Night Stalker - Goose Island Beer Co.

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.04/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on 2/6/11 and reviewed on 3/25/13. Poured from a bottle into a Great Lakes snifter. The pour is very dark, not too viscous with very little head. The nose has hints of molasses and dark fruits.

The beer has a full body and a slick, oily feel. I get a lot of molasses and brown sugar up front. As the beer oozes across the palate, some notes of oak and toasted malt develop into a hint of clove. The hops seem long gone at this point and leave only this bit of spice behind. The alcohol is also quite tame given the high abv. Time has smoothed out the bitterness and blended the flavors quite nicely, leaving only a warming liquorice note on the finish.

First time I've had this beer since I tried it fresh 2 years ago. Sadly, I neglected to take good tasting notes at the time, but I do remember it being much more bitter and full of more typical roasty Russian Imperial Stout flavors. It's a very different animal now.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 00:12:12 | More by deadonhisfeet

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

3.56/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Goose Island Night Stalker

Thanks to Ncketchum for bottle. Poured into a CBS snifter. Served lightly chilled.

A) This was dark brown with a nice fluffy finger of tan head. Nice retention, and decent lacing too. A rather attractive beer.

S) A fair amount of roast. Definitely some coffee and strong citrus aroma. Hint of chocolate. This is like a Mocha Valencia. Not sure if this is how it's supposed to smell, but I rather like it.

T) The initial flavor is very much like the nose, but then this beer takes a wrong turn somewhere near Albuquerque. What I'm about to say is going to seem strange. Well, it seems very strange to me. The taste was like Jelly Belly popcorn flavored jellybeans. I hate that flavor. What the hell is going on here?

M) Medium bodied, with a fairly rich feel. Light carbonation and rather smooth. This was a mouth coater.

O) I glanced at a thread here on Beer Advocate a few months back questioning the potential for some infected bottles of Night Stalker. This bottle has to be under suspicion. I didn't strongly dislike this beer, in fact there were aspects I rather enjoyed, but the flavor was definitely off. Will need to revisit in order to confirm.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 17:53:43 | More by RoamingGnome

Misanthropy_Sipping

Nebraska

4.93/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Had this some time ago... maybe a couple years ago and remembered loving it. When I saw a bottle I did not even resist buying it up.

Definitely matches up with what I remember.

-Deep black/brown, with very small bubble, milk chocolate color head. Not even really a head... more like a comb-over dissipates quickly.

-Smells awesome, you can tell it will be a sweeter stout. Has a nice sweet coffee and dark chocolate scent with maybe some raisins, malt, a little smokey earthiness, and definitely booze.

-Upfront sweetness, the nose adds up with the dark chocolate and coffee. Peels away into some serious roast, charred earthy notes, surprisingly woody even though I do not believe this is oak aged or aged on anything. I like this woody, haunting, cabin smoke character to it. Not like rauch smoke... but like this charred, grimy dirty wood taste. I can't explain but it is good. A little raisin and dark fruit. Booze comes in prominent as the sweetness drops down into the bitter hops and piny, herbal notes that are reminiscent of black licorice... and not sweet black licorice either. It begins sweet but ends on a nice subtle bitter and dry side that lingers a while.

The mouthfeel is just a tad thinner than I would like. In a way it is nice but in a way I would like a bit more meat on the bone. Just a bit. And with that... a bit more dryness... just a bit.

Warming... yes. And a nice warm, NOT a heartburn warm. Just subtle and smooth.

Overall the comments on the mouthfeel are my only complaints... and pretty small complaints at that. No one can deny that this is a very good, very tasty imperial stout that is worth... the what, $10-$11? Yeah... no problem. It's great on a snowy night, it's great with a friend or two or even alone when you have a full evening of just taking life easy. Very satisfy. I will be buying this again in years to come.

My last comment is pay close attention to the label where it says to drink within 180 days of bottling date. The first one I had was past, and though still good I certainly remember it not being quite as bitter hoppy, which struck out some of the complexity. Fresh is best with this. And luckily they offer it during the right season.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 02:35:10 | More by Misanthropy_Sipping

mnphish

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle served into a Snifter. Thanks to match1112 for this guy. Bottled on 3/6/10, consumed just over three years later. Pours a dark black hue with a one finger khaki head. The first thing that comes across on the nose is dark fruit and light bourbon, along with chocolate, vanilla, roasted malts, and some hop character. The taste is pretty incredible at this stage: Developed dark fruits and caramel mixed with a bold dark chocolate flavor. This has a nice charcoal/wood complexity to it as well. It's followed by a light bitter flavor and a lasting malt finish. Mouthfeel is smooth, sticky, heavy bodied, with light carbonation. Night Stalker is a very satisfying stout, and it's not too over the top or boozy. Good stuff Brett Porter! ; )

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 03:21:24 | More by mnphish

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Whoaaaa, this is unique! Bottled 11/19/12 (1525). The bottle and GI's website say to enjoy within 180 days, which I miscalculated as this beer being fresh until 2/19/13. Well, although my math is terrible, this beer seems to be in its prime until 5/19/13! ABV is 11.5% on the label.

