flavor and mouthfeel categories keep this score at a 4.

Overall. Good brewery, good stout. This review is from a 22 ounce bottle purchased at Downtown Liquors in Boston's Davis Square and served tonight in a snifter glass. Vintage 2006.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 01:48:12 | More by froggyfrog

ncstateplaya

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-08-2013 13:49:59 | More by ncstateplaya

JMBSH

Colorado

4/5  rDev -2.4%

04-29-2013 00:46:47 | More by JMBSH

Rekrule

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

04-15-2013 02:41:06 | More by Rekrule

Sparky44

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%

03-24-2013 21:16:10 | More by Sparky44

Japple

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

03-17-2013 00:06:03 | More by Japple

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

03-10-2013 19:43:43 | More by spycow

renegadeburger

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%

02-21-2013 12:33:42 | More by renegadeburger

Pintoguiness

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%

02-20-2013 04:23:48 | More by Pintoguiness

jderosia603

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -2.4%

02-19-2013 01:14:52 | More by jderosia603

ROBSTARR

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

02-15-2013 15:05:18 | More by ROBSTARR

usofar

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

02-08-2013 05:12:56 | More by usofar

calcnerd

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.4%

02-04-2013 02:58:34 | More by calcnerd

kevanb

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, 2011 dated. Poured into a Smuttynose Big Beer Series snifter.

The beer pours a nice jet black color, thick, motor oil texture, touches of dark brown when hit by the light with a nice thick caramel colored head rising up the glass, about a finger and a half high that has decent retention and leaves behind no lacing. The aroma is of nice chocolate malt, mollasses, prune with some slightly roasted coffee with some residual sweetness from the malt a bit of fusel alcohol. The flavors follow nicely, big chocolate malt rush on the tongue with some nice stone fruit flavors, dark cherry and plum, mollasses with a much more prolific roasted coffee presence that lingers nicely on the tongue with a touch of alcohol at the finish. The body is fairly silky, moderately rich with a bit more carbonation than expected, higher on the medium spectrum with an easy smooth finish that has a nice warming sensation as it goes down.

Verdict: A very fine stout from Smuttynose. Their isn't a ton of complexity here, but the beer is very balanced and easy to drink. A worthy take on the Russian Imperial Stout and one I hope that gets brewed again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 02:33:13 | More by kevanb

MikeHRayn

Maine

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

01-27-2013 00:17:28 | More by MikeHRayn

tscanlon51

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

01-26-2013 02:10:46 | More by tscanlon51

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.34/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle (2011 vintage) poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Black color with a 1.5-finger creamy, rocky, tan-brown head. Decent retention but not much lacing.

S – This is full of lots of RIS aromas. Cocoa, plums, currants, molasses, licorice, and an aroma reminiscent of coffee liqueur come to mind. This smells much more complex and layered than I expected it to be.

T – The taste isn’t quite as complex as the nose suggested but man, is it tasty. It starts off sweet with molasses, cocoa, and some dark fruits. At about mid-taste, spicy licorice comes along for the ride. Towards the finish, big and bitter roasted coffee appears and lingers. As the bitterness mellows, dark fruit and cocoa sweetness comes back into play.

F – Full-bodied with good carbonation, a thick, creamy, and velvety mouthfeel, and a slightly bitter, slightly sweet, and dry finish. Bitter roasted coffee lingers until molasses and cocoa sweetness takes back over. There’s a bit of a throat-warming sensation from the alcohol, as well.

O – This is a really nice RIS. It’s big, bold, and complex enough while remaining very drinkable. It has all the elements that I would look for in a beer of this style. This is an awesome beer from Smuttynose. They really have yet to disappoint me.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 04:16:26 | More by BlackBelt5112203

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From: Friar Tuck's, Savoy, IL
Date: 2010 bottling
Glass: Tulip

Even with a little over two years of age, Smuttynose's Imperial Stout is a version of the style that hits all the right notes with its heavy, slow-sipping body, chocolate and roasted barley flavors and aromas. The hop usage also adds a slight twist to the typical stout, imbuing this with some characters not too commonly seen. The price ($6 at the time) and quality of the beer make this quite superb indeed. One I would happily try again.

Pours a 1cm tall head, burnt tan in color, made up of small-sized bubbles, creating a very dense-looking mass of foam. The head has average to above average retention for the style, lasting about 1.5 minutes by my watch. Lacing left by the head is noticeable, fairly large masses of burnt tan froth stick to the inner sides of the glass. The body is dark brown to black in color, opaque to the point that observing carbonation is not possible.

The aroma is upfront and noticeable, a mix of bitter roasted malt, dark chocolate, slight caramel and stale coffee beans, and hops presenting very modest pine resin and bitterness.

The flavors are similar to the aroma, and that's a good thing. Front of the palate picks up slightly acrid roasted malt with a dusting of dry cocoa, leading into a mid-palate that features stronger dark chocolate and roasted malt flavors, a more subdued prune essence, and hops with pine resin and bitterness that are noticeable through the heavy chocolate and roasted barley flavors, but just barely able to cut through and not distract from the main elements of the stout. Back of palate increases the hop bitterness and prune-like esters slightly, but still well-balanced by the roasted malt and chocolate nuances. Aftertaste is of lingering roasted barley, dark chocolate, and hop bitterness with a touch of pine.

Medium-heavy to heavy in weight, with carbonation levels of medium to medium-low intensity, leading to a smooth, thick mouthfeel with an appropriately low amount of fizz to induce sipping. Closes dry, with significant stickiness lingering across the palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 05:03:17 | More by falloutsnow

BlackTuesday

California

4/5  rDev -2.4%

01-07-2013 06:07:19 | More by BlackTuesday

HaveUSeenMyCellar

California

4/5  rDev -2.4%

01-04-2013 04:38:13 | More by HaveUSeenMyCellar

sendbeer

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

12-21-2012 19:33:19 | More by sendbeer

dog-ear

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%

12-21-2012 06:51:02 | More by dog-ear

beergorrilla

Michigan

4/5  rDev -2.4%

12-20-2012 05:13:31 | More by beergorrilla

Zaphog

Michigan

4/5  rDev -2.4%

12-19-2012 03:10:17 | More by Zaphog

cliff1066

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

12-16-2012 19:41:41 | More by cliff1066