Le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout - Harvey & Son Ltd.

sentomaster

Connecticut

3.44/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2003 vintage

A-dark as can be, with a very thin beige head that quickly dies

S-Wow, massively vinous and dark. big hit of acidity and vinegar, too much so- it overtakes anything else that might be going on and leaves a massively tart and sour impression. Not appetizing and I'm thinking this might be a drain pour.

T/M- Thankfully the acidity doesn't dominate on the palate like it does in the nose. The carbonation is just right and contributes to a slick and oily body that coats your mouth. The vinous aspect translates well onto the palate. Seriously dark flavors of figs, raisins, and prunes coat the tongue with a red wine like complexity. The finish comes back to vinous and vinegar which stick to your mouth and lingers long after.

O- Really different, I'm not sure the nose is quite right, or as it should be. Maybe it didn't age quite right. It is very unique and probably more what the classic imperial stout was like as opposed to the chocolate and roast of the current american double stouts.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 01:58:55 | More by sentomaster

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

2.05/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

2003 vintage poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color, with a no head that fades slowly and no lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains roasted malts, molasses, chocolate and a touch of dark fruit.

T: The taste is much the same as the smell with strong flavors of molasses, chocolate and some dark fruit but age has taken just about everything else out of this beer. The malt character is very hearty. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Not crisp or smooth but quite viscous, heavy body, no carbonation left, finish is sticky.

O: Some flavor still left, a little filling, strong kick, I’m scoring the beer how it is at 9 years old but I plan on reviewing a fresher release of this beer at some point in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 03:52:55 | More by TheManiacalOne

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a perfect pint. 2003 vintage.

4.0 A: Pitch ass black color. Half a finger of frothy light brown head that falls quickly and leaves no lacing. I'm impressed that there's any carbonation, so high scores here.

3.5 S: This smells like dirt wrapped in mud and roasted. Supremely earthy with mineral and soy sauce notes. Molasses, roasted barley, and some bittersweet chocolate. Quite interesting to say the least.

3.0 T: I have to evaluate the taste in the context of it being 9 years old. If this was fresh and thus the intended composition of the brewer, this would have to be evaluated differently. This is the earthiest beer I've ever drank. Dirt, mineral, mountain stream water dominate. Light soy sauce, molasses, and bitter chocolate. Pithy woodiness, moderate roastiness, and a light booziness. Interesting and not like much of anything I've had before.

4.5 M: Heavier medium body. Good carbonation, especially for a beer this old. Even a nice creaminess. Very good here.

3.5 D: For a beer that is almost a decade old, it's pretty good. I wouldn't want to drink this often, but I'm glad I had it. It's pretty tasty in a new type of way.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:44:36 | More by DavoleBomb

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

For International Stout Day, how about an international stout, a foreign Imperial Extra Double Stout, sounds epic. However, I also noticed the version imported here to U.S. is only 9% while BA lists at 10% so either it changed or they gave us the weaker version.... oh well.

2008 vintage on this puppy.

it pours out like thick black coffee, and reveals a huge fluffy head of 2 fingers, dark chocolate colored, fades slowly with lots of lacing that just coats the glass itself, over an essentially pitch black beer with no real light coming through.

Unfortunately nose starts with an infection set in, which is interesting as there was no infection appearance. A light sour tangy aroma, but behind that is a nice stout, a light acrid roast, bit of cocoa, fluffy nougat and caramel candy aromas, the chocolate caramel candies like milk duds, a hint of earthy malts and a touch of dark chocolate. The tangy infection fades very quickly luckily.

Taste doesn't really have any infection flavor, maybe just a hint in the background luckily. it does start with fluffy airy chocolate, a weird light bitter but slightly milky chocolate that's hard to really explain, with tons of caramel as well, and some fluffy nougat, adding just a touch of nutty flavor in the back makes this a combination of almost every candy bar out there, with much less sweetness thankfully. It brings just a touch of roast and acrid flavor but very little. It does bring some bitterness, but I think more from the charred roasty malt flavors, although a little earthy hop kick as well. It has that foreign extra stout like bitterness and earthiness which is unique and is that flavor I get an itch for from time to time. The chocolate flavor turns more towards baker's or dark chocolate as it goes, and fairly rich at the same time. Finish is like melted baker's chocolate, slightly creamy and thick, coats the mouth well with more bitterness and stoutness, little caramel and chewy malt like flavors, and a long bitterness that turns slightly salty even.

