Night Stalker - Goose Island Beer Co.

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this from PEBCAK, cheers Adam! Per Adam's suggestion I've let this warm up!

Pours a ruddy mahogany with 2 fingers of fluffy mocha colored head. Good lacing & some head retention

Slight bubble gum twang there up front, then brown sugar & brownie notes as this warms.

T: Boozey, oak & mocha, & hints of rubber bands & leafy hops up front. Vanilla, oakyness & bitter sweet chocolate dominate as this warms. This beer screams for a brownie or three... Cherry & bourbon notes are prominent as this finishes, with gooey chocolate & a kiss of coffee, too mouch booze & some weird fruittyness prevents a 5.0, but I can learn to love all that...

MF: Creamy/chewy with some biting carbonation, Becomes super rich as this warms

Drinks pretty easy, but too complex & warming to session on..

Serving type: growler

06-27-2009 04:08:17 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

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

Bottled 02/19/10

Inky black with an ample dollop of slowly rising foam. It has that reverse cascade effect, that builds underneath the head, generating bubbles that compact into about a finger or so of mocha-tinged foam. A sheet of tan lace adheres to the inside of the glass.

Aroma is sweet, a little fruity with hints of plum and deep roasted malts, coming off like chocolate christmas cookies with a touch of unknown spice.

Rich, velvety feel, residual hop bitterness meshes well with the deep roast in the finish. Molten chocolate, the dark bittersweet kind, hot gooey brownies, and fruity plum notes integrate well, creating a nice level of complexity. There's some sort of spice in there too, which comes across like clove or nutmeg, which could be from the hops. They are just starting to recede, not quite as bitingly bitter as when fresh.

Very smooth, sticky on the lips, and deceptive for 11.7%. This is far more drinkable than Bourbon County, but I love them both the same.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2010 01:15:29 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a black color with a short dark tan colored head that dissipates quickly.

Smell: loads of roasted malts, dark chocolates, and alcohol are detecteable here.

Taste: roasted malt, dark chocolates, some coffee, prunes, pine, and some citrus provide a nice complex imperail stout. Bitterness is big and the alcohol is very warming.

Mouthfeel: heavy in body. Smooth at the start, smooth and velvety late with a long dry aftertaste.

Overall: very slow sipping beer - this one lasted a long time. Deep flavors get better as it warms. Really worth seeking this one out.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 23:39:13 | More by Gavage

akorsak

Pennsylvania

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

Thanks to seanboley for bringing this to the Brass Rail.

A: The stout is necessarily black, an event horizon swallowing all light in the vicinity. A tan-colored head, rather short, lingers around without lacing.

S: The aroma caught me by surprising. I was expecting sweeping landscapes of burnt malts. Instead, a pungent hoppiness emerged. Citrus, very strong and sweet, grabs hold early. The intense hops, possibly the most intense for any double or imperial stout that I've had, are fantastic. A melange of tropical fruits mixing with roasted malts.

T: Again with the hops. The sharp bitterness, orange and pine and grapefruit, is first to register. The hops aren't overbearing, a surprisingly good fit amongst the malts. What follows the hoppiness is quite nice too, chocolate, cocoa, nuts and burnt toast all in a row. The stout isn't scorched, instead the flavors are sweet and moist. The chocolate is a lasting flavor.

M: The mouthfeel is very smooth, never too well done (as many stouts can be). The dry hopping is inspired.

D: It never felt like 12% (or thereabouts). I didn't know what I'd been missing.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 11:08:27 | More by akorsak

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bomber from Princeton's for under $10 - a very reasonable price for such a strong and delicious beer. I'm not easily impressed by this style, but this beer surprised me. It was a fresh (albeit fruity) take on a type of beer I often find lacking in diversity.

The aroma opened with a big hit of black licorice that subsided into the fruity and roasted character. There was a full of a wide range of fruity flavors, from berries and melon to citrus grapefruit. That was backed up by big molasses and chocolate with a bitter roasted finish. Considering how delicious GI's Bourbon County Stout is, I've got to say these guys really have imperial stouts dialed in. It's thick, but drinkable for the strength. Heck of a beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 21:06:49 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

5/5  rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a viscous dark black destroyer of all visible light rays hue with a a tan mocha head forming nice and thick, thin speckled lacing that's to be expected at this alcohol by volume right?