A: Super thick, viscous, dark brown/black. If you pour it slowly and with the intention of building a head, a frothy, creamy, pillowy, light brown substance forms and jiggles like jello. Great lace and decent retention.

S: Very roasty with a slight hop presence with a long sniff. Woody, earthy, unique. Slight BBQ sauce or soy sauce aroma if you dig deep. Sweet, malty, roasty.

T: Heavy coffee, dark chocolate, molasses, brown sugar, caramelized sugar, cacao nibs. Some serious, real chocolate in this beer. Ain't no Hershey's chocolate in this brew. Surprisingly spiced and a little bit of heat in the finish. Slightly boozy but it complements the flavors and body. It sneaks up on you...a full bomber puts you in another state of mind. Very woody and earthy. Sweetness is never overpowering. Hops aren't as strong as I expected but this isn't an American Black Ale or Black IPA. It's an Imperial Stout with a heavy dose of hops, so it's definitely unique. The hop oils give it unique qualities.

M: Pretty darn smooth. Great body for the style. Tons of chocolate flavor. Like, straight off the cacao tree.

O: The hops really transform this IS into a beer that I've never experienced before. Strange at first but it grows on you. Let it warm up. Pretty sweet, slightly spicy, very chocolaty, boozy, and complex. Would I drink again? Probably. Just to see if the flavor is different.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 01:26:18 | More by Gatch

cvm4

Mississippi

3.55/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a very dark brown, tight bubbles in the one finger tan head. Pretty good lacing.

S - Piney & floral, very odd. Background has milk chocolate.

T - Botanical, somewhat tart, light coffee & roasted malts.

M - Medium bodied, high carbonation.

O - I think this bottle was slightly infected. Just no way the tartness & floral should be in this beer. Need to revisit again.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 22:37:05 | More by cvm4

Davepoolesque

Massachusetts

4.11/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on 11/19/12, #1523.

A: dark as night, little off white head.
S: I'm actually smelling botanicals that you'd find in Gin. Smells like a gin and tonic with lime to me. Lots of pine.
T: more pine and gin. Some sweetness and roasty malts.
M: nice mouthfeel, not as thick as big john or bcbs. Finishes dry.
O: pretty weird stout. Not bad at all. Interesting. Definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 01:38:52 | More by Davepoolesque

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottled 11/19/2012; no. 1515

I heard this was an infected batch, so I didn't want to wait on this too much longer:

Into a nonic:

A: dark brown/black body with a one finger tan head gently recedes leaving some thick clingy foamy lacing in rings

S: deep milk chocolate powering above everything else initially, but after a bit of warming, light hops and coffee come out

T: super sweet through the deep milk chocolate again, no worries, still very good, coffee and hops more subdued than the smell

M: light to medium, more sessionable than most Double Stouts, ABV not felt, sticky sweet aftertaste and finish

O: well, I'm glad its not infected like I read about, and even more happy that I opened it because this was very good though the mouthfeel probably could be "beefed" up a bit more, no worries, this is still solid and would make an excellent dessert beer as the chocolate comes out way more than most Double Stouts I've had

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 18:34:08 | More by kangarooAdam59

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.69/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

a nice thick black pour with a finger of tan head, great retention. smells of grassy hops, chocolate, caramel, coffee. a very sweet, roasty and hoppy delight. this seems like the base recipe for bcbs honestly, slightly smoked flavor with lots of coffee and chocolate. full body, low carbonation, very rich and creamy.

this is honestly a delicious beer. i've heard mixed reviews about it being too hoppy, infected, etc. but none have just been forward and said it's a great stout, which it is. sweet, but not too sweet. hoppy, but not overwhelming like beer hop breakfast was. high on the abv, but not noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 01:25:44 | More by facundoCNB

weltywm

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured out of a bomber into a snifter.

Appearance: Pours a thick jet black with about 1 fingers of dark head.

Smell: Very roasty and sweet mixed in with some hop bitterness.