Mouth is fuller bodied, rich and thick with lots of carbonation that is infused well to give it a fluffy feel.

Overall pretty good. Other than that slight infection set in on the aroma it's nice. Good candy bar flavors without the sweetness, nice chocolate characters that change as the beer moves along, quite a bit of nice stoutness and bitterness throughout. Long finish as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 04:30:06 | More by jlindros

FlyAwayPhil

3.6/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a pitch black with a copper/chocolate-y head. There is some slight carbonation, but not very much.

S - Smells almost like a sour stout. I initially thought there would be a slight tang to the taste from my initial smell.

T - Malty coffee-ness and dates with a bitter chocolate finish

M - Light initially like a sour stout, but quickly becomes heavier and finishes likes a true imperial Russian stout.

O - This an an interesting beer and a good example of the style. Its initial smell lead me to believe it might have more sour characteristics, but it might be because lately I've been drinking so much sour beer. Nonetheless, the taste and mouth-feel were very pleasant and something I would drink again and recommend to friends. The cap said 2009, so I'm not sure how much the age of the beer affected it.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 02:33:42 | More by FlyAwayPhil

JudgeRoughneck

Louisiana

5/5  rDev +46.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2008 Vintage Sampled August 29 2012.

Appearance- Jet back with a copper-colored head with a texture like velour. It only gives a thin surface cap but hangs around the edges of the glass waiting to reclaim thick legs that take entire minutes to fall. Opaque.

Aroma- sweet dried fruit, very vinous, suggestive of a brett character... getting chills and visitations from memories of thomas hardys. Flowery, earthy, leathery. Center of the aroma is well-fermented molasses, sour cherrys, faint metallic odor, baking bread, hint of ash, ..definitely some funk running up in here. I could smell this forever.

Flavor- Wow. Where to start? A little sour as anticipated, but grounded in a deep, rich, dark syrupy malt base with peppery alcohol dropping the bottom out for a roasty finish. Flavors and sensations pass in waves. Notes of baked apple and fig. Just bitter enough. Lovely fennel/ caraway dimension. Candied plum coming out with warmth. Chocolate-covered strawberries. At times begins to impersonate a well-aged fruit forward / jammy red wine. Hey rides into the sinuses. A little nut and mocha coming out in the finish. Amazingly the classic stout points of roast, chocolate, coffee, etc are basically the last thing I notice when drinking this beer. That stuff is really mellow and there is just so much else going on.

Mouthfeel - This beer makes love to my mouth. It is velvety, creamy, heavy, smooth, fluffy, oily, full-bodied, all at the same time. Carbonation is on the low side but certainly present even at this age. There is virtually nothing bracing going on at all. Smooth all the way down. Sourness and alcohol only tease the palate and tickle the senses making me want to keep this beer in my mouth as long as possible.

Overall - I don't know what to say. My mind is totally blown. I feel guilty I opened this without other people around. Why does nobody talk about this beer? It is literally the awesomest thing I have drank in my life. Why does this beer not have a higher score? Fine by me, I'll be buying it up every chance I get.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 03:28:38 | More by JudgeRoughneck

bonkers

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was very lucky to get this in Secret Santa '11, 2001 vintage, poured at cellar temp. The cork was on the dry side, but this is an 11 year old beer. It pours with a very slight head. The color is jet black. The aroma has notes of cherries, coffee, wood, chocolate. There definitely is a sour note to the beer, it rounds out with coffee and chocolate. It is very smooth, very low carbonation, 9% abv not noticeable. This is the oldest brew I have ever tried, and it has held up quite well. A little different take on a RIS, but very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 22:53:22 | More by bonkers

harrymel

Washington

1.13/5  rDev -66.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Vintage 2008, ABV 9%, 9.3oz Crowned bottle

Pours black with profound three fingers of mocha foam, this falls slowly, to a regenerative quilt of the same. Initial smell is like lacto and butterscotch. Hard to get past these two characteristics. The flavor is of leather, burnt beef, chokecherries and tobacco. Really nasty. Thin for the style with insane carb feel (although not a gusher) for the style. dry finish. Not sure how this beer earned all these medals indicated on its label, because this beer is shite.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 08:29:25 | More by harrymel

rangerred

Tennessee

3.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2008 vintage. 9.3 oz bottle poured into a snifter. 9% abv.