Aromatics present to me a strong undermining hop assault complete with dark roasted malt, soy sauce, and dark chocolate roasts. Very green dry hopped approach for a stout but I'm enjoying the rebellion from the norm. I get the dark stuff going on but the green herbal mint leaf hops over riden the average dark imperial stout.

Flavor contains creamy menthol tones with dark chocolate and rich anise black licorice accents. This beer is complex and bitingly bitter with herbal leafy mint ridden hop flavors that I enjoy in the mix of dark espresso, soy sauce saltiness, and rich warming alcohol notes. A bit of plum and dark chocolate dance together with the lingering alcohol flavors, complex and rich American Double Stout.

Mouthfeel is full on full bodied in the best possible way, carbonation is mellow but carries the beer well. One of the best stouts I've come across in the last 5 years. Hop burps in the back of the nares come correct along with a soothing alcohol burn.

Drinkability is wonderful yes, I want more. I think I can drink more, and if I had more I would age more bottles this stuff is rockin', a bad ass American Double Stout from Chitown bring me more. Actually I will have to go back to Columbus, Ohio at Bodega where I procured this fine bottle. Both this and the Brooklyn Sorachi Ace ale were eyein' me up, great place please come again folks. If you haven't been there get to know it when in Ohio.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 03:37:50 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

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

Pours black with a thin tan head. Nose is seeming like a fruity thing at first but then it morphs to a slightly roasted tone. Then I get a tar thing as well. Flavor is thick and hearty. Lots and lots of malty body to it. Minor roasted tones. Yet that sweet malty stout character lingers in the back. I am leaving it out to warm up and see how it matures with a temperature climb. THe liquid body of this is extremely thick. I mean we're talking pretty viscous here. I have seen comments on how Dark Lord is quite thick and I am wondering how that bottle in my cabinet will compare to this. Carbonation is minimal, yet still slightly attacking on the mouth. Interesting. Definitely a sincere endeavor by Goose Island. Better than Bourbon County Stout? Hmmm. I would have to say no as of this moment. However this is an early draft version, so I am quite willing to try future bottlings in order to compare.

P.S. The booze really kicks in quick on this one.

Serving type: growler

06-01-2009 04:33:50 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a jet black with good carbonation and a nice brown head

S: Cocoa, coffee, roasted malt and some booziness

T: Has a smooth chocolate creaminess, some coffee, roasted malt, sharp booze sting

M: Pretty smooth, medium to heavy body, smooth and robust

D: Good

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 04:12:55 | More by barleywinefiend

Wasatch

Utah

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks goes out to cavedave for this brew.

22oz. Bomber
Bottled On: 03/06/10

Poured into a chalice a very nice thick black color, nice carbonation, quick fizzy tan head, with does leave some nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is malty, lots of chocolate/toffee, some roasty notes. The taste is sweet, malty, nice chocolate/toffee notes, licorice. Full/Medium body, ABV hidden pretty well. Very Drinkable, WOW! what a tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2010 00:08:58 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a snifter) bottled on 02/19/10 04
A- This beer has a jet black body with a thick light tan head that last for a good bit.
S- The green hop pellet aroma gives way to dark chocolate malt with some char notes aroma with a slight sweetness to the aroma.
T- This beer has a big roasted black malt with a slight herbal note to the bitter roasted char finish. The soft cola notes and a slight sweetness with a hint of prunes come through as it warms. This beer turns a bit more inky as the beer warms.
M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a warm alcohol heat.
D- This beer has a smooth but big roasted malt flavor that needs something to balance it like a barrel. The hops are present but not full enough to support the big malt.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 22:30:20 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber, bottled on 2-19-10 according to the label. Huge, bold, tasty double stout. Waves of dark coffee, dark chocolate, as well as more then ample levels of piney and quite drying hops. So to review, loads of dark malts, laden with chocolate and coffee notes. Rich, chewy and complex. Get a knife and fork out and enjoy this one as a big and bold nightcapper or with a double chocolaty dessert.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 00:07:15 | More by Billolick

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Gotta thank paco1029384756 for getting me this early, before it showed up here.

A: Pours a huge 2+ finger thick, rich and dark head that fades slower than molasses, but no lacing. The beer itself is as black as the moonless fogged covered night sky.