Taste: Awesome, and very complex. Dominated by roasty coffee and chocolate, oily espresso, and hop bitterness. I also taste dark fruits like cherry and plum, molasses, sugar, earth, oak, and last but not least, boozy alcohol. All of the flavors blend and complement each other very well. Wow, this beer is big.

Mouthfeel: Very thick and oily. Also very carbonated for a stout.

Overall: A very excellent stout from Goose Island. A beer to be savored over the course of an hour. Would definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 16:08:33 | More by weltywm

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A-Pours a viscous, dark black. Minimal light penetration. Thinner tan head leaves light lacing freckles along the glass.

S-It really reminds me of an amped up Diesel from Sixpoint. Vegetal, green hops dipped in fondue chocolate. Mocha-coffee and piney hops. A hint of ash with a tiny whiff of dark fruitiness.

T-Again, it is very similar to a gargantuan Diesel. Piney, veggie and even some green onion hops draped it a viscous dark chocolate fondue. Also reminds me of the dark chocolate version of a Terry's Chocolate Orange; there is some citrus in there too.

M-Viscous and heavy. Soft carbonation. High bitterness. Booze is hidden quite well. Flavor lasts and lasts.

O/D-Yet another stalwart Stout by Goose Island. I love the hop expression here. Its pretty amazing how wide of a spectrum Goose Island can place their Stouts in terms of flavor. Although Goose Island's Stouts are dark and oily, the quality shines bright (cheesy final sentence makes this review completely invalid).

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 03:18:22 | More by VelvetExtract

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle dated 11/19/12 into a Goose Island Brewpubs branded snifter

Pours midnight black capped by a dark tan one and a half finger fluffy head. Above average retention and splotchy lacing. Huge citrus hops, bakers chocolate, and hints of roastiness on the nose. Bitter pineapple upfront, largely unsweentened dark chocolate, and big bitter citrus rind and roasted malt. Full bodied, smooth, oily, and slightly syrupy mouthfeel. This beer's finish just doesn't work for me, intense and unbalanced. Not a terrible beer, but certainly not a brew I'm in a hurry to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 05:15:36 | More by chanokokoro

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.16/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on 11/19/12

A: Pours an opaque very dark jet black in color with some light to moderate amounts of gentle carbonation and a light amount of dark amber highlights. The beer has a finger tall creamy very dark mocha head that slowly reduces to medium sized slightly thicker patch with some larger bubbles, a thin film covering the remainder of the surface, and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of dark roasted malts with some notes of licorice and chocolate. Over the top of the malts, there is a moderate amount of citrus/orange hops and a light amount of pine hops. Just a light hint of alcohol.

T: Upfront there are moderate amounts of roasted malts flavors with some light amounts of sweetness and just a touch of vanilla. There are moderate flavors of dark chocolate and some light notes of licorice as well. That is all combined with some moderate to strong flavors of citrus/orange hops and light to moderate flavors of pine hops. Moderate amounts of bitterness and just a touch of alcohol in the finish.

M: Full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth and creamy with a light to moderate amount of alcohol heat in the finish.

O: This is a bottle from the questionable batch but definitely no infection here so it clearly doesn't effect everything from 11/19/12. This is quite an enjoyable beer but definitely a big beer that needs to be sipped slowly and savored - not the easiest to drink since the alcohol is not as well hidden as I might have liked.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 01:04:14 | More by dbrauneis

paperkutt17

4.01/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I love almost every thing ive ever had form goose island and being from Chicago maybe im a little biased but I had a bottle of the supposed bad batch but to tell the truth it taste good and got the desired affect i was looking for so theres no bad review from this satisfied customer.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:25:57 | More by paperkutt17

ericlawton007

Connecticut

1.1/5  rDev -73.2%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Was really hoping I got a good bottle. Did not happen as the smell was very much like the worst thing you could smell when expecting an imperial stout. While I cant fully explain what comes out in the aroma, the taste is all teriyaki and soy sauce. I contacted goose island with my bottle date and time stamp just so they could try and limit the people that wasted over 10 dollars on this and instead of letting me know that they were looking into this, they sent me a generic letter saying how they used different hops and it brought on a different taste from years past. They did not go on to explain why people who have tried multiple bottles from this years batch have tasted two really different beers. I would have felt better had they not emailed me a response back at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 01:28:38 | More by ericlawton007

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.01/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thank you Steasy66 for yet another killer beer! Bottled 2/6/11.

Appearance. Pours thick and black with almost a finger of tan head.

Smell. Big citrusy hops and dark chocolate. There's some dark roasty malts as well but the hops and chocolate are the big players here.