Appearance is pitch black with a decent one finger dark brown head. Decent retention for a beer of this strength.

Quite a bit of cherry in the nose along with wood, dark cocoa, and red wine. Almost a slight sour, lambic smell to it.

Taste has a lot of cherry at first along with some other dark fruit. This then leads to a sweet, almost milk chocolate flavor along with some roastiness. There is a light tartness on the tip of the tongue along with a strong warmth from the alcohol. Mouthfeel is very slick and finishes quite sticky.

I'm sort of torn on this beer. There are many complex flavors but the whole package seems a bit overwhelming. The alcohol is more present than the 9% would lead one to believe and the sweetness comes close to being cloying. Not sure I would get it again but I'm glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 00:47:45 | More by rangerred

NWer

Washington

1.53/5  rDev -55.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

2003 vintage. Served in a tulip.
Is it fair to critique a beer this old?
Tightly corked. Popped out clean.
Poured dark and flat. Totally flat. Nothing. Nada. Flat.
Chocolate notes picked up in the glass. Bitterness on the nose foretells what's to come.
Bitter chocolate. Like the most bitter chocolate you ever tasted that's intended for cooking, not to eat.
I want to savor this beer but just can't. No redeeming value to this beer at all unless you're into punishing your palate.
Drain pour? Haven't decided yet. I'm compelled to drink it just so I can say I did.
Update: I drainpoured this sucker. I just couldn't punish my senses any longer. Life is too short.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 23:31:58 | More by NWer

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This one poured out as a deep black coloe with a brown colored head on top. the head settles pretty quickly with some scattered lace on the glass. The smell of the beer was a little on the musty side, very earthy and almost reminded me of a very old wooden barrel or something. The taste of the beer packs a little bit of a punch to it. I was surprised by the flavor but not really impressed by it either. The malts were roasted and that was ok but there were some other funky flavors going on that I wasn't too fond of. The mouthfeel of the beer was far too thin for an Imperial Stout in my opinion. Low carbonation and lacked depth. Overall I wasn't too thrilled with this brew. I can't see myself picking this one up ever again.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 05:10:28 | More by Knapp85

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Corked and foil-wrapped 11.2 oz bottle dated 2001 per the label. Bought at Sundevil Liquor in Mesa, AZ. Label states the ABV is 9%. The cork was in excellent condition (couldn't as for better). Poured half the bottle (without disturbing whatever may be on the bottom) into a snifter.

Pours without head. The body looks black, but when held to strong light shows muddy-grey highlights. There is still some crimson life left in this beer, but it takes some strong light to show it. I didn't expect any red colors to be left, and I am impressed.

The smell is surprisingly powerful. Vinous notes, almost grape-like sweetness, and tawny port are prominent. A little swirl brings up a tiny bit of carbonation, and reveals that this was a stout at heart with sweet but charred notes of roast. Powerful, interesting, and complex. I am blown away by how this smells.

The flavor is crazy. I am not sure where to start. When it first hits my tongue I get a very sweet port-like flavor but this is very short lived. The next flavors are something like roast mixed with a tartness, and maybe the after-effects of what used to be hops. To this point the beer is quite tasty and easy to enjoy. It is in the aftertaste that things get strange. I think that this was infected (maybe intentionally?) with a lacto strain. A pleasant tartness and vinous flavor seems to be the result in the primary flavor. However in the aftertaste, there is an almost bitter acrid savory (almost salty?) taste that might be the long term result of this infection when paired with the roasted malt flavors. It reminds me of the aftertaste of infected Deschutes Abyss, except thinned out. As if the roast and the tartness conflict and produce a strange savory unpleasant taste. However aside from this mildy gross flavor, the beer overall is quite drinkable.

The mouthfeel is surprisingly thick after almost 11 years in the bottle. There is just a touch of carbonation left which surprised me, but I imagine this is due to the cork's excellent condition.

Conclusion: The more I drink this the more I think it was infected with lacto/pedo bacteria. In a way, I think that it is still somewhat tasty because of this, as the tartness is actually pretty nice and not overpowering. I wonder what it would taste like without it. If you love extreme aging for its own sake I say that you should try an example of this vintage, otherwise you will most likely feel that you wasted your money.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 20:18:27 | More by allforbetterbeer

Pintofbrown

Iowa

2.53/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

I poured this authentic RIS into a shaker pint.

