Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout - Cigar City Brewing

BrownNut

Florida

4.46/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage, drunk Jan 2012. Bottle to tulip, served starting at 55 degrees F.

When they released this in Sep 2012 they recommended letting it age for several months to fully come together. As of Jan 1 2013, that's about right.

A - 4.75 - Opaque black with a thick, enduring mocha-colored head. Serious lacing.

S - 4.0 - Somewhat reserved. Chocolate. Hint of coffee. Hint of wood. For a flash I got something boozy, for a couple of flashes I got something vinous.

T - 4.5 - The months of aging have taken some of the bitter edge off. It was difficult to get through a 750 of this when I had it fresh - not in a bad way, just in a big, bold, challenging way that made you take it slow. Now it has mellowed. I'm still left with a bitter chocolate aftertaste, but not a strong one. And in the main body, it's not so full of char as it once was. It's more balanced, with the dark chocolate, baker's chocolate, powdery cocoa, and chocolate syrup notes coming forward, although not to an overly-sweet degree. There is a touch of something vinous. The taste and mouthfeel still make you go slower than you would with another beer, which I love.

M - 5.0 - Superb. Thick, heavy body approaching pudding feel. Creamy, velvety, viscous from lips to throat.

O - 4.5 - A fine, fine imperial stout. This is a serious beer. It will be interesting to see what 1, 2, 3 years will do to this.

Here's my original review from Sep '12. The official scores for this review reflect the newest tasting.

2012 vintage, drunk late Sep2012. Bottle to tulip, served cool.

A - 4.5 - Pours like motor oil, thick, viscous, and black, with one of the darkest heads I've seen. Like dense chocolate milk color. Gets a bit lighter as it sits. A thick and enduring head that you can put an enduring dent in.

S - 4.5 - A comforting graham cracker malty aroma intersecting with a delicate roasty char. A few times, just for a flash, I got a whiff of hops.

T - 4.5 - Perfect balance. There is a maturity to this combination of flavors. Yes, there's chocolate, but it doesn't go too far in any one chocolate direction such as chocolate syrup or brownies or cocoa or semisweet or milk chocolate or baking chocolate like many do, but rather occupies the nexus of them all while tastefully restraining all of the chocolate and sweetness against the other elements such as some char, woodiness, and coffee. None step forward to be dominant. As it gets closer to room temp, the char becomes easier to parse out.

That same refined, mature, chocolatey, charry, dry quality persists in the exhale after swallowing.

There's some kind of fruit flavor left on the lips afterwards, like maybe cherry, which wasn't apparent in the main tasting. Think of a dark chocolate covered cherry and pull back on the candy cherry intensity and sweetness and that's what you get on the lips.

For just a second sometimes as I exhale and in the aftertaste, the winey combination of fruit and chocolate veers briefly into hop territory and then disappears. It overlaps so nicely with those other flavors. The aftertaste is the best kind of tease, in that it threatens to cross the threshold into real bitterness but holds just shy. Threatens to be too chocolatey but holds just shy. Threatens to be too much char and holds just shy. It's so well balanced, and according to the brewery isn't even supposed to come together all the way until a few months after bottling. I'm drinking a few weeks after bottlin and it's fantastic.

The alcohol peeks out just on the edge of recognition as you first exhale, but in a nice way, adding its own flavor element.

I'd give it 4.75 in taste if I could. I suppose its somewhat maturely subdued and restrained balance could be exceeded by something really bold and adventurous that manages to not fly too close to the sun. So I have to leave some room.

M - 5 - Medium-heavy bodied, viscous, and ultra smooth. I think only Blaecorn Unidragon has pulled in more pudding-like than this. Either a moderate dryness or the very beginning of hop abrasion does its mild work on the tongue. Leaves a nice warm burn at the back of the throat for a little while. I'd give it a 4.75 in mouthfeel if I could, only because HotD Fred was so sexy in mouthfeel that it should stand alone at 5.

O - 4.5 - I'm wary of hype on these limited release beers everyone scrambles for, but here's one that delivers. This is my first foray into the big leagues of limited release stouts and I can say this is the best stout I've had, vying for best beer I've had. Everything comes together so nicely. It's a delight. Many others I've had and liked seem somewhat clumsy and coarse by comparison now. This is grown up stout, yet still so rich. I tend to fly through beers more quickly than I'd like, but this one insists on being savored.

I'd give this a 4.75 overall if I could, simply to leave room for all the great stuff I've heard about but haven't tried yet.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 03:16:05 | More by BrownNut

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml into a snifter.

A - THICK. Lots of beers get described as motor oil, this is the first one I've ever seen that actually truly looks like used motor oil. Completely and utterly black, opaque. This is what a stout should look like.

S - chocolate, molasses, vanilla, roasty malt

T - really complex. There's a lot of dark chocolate, again the molasses flavor peeks through, vanilla, bitter chocolate. Complex to the point of being hard to describe. No bitterness anywhere. Finish is smooth and sweet.

M - say it again, THICK! Thickest beer I've ever had. Near zero carbonation. Rich. I wish every stout were this thick!

O - Look and feel nailed it. Smell and taste were also very good. Super complex, kick you in the face stout. Definitely one to share, as this one almost wears you out by the end. Very much looking for this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 15:05:17 | More by Beerandboards

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage poured into Founder's Bolt Cutter glass

Pour: This is without a doubt the thickest beer I have ever personally poured or poured for me. I mean this has to be the closest thing to motor oil that I have ever put in my mouth! It is beyond black and of course no light will be allowed to penetrate this beast. There was a 1 to 2 finger dark, dark brown head and as I poured this my son even made a face and asked "why is it so dark?" I have to agree with him that every aspect of appearance on this screams DARK!! Lacing is really not evident.