Taste. Oranges and plenty of dark chocolate give way to some roasty malts and a little coffee and grapefruit.

Mouthfeel. On the low side of full bodied with medium-low carbonation.

Overall. Interesting beer with lots of flavour and big hops, even with some age. Very nice but would imagine the hops might be a bit much when fresh and in full force. This bottle was very tasty though.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 03:29:37 | More by Rutager

allenson21

New York

2.21/5  rDev -46.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Now it all makes sense.

I bought this bottled last week at Whole Foods in Columbus Circle in NYC along with Sam Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout and the a 4-pack of the amazingness that is Founders Breakfast Stout. I had seen that Night Stalker was highly-rated on this site. As I do with many beers, I purchased it with no pre-research so that my taste/opinions of the beer remain unbiased.

Had a ROUGH hump-day at work and decided: instead of a snack/desert, tonight was the night for 22 ounces of 11.5% alcohol deliciousness. I headed straight for the Night Stalker bottle in my foyer.

I popped it open and poured. Jet black. The head took a few seconds to form but once it did it looked lovely: dark tan 2 finger head with rising carbonation. Lacing and it receded at about the rate that you would expect from an imperial stout.

Here's where the trouble began: I took a big whiff of it. Oh boy. Oh no. My first though: it's just an extra hoppy stout. Smell again: oh no, this smells infected.

I tasted it: ugh. But this is not the worst infection ever. The booze does a good enough job of concealing it. But there remains little actual taste. It's basically just sour, alcohol, hops, and hints of what could be: malty earth and chocolate (maybe I just really need a beer).

I sign on to Beer Advocate: lo and behold there's a problem with my batch. This leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth ;)

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:28:48 | More by allenson21

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bomber into a Grey Sail pint glass. The "infected" batch.

Appearance- Blacker than black with thin mocha head that went very quick. No lacing.

Smell- Coffee. Bakers chocolate. Chocolate malts. Light hoppy notes. No booze. Very nice RIS smell.

Taste- Citrus hops up front, then tons of coffee. Lingering chocolate and coffee notes. Sweet chocolate malts. Great lingering tastes. Very mild booze comes through.

Mouthfeel- Smooth with mild carbonation. Not overly thick. A little sticky. Some warmth at the back of the throat. Could be a bit fuller in body.

Overall- This is a nice impy stout from Goose Island. Good thing mine wasn't "infected".

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 22:13:13 | More by Seanniek91

ironchefmiyagi13

New York

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

This bottle was of the controversial 11/19/12 batch

Upon opening and pouring into an oversized wine glass, I did notice the ester/lacquer/nail polish aroma, so I decided to let it sit for about five minute, swirling it every so often as to open it up. I have to say, it helped tremendously with the scent.

Aroma is not as sharp and inviting as the majority of Impy stouts I have tried. This beer is very 'green' and would do with sitting and maturing for a little while, just to mellow out the aggressive hops and overly sweet notes

That being said, I do believe this beer has potential, thus the fair grade for a beer I didn't get to enjoy Immediately and have to wait before it is truly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 07:18:18 | More by ironchefmiyagi13

kevanb

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle poured into a Goose Island Chalice.

The beer pours a lovely jet black color, thick and fairly viscous in texture from the bottle, a thin, fizzy, caramel colored head appears briefly with poor retention and leaves behind no lacing. The aroma is peculiar, burnt, roast coffee, a touch of charred malt and rich chocolate with a bright bitter citrus layer, comes across a bit like a chocolate covered orange, but still a bit muddled and the balance is a bit rough. The flavors are just as interesting, lots of citrus and floral, hoppy notes straight away with lingering chocolate, a touch of coffee roast and toasted malt with just a bit of lingering stone fruit at the end. The flavors are much more cohesive than the nose, but I’m still not convinced the hoppy stout is a pleasurable style. The body is fairly rich, but a little light for an imperial stout, higher than average carbonation with a very dry finish.

Verdict: A interesting Imperial Stout from Goose Island, the hoppy, citrus elements feel a bit clunky and the cohesion is a bit lacking. Certainly an interesting experiment, but not one I’m interesting in seeking out again.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 05:21:29 | More by kevanb

mfavoino

Washington

4.21/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2011 bottle number 1253 courtesy of Treebs. Thanks! Split three ways on 2/3/13.

A: Pours a thick black with some fizzy espresso colored head that turns into a rim around the glass.

S: Big burnt, roasty malt, molasses, coffee, smelling some of the booze hotness.

T: More coffee than I was expecting, roasted malt, grainy, a subtle herbal hop bitterness, booze as it finishes. Hops haven't totally diminished.