Appearance- This one is a looker. Great three and a half - finger Tootise Roll colored head is quite magnificent. So many pock marks dapple the cap and are accompanied by tiny bubbles. And of course, the retention is great, with big, random flecks of chunky lace.

The body? Pitch black.

Smell- How incredibly unbalanced is this one! The list includes: red wine, roasted malt, wood chips, some dark fruit, and soy sauce. All of these flavors mixing together create some rather unpleasant scents.

Taste- Unfortunately this stout is not much better here. I get a definite feel of leather and some more red wine to lead off the drink. A nice touch that went far too quickly was some dark cherry tang.

Roasted malt is also doing some good things here, but it takes forever to pick it out after adjusting to the weird flavors. The finish is strong with some fresh mint and soy sauce. Wow. Wow not in a good way.

Mouth feel- The feel is good. Technically, this beer is fine. This one is pretty flat and slick, but for how long this was aged, I was expecting that. And the body is bordering on full.

Overall- Well, it is not terrible. But how incredibly strange can an RIS get? The smells and flavors are all over the place, and maybe parts of them worked, but as a whole it is mostly a mess.

Honestly, for how much a bottle of this was, I could never justify picking it up again.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 22:43:58 | More by Pintofbrown

chicagobeerriot

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The look is classic: opaque black with a thick tan foam. Not much more to ask for.

The smell is a link to Dark Lord, its long lost cousin: sweet chocolate, port, dark fruit and anise.

Mouthfeel is spot on: thick, full and chewy.

Overall, the flavors lean toward the sweet: caramel, toffee and dark chocolate take the lead. The signature flavor of this beer is a strong licorice note which has a cooling, minty finish that seems to be interpreted by some as a soy/acidic flavor. My guess is that's the source of polarization on the reviews and, needless to say, if you don't like anise flavors, this is one to avoid. My objection isn't to the flavor itself, but rather the lack of balance; there should be more char/coffee to balance the sweet and licorice. With repeated sips this lack of balance builds on the tongue. Overall this is a very interesting beer (both from a taste and historical perspective), but it's difficult to imagine a lot of repeat visits.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 02:48:11 | More by chicagobeerriot

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

'99 bottle into a Duvel tulip. Shared with friends.

A: The cork slides out completely silently, and the beer pours an utterly flat, thick black color that coats the sides of the tulip with bright brown legs. Pretty nice for such an old, flat beer.

S: Definitely sour, but a great balance of coffee and molasses maltiness with acetic sourness. Smells like a Flanders Black, if there were such a thing. I'm a fan.

T: Sour up front, followed by coffee, chocolate, tobacco, soy sauce, and basement must. Tastes old but not spoiled, sour but not overbearing, roasty but not astringent. It's not great, but it's pretty darn tasty, especially with its rich chocolate aftertaste.

M: Still, thick, and sticky. Ok.

O: It took some getting used to, but in the end I really enjoyed this one. Not quite like any other beer I've had (even other sour stouts), it was definitely worth trying. I don't think I'll be buying more, but who knows.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 22:59:26 | More by woosterbill

mdvatab

Indiana

1.3/5  rDev -61.9%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Found several 11.2oz bottles of the 2003 vintage at Parti Pak.
Poured into snifter.

Aroma: Winey, bretty, and sour. Black licorice. Mouth waters in anticipation of the tartness. This is not how an imperial stout is supposed to smell...

Appearance: A hard pour yields no head whatsoever. This one looks flat as hell. The body resembles thick black ink.

Flavor: Black licorice up front, then Jaegermeister, then sour and funky, then a very strong bitterness, which clings to the palate like duct tape. Unpalatable...

Mouthfeel: Full body is thick as pudding. Had the flavor of the beer been even the least bit tolerable, the mouthfeel would have been great. Carbonation is low to non-existent as expected.

Overall: Lesson learned... I usually carry my iPhone w/ me into bottle shops to check BA ratings on beers I don't recognize. Had I done so this time, I would have promptly returned this $9 disaster to the shelf. I can only hope my fellow Indy BA's heed this warning and avoid this brew. 100% bonafide drainpour material.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 03:29:20 | More by mdvatab

SFLpunk

Vermont

1.27/5  rDev -62.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Thanks to Andrew for this one. 11.2oz brown glass corked bottle. 2003, 9% ABV on the label.