N: Pretty rich in malts, lots of coffee and roast. Some acidity and lots of dark rich malt aromas, bitter stout like charred malt aromas, some sweet chocolate and nuggat, and a touch of booze. Overall a little too light on the aroma though.

T: Very thick and rich, somewhat chocolatey. Tons of malts, and marshmellow like taste. Lots of roast and a little coffee. Pretty thick and smooth, actually feels like fluff in the mouth. SOme warming booze and touch of burning alc but normal for almost 12%. Sweet caramel and nuggat, very much like a candy bar. Some bitterness from the roasty charred malts and hints of piny hops.

M: Super thick and rich, smooth, marshmellow like, with decent carbonation.

F: BItter, the piny, earthy hops and tons of roasted dark malt flavors give it a lot of bitterness. Some sticky sweetness on the finish with more caramel, nuggat, and marshmellow. Chocolate is also just a little bit. It's pretty tasty with a sweet candy bar like flavor. It does drink pretty well though for 12%.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2010 01:33:45 | More by jlindros

mdfb79

New York

3.78/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 3/27 notes.

a - Pours a dark brown color with no head and little carbonation.

s - Strong piney hops smell. Also some citrus hops to it. Does not really smell like a stout to me but more like a DIPA.

t - Taste is again piney and citrusy hops. Some bitterness as well.

m - Medium to full body with moderate carbonation.

d - I thought this was pretty good, but can't believe it's a stout. It's completely different than what I was expecting. Lots of citrus and piney hops, would try again.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 02:36:30 | More by mdfb79

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle purchased at Yankee Spirits, Sturbridge, MA.

Poured into a Chimay chalice, formed a 1/4" dark brown head over the opaque dark brown/black brew. Head is promptly down to a skim layer of froth, with slow-falling lace. Aroma is chocolatey, with a hint of pine hops.

Taste also starts with chocolate, then goes dark fruits in the middle, with bitterness and alcohol at the close. Closing flavors linger, not altogether pleasantly. Mouthfeel is velvety, but a bit rough at the close, and drinkability is a bit quashed. An alright beer that goes a bit too far and ends up somewhat harsh.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 02:10:01 | More by ppoitras

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle into a snifter.

Pours an inky black out of the bottle, with about 1 ½ fingers of rich dark mocha head. This stays very frothy around the edges, throwing a big creamy cascade of thick foam and brown oils all up on the sides of the glass. The aroma is full and robust feeling in the nose, with rich notes of chocolate, molasses, crunchy smelling black coffee, and smoky roasted malt. I'm also getting a big whiff of that dry-hopping, with plenty of earth, citrus, and lighter feeling resins that are all showing themselves rather boldly.

The taste literally drips in the mouth, with the sticky warmth of chocolate fudge, caramel, burnt molasses, and a touch of darker fruit character. Blackened roasted and coffee really gives this a dense and sharp blackness to the profile. The hops really give this an assertive bite of spice, pine, and leafy green citric character. As strong as the hops are, there is still a certain amount of denseness to the profile that allows more of the flavor from them to meld into the dark and sticky sweetness of the malts but without putting out a distracting amount of bitterness. Quite the intense finish on this too, with a load of blackened bitterness, spice, and dry resins all just sticking the back of the throat. The mouthfeel is full bodied, with a huge firm creaminess to it that unfolds as the liquid first enters your mouth. This then gives way to a thick and chewy layer that holds all of those rich decadent flavors. A big heady feel from the ABV is present but it never becomes stinging with alcohol at any point and actually feels welcome here, as it fits in right along with the all around hugeness of the profile.

The aggressive dry-hopping was very evident here and seemed much more forward than what I remembered this being on draft at the Clybourn location last year. I liked the extra flavor that it brought to the table for the most part but I think that I preferred when more of that dark malty goodness was front and center as well. Either way, this is still a killer Imperial Stout from Goose Island.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 16:07:31 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

HUGE thanks to Beerloco for the hookup on this. I owe you big.