M: Medium to full-bodied with a touch of carbonation. Didn't feel too heavy. Some warming alcohol.

O: A very good stout from GI that held up well after two full years. I was surprised that I still got some of the hops. I have a 2012 bottle that I'm nervous to open because of all of the complaints of infection...

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 17:22:09 | More by mfavoino

weonfire

Kentucky

2.64/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

First this was bottle on 11/19/12- please take that into account.

A - Jet black. Small pencil head that dissipates in a minute or 2.

S - This is very odd. I smell gin. Pine. thats it.

T- Can even taste the pine. Add in roast, chocolate and almost a sour taste? that can't be right...

M- Full flavor. Excellent mouth. Does burn a bit down the throat as it goes down.

O- I'm not sure what to think. I think something may have gone wrong with the oxidization in the brew process of this particular batch of night stalker. Gin? not a beer flavor. Goose Island makes tremendous beers- something isn't right with this.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 04:28:45 | More by weonfire

CMUbrew

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottled 3/08/10

Poured into a snifter

A: Pours about as pitch black as you can get. Doesn't look as viscous as some other big stouts, but it comes fairly close. Mocha head on top that fades to a ring fairly quickly.

S: Right away the initial scent consists mostly of dark fruits, more on the date/plum/fig side, not really raisins. Around this there is malt - dark and toasted, fruity alcohol, and a little hint at dark chocolate.

T: Flavors of dark fruit, dark toasty malt, amzingly a little bit of hop character - grapefruit, pine, grass, and earthiness. Esters and a little bit of charred malt and dark chocolate bring up the rear.

M: This is where Night Stalker shines for me. The feel is quite luxurious. Soft, smooth, and full-bodied, with a little bit of oily slickness to make it go down easy. Excellent.

O: Though I have not tried this beer fresh, I can say at nearly three years old this beer is still great. Anyone with a surplus of fresh bottles should put one away for a while. Though not mind-blowing, I think this is the most I've enjoyed a stout dominated by dark fruit flavors. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 06:18:53 | More by CMUbrew

dctriman

Virginia

2.35/5  rDev -42.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.25

I think I might have had a bad one. Funky flavors overpowered much of anything else. Bought in early January 2013 in downtown DC. Served at recommended temperature with appropriate glassware. Disappointed to say the least. Will try next year's batch, since I absolutely love BCBS and the variants.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 02:08:49 | More by dctriman

Stevedore

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev -11%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

(Note: my scoring system uses only whole numbers)

22oz bomber dated 11/19/12 1351 into a tumbler.

Aroma: Smelled really grassy right out of the bottle before the pour. Got me excited as it smelled like some IPAs do. After the pour, I get a noseful of earthiness and a little bit of black chocolate. Not a whole lot else though. Pretty average. (3)

Colour: Pretty much jet black, pours with a beautiful brown head that gets up 2-3cm and sticks around for a few minutes before dissipating, leaving traces at the edges. Laces seem to be particulate, sticking on the glass in discrete areas. Beautiful looking stout. (5)

Flavour: Actually pretty good, even with all the beatdown on this beer by BA about it being infected. Initially I get a kick full of thick teriyaki flavour which dominates this beer. The flavour somehow evolves from that initial burst of teriyaki to a brief middle with hints and hints of bitter black coffee and dark chocolate. Then I get a lot of earthy, grassy flavours at the end. Pretty good and very distinct from any other stout I've drank, but certainly not amazing like BCBS or Black Note and does not really have a whole lot of roasted malt flavour you'd expect from a stout. In scoring this, I'm going to go off my enjoyment of this experience. (4)

Mouthfeel: Thick-bodied and creamy, as I would expect. Rolls in smoothly with a bit of heat, soothing my throat. Average carbonation for an imperial stout. Aftertaste has a good amount of earthy bitterness that peaks after a few seconds and lingers for as long as a minute if I let it. (4)

Overall: This is a very weird beer and I don't know how to rate it as this is the first year I've tried a bottle. If I rate it for what it is and how I enjoyed drinking it, I think it is overall above average, which would be a 4. But I should be judging it against other Imperial Stouts, and this is where it just doesn't measure up, in fact it would be a 2 because I'm not getting a lot of the roasted malt character that Imperial Stouts usually bring. I'm glad to have tried this because the flavour profile is interesting- certainly not infected- and is actually drinkable. But it's not what I expect from beers such as Old Rasputin or FIS. I'm going to take the difference and give this beer a (3).

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 22:24:47 | More by Stevedore