Pours a thick, still black with some brown hues around the rim. Nose smells just awful...maybe infected, maybe just awful. Like old meat and tire rubber.

Palate...ugh...here goes...is foul. I can't believe this passed my lips! Acidic, acrid, rubbery, like a mouth full of top soil and vinegar.

Notes: AVOID this beer. Wow, that was f***g awful.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 05:50:44 | More by SFLpunk

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled 2008; capped, not corked.

Appearance -- Pours a very dark oily brown with a finger of stiff creamy mocha head. It looks a bit thinner than the average American interpretation, but whatever. Handsome.

Smell -- The aroma is dominated by dark chocolate, roast char, raisin and tart cherries. Lots of vinous character, almost to the point of seeming infected, or least what I usually attribute this level of dark fruit character to in an RIS. However, smells quite good on the whole.

Taste -- Significant improvement from the nose. Big roast malt character, dark chocolate cherry bonbon, chocolate-covered raisin, hint of smoke and char. Again, very vinous and fruity in the tradition of the proper English style. Lingering flavor of dark chocolate, and berry skin.

Mouthfeel -- Feels full and creamy, almost velvety. Milder carbonation really makes this feel nice.

Overall -- Glad I picked this one up. a year before this I had a 2003 corked bottle (as pictured) and it was total garbage: soured, flat, and definitely 'corked'. If you're interested in trying this, do yourself a favor and hunt down a capped bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 01:42:27 | More by yeahnatenelson

herman77

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +29.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

*2008 bottle, 9%abv

A: Black with a huge thick tan head. Looks extremely creamy, almost like Guinness. Great retention and great lacing.

S: Sour, tart dark cherries with hints of roasted malt and dark coco powder. More than anything, the sour tartness dominates.

T: A very nice mix of classic RIS qualities (dark chocolate, dark fruits, roasted malt and coffee) with light sour/tart dark cherries. It doesn't seem like a good mix, but it actually goes extremely well together. As it warms, it gets even tastier! More dark fruits like dates, prunes and black cherries come out more. Slight tartness mixed with slightly bitter roasted malt flavors linger in the aftertaste.

M: Medium to fuller body, smooth and soft carbonation. Nice.

O: Very well done. Not sure what age has done to this, but if anything it has done it well. Its almost like a mix between a RIS and a wild or sour ale. Worth seeking out, or at least this vintage is.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 00:23:49 | More by herman77

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 9.3 oz. bottle into a snifter glass. 2008 bottle.

Appearance: Pours very dark and black. Nice four fingers of deep tan head which slowly fades into a thin layer. Lots of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A big aroma of sour dark cherries up front is the dominate smell. Some hints of dark fruits including raisins and plums. Also some chocolate, Brett, and dark roasted malts. Smells a lot more like a wild ale than a imperial stout. Very interesting.

Taste: Like the smell, a big taste of tart and sour cherries with hints of dark raisins and plums. A subtle burnt roasted malt presence emerges towards the finish with hints of chocolate. Finishes somewhat dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with a lower level of carbonation. Tart with a dry finish. Alcohol is hidden fairly well.

Overall: Probably the wildest version of a stout I've had. Is this really a stout or an American Wild Ale? I happen to like sour beers so I like the flavor going on here.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 07:18:35 | More by MattyG85

maximum12

Minnesota

1.35/5  rDev -60.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

Thanks to my lovely wife for always buying me a few bottles I'd never have purchased myself over the holidays; it's a lovely surprise, since I never know what will show up in the "beer bag". 11.2 oz. bottle, 2003 vintage. Thanks hon!

Pour is dead flat black that could be used as a backdrop to the stars. Minimal carbonation, as might be expected after 8 years. Smell is nothing like expected: sherry. Dark fruits. Good at first, but then morphs into a bit of sourness. Oh oh.

Le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout is fouled by bitter, dry dark fruits that eat up whatever else is allegedly in the brew. Malts briefly rise out of the slime & die quickly, their lungs filled with bile. Impossible to have more than a few sips of this.