Pours a deep and dark opaque black, no light gets through this bad boy, very thick and chunky tan head forms, slowly settles down to a thick ring around the glass and a thin layer, lots of lace chunks stuck to the glass, looks pretty fantastic. Smell is insane, very rich, toffee, chocolate, roast, vanilla and wood, raisins and dates, maple, molasses, some alcohol, almost a doppelbock like breadiness, biscuits, lots of dark fruit, very nice. Taste is similarly good, very intense burnt sugar sweetness, toffee, raisin, chocolate milk, roast, dark fruit, rum and molasses middle, maple syrup, dates, alcohol, big sweet finish that balances out with an acrid bitterness, lightly smokey with wood and vanilla at the end, very long finish. Mouthfeel is full bodied with low to medium carbonation. Alcohol is a bit sharp but still comes through buttery smooth, this is damn good stuff. Fantastic finish, like a Werthers. This definitely lives up, I dig it. Thanks a ton Alan!

Serving type: growler

07-17-2009 02:34:07 | More by Viggo

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes:

Growler received in a past trade with beerloco. Thanks a lot Alan and thanks a ton for replacing the first growler which broke in transit.

Pours pitch black and completely opaque without even the faintest trace of lighter color and a two finger frothy, pillowy dark mocha head. Excellent retention, only slowly fading into a lastic cap that coats the glass with rings, streaks and splotches of soapy lacing.

Extremely roasted malt aroma with lots of acrid ash, wood, charred earth and burnt coffee bean in the nose. There's also hints of toffee, oatmeal and faint chocolate bu the aroma is dominated by the insanely roasted character. Hopefully it tastes a bit more complex than it smells.

Full bodied with much more balance and flavor than the aroma suggests. There's still a prominent smokey roasted character but the other flavors are more evident especially as the beer warms. Lots of silky chooclate notes that are slightly bittersweet with hints of oatmeal, coffee/toffee bean, licorice and toffee. There's also some faint hop bitterness but it's very minimal. This beer is all about the malt and thankfully it's not like sucking on used coffee grinds. Slight creaminess mid-palate adds complexity and mouthfeel. The ABV is well masked with only slight heat in the finish making this beast surprisingly drinkable.

Overall this beer is pretty good and much better balanced than I expected. It's not all that hit, even a a young age, but it's still a bit too roasty for my liking.

Serving type: growler

02-25-2011 01:49:43 | More by corby112

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

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

Felt the need to crack this open after an afternoon of drinking nasty lambics and gueuze over at Max's. Have had this for just over 6 months.

The beer pours the expected blackish brown color with very good head retention and lots of sticky lacing. The nose is all RIS goodness, showcasing considerable chocolate, vanilla, mocha and dark fruits. On the palate, this beer is very soft,rich and creamy, with the flavor profile replicating the nose. I also get a hint of tobacco and leather, though the flavor profile is clearly dominated by the mocha and chocolate flavors. Mouthfeel is very full, and the beer has a soft, rich, nearly endless finish. Drinkability is excellent in this beer and I get no heat whatsoever from the alcohol. In fact, given the abv., this beer is entirely too drinkable, as evidenced by how quickly I polished off my 22 ounce bottle.

An absolutely delcious stout from the folks at Goose Island. Clearly, they know what they're doing when it comes to making imperial stouts.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2010 15:34:39 | More by johnmichaelsen

glid02

Georgia

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

Bottle shared by Lance - thanks!

Pours black with a one-finger brown head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of sweet, dark molasses with dark chocolate and roasted malt undertones. Also present are large amounts of pine and herbal hops. As the beer warms the small amount of roasted malt aromas fade even more.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Dark molasses flavors kick things off, not quite as sweet as the nose intimated. Mild amounts of roasted malt flavors even things out a bit, as do very slight amounts of unsweetened chocolate. Midway through the sip pine hop flavors do their best to make their way out, barely succeeding. The ending is on the sweet side but manages a bit of bitterness.

Mouthfeel is very good. It's got an above average thickness with grainy carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I have to say that I was a bit disappointed with how this beer turned out, although I think it's on the young side and will come into its own in a year or so - minus the hops of course. If you have only one bottle I'd recommend letting it sit for a while, but even if you have it now you'll be drinking a solid beer.

