Oak-Aged Fayston Maple Imperial Stout - Lawson's Finest Liquids

GregSVT

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml waxed bottle into a snifter

A: Pours dark brown with a huge brown head that fades to a layering and leaves some lacing on the glass.

S: The nose starts with maple right after you pour it and as it warms you get nice notes of chocolate, vanilla, and a slight hop aroma in the background that is a bit odd and something I wasn't expecting.

T: The taste starts with the hops and then fades to vanilla, cocoa, along with a touch of maple.

M: The feel is creamy and on the thicker side of medium.

O: This is a great beer but it could use less hops and more maple. I didn't get much oak besides a bit of vanilla .

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 03:08:53 | More by GregSVT

amcaleh

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-04-2013 15:27:53 | More by amcaleh

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a snifter. I was lucky enough to try this one along with the other three versions.

The beer pours a dark brown, almost black color with a layer of tan head. I'm getting sweet roast, maple syrup, and some dark fruit in the smell. The taste is full of roasted malt notes along with some alcohol. I'm still getting some maple, but the sweet notes aren't as prevalent as the barrel aged versions. I didn't think this one was as complex as the other beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 03:17:21 | More by oline73

duceswild

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

04-05-2013 13:29:02 | More by duceswild

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

04-05-2013 13:25:34 | More by mendvicdog

thebigredone

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +3.4%

02-25-2013 17:29:03 | More by thebigredone

hopluva1

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -16%

02-20-2013 03:46:58 | More by hopluva1

portia99

Massachusetts

3.69/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle courtesy of hoppymcgee. Poured into a Stone Old Guardian glass.

A - pours a jet black color with a huge two finger cap of fluffy dark mocha head with very good staying power. Sticky webs of lacing cling to the glass.

S - boozy, dark chocolate, licorice, and dark roasted malts

T - sweet caramel, brown sugar, faint maple (disappointing), licorice, booze and molasses, wood

M - medium body and medium carbonation, tingly, sweet and boozy, hoppy bitterness, alcoholic

O - uhh...just an average imperial stout. Was hoping for much more maple character. Not much coming from the barrel either. Had a couple of the Fayston varieties, and haven't been overly impressed.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 01:33:30 | More by portia99

GrindFatherBob

New York

2.5/5  rDev -35.4%

01-24-2013 13:36:01 | More by GrindFatherBob

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

01-13-2013 05:12:35 | More by yourefragile

mavbrew

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

12-28-2012 18:38:07 | More by mavbrew

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 12.23.12

A - Pours a motor oil brown with a huge brown head with great retention.

S - Sweet syrup, chocolate, oak, almonds, dark fruit.

T - Maple, subtle chocolate, acidic wood, with a coffee finish. Smooth.

D - Great carbonation with a heavy body, silky.

O - Very smooth and silky, nothing was over powering.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 07:40:44 | More by HuskyinPDX

CummingsK21

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

12-23-2012 04:06:57 | More by CummingsK21

c_patton

4.75/5  rDev +22.7%

12-21-2012 16:56:09 | More by c_patton

claspada

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled the Oak-Aged Fayston Maple, Original Maple and Bourbon Barrel Aged versions simultaneously.

Pours a black color with a thin tan head and some small bubbles that recede to leave some moderate lacing.

Aromas begin with a majority of roast, light earthy bitterness and honey sweetness from the maple and emerging oaky woodiness. As it warms you get a little more chocolate and vanilla sweetness.

The tastes follow the nose with some roasted maltiness up front and oak and light maple in the background, plus a bit of chocolate as it warms.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium to low carbonation. Finish is dry and toasty and slightly tannic.

Overall this was an alright beer but by far my least favorite of the three varieties. It was too dry and roasty and the oak further added to the drying/tannic flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 16:08:54 | More by claspada

Anonymous1

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

11-16-2012 07:33:23 | More by Anonymous1

seplo

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

10-30-2012 18:27:19 | More by seplo

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oak-Aged Fayston Maple pours black into the glass with a small, creamy tan head on top. The foam is slow to dissolve leaving behind spots of lace on the glass.

The aroma has lots of oak, vanilla, chocolate and roasted malt. An earthy nuttiness and some pine is also present.

Each sip of this medium to full bodied beer is velvety with mild carbonation. The flavor is rich with roasted malt, nuts, chocolate, oak and vanilla. It finishes with some alcohol. Once gone the dark malt and oak linger on the palate.

This beer is loaded with flavor. It hides the 10% abv very well, but it's definitely a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 00:01:15 | More by WanderingFool

SourinQns

New York

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

09-23-2012 01:12:59 | More by SourinQns

koopa

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz Red Wax Dipped Bottle
Old style paper label with Sean's signature on it
Batch # 231 Bottle # 15 of 48

It was explained to me that although the label says "Oak Aged" instead of "Bourbon Aged" this particular bottle is Fayston's Maple Imperial Stout aged in Tuthilltown Single Batch Whiskey Barrels!

Appearance: Pours jet black with a 2 finger brown crown that shows moderate retention and some lace.

Smell: Mild dark chocolate, a hint of caramel, some plum and raison notes, very soft bourbon notes giving a slightly warm booze olfactory quality, nice display of oak tannins, and some roast. I'd give it a 4.25 if I could so I'm rounding up a bit.

Taste: Same as the nose but the oak tannins take center stage overpowering lots of the subtle complexity. A small amount of bourbon and malt then appear in the transition. The beer finishes with the plum raisin quality. Definitely less balanced than the smell but enjoyable. This one is almost a 4.25 taste wise so I'm rounding down a bit.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation is comprised of fine bubbles that take the "thin side of thick bodied" stout and add an extra layer of creaminess that really enhances the overall experience.

Overall: A very solid version of Faystons. Other than the Maple Liquor Barrel version, this has been my favorite treatment to date by far. Very happy to have had the opportunity to try it.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 00:40:53 | More by koopa

claytong

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

08-21-2012 22:56:44 | More by claytong

billab914

Virginia

2.8/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

2012 vintage poured from a 750ml bottle. Pitch black in color with a big foamy head rising well above the top of the beer. Nice looking head and lacing to it.

The aroma has a bit of an acidic quality to it unfortunately. I get a little bit of a barrel flavor, but there is also a lot of alcohol coming along with it. There is some roasted malts and coffee to it, but the acidic, vinous like quality I get is just overshadowing them for me.

In the taste I get more of the acidic, almost wine like flavors coming out giving it a strong tannic, vinous quality. The roasted malts and a little bit of coffee are there as well. It's almost like a stout mixed with red wine. It's a little boozy and hot but also slightly sour and sharp. It's interesting, a little strange and while not awful, it's not that good either.

The mouthfeel is thin for the style with high carbonation. Not at all what I'd want for the style. Overall, it was a very strange beer. The tart, acidic, vinous qualities didn't work at all for me and clashed with the stout flavors. Perhaps something unintended is developing, I really don't know. I know it was a big disappointment of a beer though.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 19:55:16 | More by billab914

UCLABrewN84

California

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at Woodshop 7 held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, wood, and some slight maple aromas. Taste is much the same with a woody aftertaste on the finish. There is a medium amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that has a very woody presence in the aroma and taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 00:50:27 | More by UCLABrewN84

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

07-23-2012 17:45:55 | More by mothman

millerbuffoon

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

07-21-2012 03:15:30 | More by millerbuffoon