To the drain. Glancing through the reviews, it looks like the 2003 was not a good year for this brew. Blech. Love to try it again, but I'm sure I won't if I had to pay for it.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 02:47:13 | More by maximum12

gfreed

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After you tear off the foil wrapping from the neck, ensure a successful completion of the project by *having a corkscrew on hand* because that's the only way you'll get the cork out of the bottle. Once you pull the cork, expect an aroma full of sherry and dried fruit, mostly cherries and prunes. You'll get no head from this beer. It's noticeably thick and carbonationless, and the ABV is not afraid to smack you after three or four sips (emphasis on *sips*). Sherry is the dominant flavor, not to mention (once again) the dried fruit. Finishes bitter and dry. It's quite good but in small amounts. Split the bottle with a friend. It's a fine accompaniment to a big bag of caramel corn.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 20:46:34 | More by gfreed

Thickfreakness

New York

1.93/5  rDev -43.4%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

2008 vintage

A- Pours near pitch black into my Ithaca Tulip glass. Three fingers of thick and sticky foam float upon this brew! Tons and tons of soapy lacing all over the glass! To dark to see if any carbonation is flowing.

S- Sour cherry and chocolate... those notes dominate over anything else! A touch of funk and barnyard? Kinda unusual for an Imperial Stout. What roasted notes that there are, are over powered by the sour cherry! Kinda like a one note guitar solo...

T- Sour cherries covered with bitter chocolate! That's really it... nothing else to even talk about. Not much coffee, some burnt roasted malts, no hops... just sour cocoa! This is damn close to a drain pour! No sign of the 9% so thats a good thing I guess...

M- I wish I could light a match in my mouth and have it go on fire just so that this flavor goes away! This is pretty damn awful!!! The sour and chocolate get a touch better as it comes to room temp, but it's still like having a mouthful of chocolate covered sour patch kids in your mouth!!!

O- I was so excited when I saw a Russian Imperial Stout from England (the country that started it all)... but I gotta say... this is a real let down! Too much nasty sour and bitter chocolate. That's all is has... no other notes or taste... just sour! Sour should never dominate in a RIS... Don't bother... Yuck!

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 02:05:47 | More by Thickfreakness

amphion1065

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An 11.2 oz. corked bottle from 1999, purchased at Lord Hobo. Poured into a tulip. Reviewed from notes.

The pour is pure black, with absolutely no head. Though the appearance was rather unremarkable, I was pretty shocked at the lack of sediment coming out of this bottle. Barely any bits of suspended yeast in my glass, and almost nothing left behind in the bottle itself.

The smell is pretty wonderful. Lots of rich dark chocolate and raisins. For the most part, the dark fruit flavors have subsided and left a lot of deep, chocolate malt behind. A slight note of oxidation, but nothing too noticeable.

The taste is very nice, if not quite equal to the smell. There is a pronounced soy sauce element to this beer - not totally surprising given its age, but it does detract from the sweetness. Dark fruits and chocolate are present, but they seem a little muted. The aftertaste is very nice though, with those raisins shining through. Absolutely no alcohol burn.

Little to no carbonation, but the beer itself is quite thick. Smooth like velvet and rich like syrup, this is pretty easy to drink.

This beer has held up quite well, in no small part to the conditions under which it was cellared. Though I've heard that a few bottles from this era are undrinkable now, I'm happy to have lucked out.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 22:41:49 | More by amphion1065

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

2.15/5  rDev -37%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Presentation: 2003 corked bottle poured into a Smuttynose tulip glass.

Appearance: Pours dark brown, almost black and completely flat. Settles into as minimal a lacing as is possible.

Aroma: Tart cherry and pungent raspberries in the nose upfront. Smells more like a sour than a stout for sure. Sherry, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and oxidized red wine are all present too. Very strange. I would definitely not say this is pleasant.

Taste: A slight burst of cherry overpowered by big roasted malt. The roasted malt character is way over the top, like the last couple drops of cold coffee. No sweetness other than the cherries and a touch of banana. Some saltiness in the form of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Actually the saltiness really linger and is a bit overpowering.

Mouthfeel: Absolutely flat, but with some body. I cut it a little slack in the score as this bottle is really old.

Overall, a really interesting and unique stout, but it just fails on some many levels. The cherry fruit notes and the salt notes overpower the malt base and the malt base is burnt with any tempering sweetness. I would not buy again, but I do wonder what a fresh bottle would taste like. I have to imagine it would be better.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 16:53:29 | More by Gosox8787