Update: Tried again a few times within the past two months and it's overly sweet with little hop influence. Hopefully it will continue to settle down.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2010 23:45:43 | More by glid02

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

Black with a thin mocha cap of fine bubbles. It looked almost dead during the pour. The little bit of foam that was present stuck around for a while and left a bit of spotty lace on the glass. Lots of grapefruit in the aroma initially, citrusy and fruity, which gave way to roast and toffee, caramel and chocolate, over time. Alcohol was present, but not overpowering. Nice flavour. Bitterness seemed to come from hops and dark grains, giving it a bittersweet chocolate flavour. Lots of citrus up front, toffee and caramel, bready, roast through the mid. Significant alcohol in the finish, but well short of being hot. Lingering maltiness, sweet toffee, grapefruit and alcohol. Full bodied and sort of heavy, very creamy carbonation, luxurious smooth palate coating texture. Lots of alcohol warmth. This is a tasty beer. I'm not always a fan of big stouts with considerable hop character, but it worked for me in this beer since it seemed more of an accent rather than the main focus. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 21:28:07 | More by DrJay

HopHead84

California

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

4/8/2010

Bottled 2/19/2010. A generous extra from Masterski, thanks Alex. I've been wanting to try this one for a while. Poured into a Stone RIS snifter. The beer glugs out of the bomber like motor oil and yields a diminutive light brown head.

In the aroma I find notes of rich dark chocolate, a moderate roasted malt presence, and a bit of ashen tobacco. I detect a little citrus far beneath the dark characteristics when the beer warms up. Coffee is subtle and well integrated. Earthy hops add a nice and unique touch, reminding me a bit of 2007 Darkness, and they're slightly spicy. Very good.

The flavor is bitter roasted dark chocolate malt with a light coffee presence. Bitterness is pretty high and alcohol heat is unabashed. The beer exhibits a slightly spicy, ashen, tarry, tobacco presence. The finish is bitter and somewhat astringent with lingering alcohol, tobacco, and hops. The combination of roast, hops, and alcohol burn in the finish is pretty brutal, in a good way.

The beer has warmed to near room temperature now, and I definitely detect some citrus, perhaps orange and grapefruit, and a bit more pine.

Carbonation is low. The mouthfeel is full, thick, creamy, and viscous.

Perhaps opening the bomber alone was a bad idea, as this seems it will become taxing. Oh well, sometimes you have to just go for it? Or perhaps..."you only live once"...maybe even "this beer won't drink itself." _Insert other catch phrase to justify behavior here_

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2010 22:12:14 | More by HopHead84

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

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

Night Stalker is a genius name for a beer that shares a blackness found nowhere else but in deep space. I think even the plankton at the bottom of the ocean see more light than this resolutely black, opaque liquid permits. It is depressingly absolute; the kind of consummate darkness that artists kill to capture. And it's topped with a sandy brown head.

It's honestly difficult for me to understand how these contents can still smell so hoppy after spending more than a year in the bottle. How is it that an imperial stout of all things can retain such a zesty, piny, juicy, tropical hoppiness? Notes of black licorice, black coffee and black malts are hard to make out beyond the fragrance of these pungent hops.

If you were to look at this beer under a microscope all you'd see are little green cones. The tastes of pine needles, spruce serum, pink grapefruit, lemon juice and herbal flower buds register days ahead of any bittersweet maltiness, black coffee, black licorice, wild raspberry or chocolaty flavours (which do cross the palate, eventually).

I'll have to make some room on the cellar shelf next to Great Divide's Yeti, a beer with which this shares remarkable similarities. Like the aforementioned, one of my all-time favourites by the way, this shows tremendous potential for aging and strikes me as an essentially bullet-proof beer that could easily outlive its maker. I need to get a few more.

Night Stalker has enough piny, pungent, green hoppiness to make even a DIPA feel ill. If you like, or think you might like, your imperial stouts with a paralyzing amount of zestful American hops then this beer is worth whatever the asking price (and worth doubling or tripling down on it to stash a few away in the cellar). It may be one of America's best.

In comparison to even competent, reputable imperial stouts, this comes across as a graduate professor amidst a class of kindergartners. It is a beer that has a great sense of importance of itself. I'm shocked to find out how much of the remarkable character of Bourbon County Stout comes, not from the barrel-aging, but this, its base beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 01:05:44 | More by biegaman

kojevergas

California

3.15/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Bottled 11/19/12. 11.5% ABV according to my bottle. 650ml brown glass bottle with standard unbranded black pressure cap acquired at a Binny's in Chicago on St. Paddy's day weekend. Served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are very high given the brewery and style.

Served chilled and allowed to come to room temperature over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a half finger dark tan colour head of no real cream, okay thickness, and bad (~1 minute) retention - though this is excusable given the high ABV. Body colour is a predictable solid dark black - not quite a jet black but very dark. Nontransparent and opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Light lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head recedes; it's not very sticky though. Standard fare for the style but nevertheless appealing. I've seen far better, even at higher ABVs.

Sm: Rich chocolate/cacao. Alcohol warmth. Dark malts. Light coffee - with a bit of pleasant roast. Rich licorice/anise. Caramel. Pleasant toasty character. Minimal light floral hops - not as much as expected; I think age has done this well. No yeast character is detectable. Light vanilla. If I didn't know better, I'd guess bourbon. Hints of decadent dark fruit. An above average to mild strength aroma. Not horribly complex for the style, but there's some subtlety to the aroma. I'm looking forward to trying it, but the licorice has me concerned. I expected more hoppiness, but I'm glad that's not prominent.

T: Rich dark malts form the body. Some chocolate and caramel malts. Sweet vanilla. Light toasted character - it needs more. It also needs a hell of a lot more roast; there's hardly any here. It comes off quite sweet - especially in the third act and on the finish. Sticky dark fruits. Lightly vinous licorice; luckily this note is pretty restrained. Candied, sticky, and sweet. Not a great flavour profile for the style, but it will be to the tastes of many. Floral hop character is more prominent than usual for the style, but not to its detriment. The sticky sweetness and candied licorice are much larger issues, severely reducing drinkability. Full bodied and assertive. I can't emphasize enough that the sticky sweetness is really holding this back. Otherwise, it's fairly complex and somewhat subtle. No yeast character comes through. Alcohol heat is present but light enough to add character.

Mf: Smooth and sweet. Sticky, syrupy, and thick. Too viscous. Pretty good carbonation. Okay presence on the palate. Very filling and full bodied. A bit overbearing.

Dr: It hides its ABV alright, but it's not very drinkable. Definitely more of a sipper. I wish it came in a smaller bottle; this will take me some time to finish and I'm sure midway through the sticky sweetness will really aggravate me. This one definitely has its flaws, but it's not a bad beer for the style. I'd like to try it with a good three years on it; if this is what it tastes like at five months old; it needs serious time. For my money, Goose Island makes far better imperial stouts. I wouldn't get this one again unless it was aged or the only good option at a bar. Interesting, but it isn't doing it for me.

C+

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 04:18:05 | More by kojevergas

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes taken 11/28/10.

Bomber with a bottled on date of 3/6/10. Pours black in color with barely any lighter brown around the edges. A dark brown head forms about a finger strong and recedes to a ring that holds around the inside of the glass. As the cap fades, it leaves some spotty lacing on the glass.

The aroma of this brew is fruity alcohol with a citrus pop. Malty notes of chocolate fill the nose along with hints of licorice and a seemingly milky sweetness.

The taste is bold alcohol with bitter citrus hops and dark grain that imparts a flavor of chocolate that lingers in the mouth couples with strong black coffee. This has a big bold alcohol burn that is lasting with some burnt grain flavors that show an indication of molasses that coats the inside of the mouth.

This is a full bodied brew with moderate to low carbonation. A huge abv brew that could or "should" be left alone for a few years unless you enjoy the intensity of a bold brew's alcohol presence. After a few sips, I thought this went down fairly effortlessly...that might be because it has my senses already numbed.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 20:35:20 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Groveland. Been waiting a while to finally try this.

Only a 4 oz pour.

Not a big head of course, but it is very dark tan. For the little head, it leave great lace. Color is dark dark brown, basically black.

Aroma: Malt bomb. Chocolate. Some roasted notes. Earthy hops and lots of them. A little coffee. I wished it had a little more going on here, but still pretty solid.

Taste: Very chocolaty and malty. Sweet, earthy hops. Some vanilla. Definitely has some alcohol present. I am really loving it.

Mouthfeel: rich, smooth, and creamy. Full bodied. Medium level of carbonation. Leaves a boozy malty aftertaste. I am really enjoying the mouthfeel here.

Overall, a damn good beer. I loved BCS and I love this beer too. I wished they bottled this. Very drinkable, but I can imagine the booze might get to me if I had had a larger pour.

Great job GI!

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2009 01:56:51 | More by mothman