Smell: Loads of roasted malts up front with a touch of smoke. There is chocolate, some coffee and some dark spices of some sort that I can't pick out.

Taste: Like in the smell there is a ton of roasted malt notes leading into some mild bitter coffee and a wonderful full chocolate taste. I am also picking up a wonderful vanilla coated coffee beans like taste. The complexity but balance on this beer is unreal! A bit of hop bitterness takes hold mid palate and a bitter burnt coffee in the aftertaste. Absolutely wonderful!!

Mouthfeel: Well what is a motor oil like beer supposed to feel like? Obviously this is super thick and chewy to the point of being a satisfying meal. It covers every corner of my palate with it's syrup like consistency and does not let go! I love it! The alcohol is barely noticeable.

Overall: I love the balance of this. It is such a huge roast bomb but somehow everything is held together without any one aspect overpowering. This with the appearance and mouthfeel of this beer makes this without a doubt an A+ beer!!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 02:01:35 | More by sleuthdog

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks go out to Matt for the bottle!

It pours black with a 2 finger head of tan foam.

The smell is all sorts of complex; coffee, milk chocolate, toffee, sweet malt, molasses. Wow.

The taste follows suit. All the smells are there with the bottom line of this being a very malty/sweet RIS with just enough bitterness to keep it from getting cloying. Super good tasting and the alcohol is hidden pretty well.

The smoothest of mouthfeels with a better drinkability rating than it has a right to, this is simply marvelous.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 20:14:45 | More by Bitterbill

kojevergas

California

4.35/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

~750ml brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Guinness goblet in me gaff in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are through the roof.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a fucking gourgeous fucking head of perfect ideal cream, fantastic ideal thickness, and fantastic retentuion. Just about one of the best heads I've ever seen. Body colour is a solid nontransparent opaque jet black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. The retention is just plain amazing for the ABV. Mocha cream head. Incredible.

Sm: Chocolate, coffee, dark malts, cream, roast, and marshmallow. Fantastic. An above average strength aroma.

T: Cream, chocolate, marshmallow, fantastic dark malts, subtle roast, caramel, and some milky notes. Balance is damn near impeccable. That's pretty fucking good. Incredibly well built. It don't get much better than this. Masterfully constructed. Incredibly well layered.

Mf: Amazingly soft and creamy. Smooth and wet. Delightful. Perfect carbonation. Perfect thickness.

Dr: Obscenely drinkable for the high ABV, which is very well hidden. This is amazingly good. I'd definitely seek this out again. A home run from Cigar City. Surpasses my expectations. Damned incredible.

A

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 03:53:25 | More by kojevergas

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.88/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle 11,0% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
2010 Vintage

Thanks to my buddy futura123 for this one.

Appearance: From pictures I had seen, Marshal Zhukov was almost guaranteed to get a 5 on appearance, however the almost inaudible hiss upon cracking the cap might put this in jeopardy. The pour lives up to my expectation - thick, viscous and black as Satan's heart. Needless to say the beer appears pitch black in the glass, with a back light not even managing to reveal a micron of red along the edge. Sadly my initial concern regarding the carbonation appear justified, as even the most vigorous of pours only manages to generate a very thin layer of foam. The foam that does generate is a beautiful dark mocha colour - I can just imagine how good this would look with a full head! A swirl coats the glass in a thick brown residue, that fades into heavy alcohol legs (this is going to be a bitch to clean).

Smell: Holy balls, now this is what I call a nose - you can smell this from a mile away and boy does it smell good! Massive dark chocolate aromas combine with dark roasted coffee, roasted malt, dark caramel and molasses to form the bulk of the nose. In addition closer inspection of the nose yields notes of: Caramelized/burned brown sugar, sweet dark toffee, a little sweet milk chocolate, burned raisins, dates, a hint of dates, some char, a hint of smoke and a little liquorice. As the beer hits room temperature, the nose becomes a lot sweeter, with dark chocolate fudge and a hint of vanilla becoming apparent.

Taste: As the nose promised, the flavour is massive in every way - each sip bombards your taste buds with masses of dark chocolate, sweet dark caramel, molasses and a massive blast of roasted malt towards the finish. Other flavour notes include: caramelized (almost burned) brown sugar, coffee, sweet dark fruits (raisins, dates and maybe a hint of cherry), milk chocolate, a touch of vanilla, some char, a touch of liquorice and a distinct woody note (strange since this has not been aged in any barrels).
The finish is still quite bitter (the 80 IBUs don't seem to have faded after 2 years in the bottle) and lightly dry. There is absolutely no trace of the 11% Abv, which makes this dangerously drinkable.

Mouthfeel: Perfect! As with the rest of the beer, the body is absolutely massive - viscous, chewy and sticky. The carbonation is of a very low level (just perfect for my tastes) and wonderfully smooth.

Overall: Marshal Zhukov is one hell of a beer and is easily one of the best un-barrel-aged imperial stouts I have had! I would highly recommend this for anyone who loves massive imperial stouts. I will certainly be trading for a whole lot more of this!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 08:42:42 | More by Thehuntmaster

LifeTree

Florida

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml poured into a CCB snifter

A - Thick and dark as poured into glass. Delicious looking brown foam and thick head. This is a sexy looking beer!

S - Alcohol and roasted notes. The strong alcohol aroma is the only knock on this beer. But hey... its 11% abv its got some alcohol in it

T - Bitter and roasted coffee tones. Not the most complex beer I have had but this is a straight forward imperial stout. Very robust compared to many other imperial stouts I have had.

M - Starts off as medium body and finishes very full body

O - This one is up there with some of the best imperial stouts I have had. The only ones that dare to compare are Bells Expedition, North Coast Old Rasputin, and Stone Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 00:22:43 | More by LifeTree

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.65/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2012 bottling acquired via trade with Mposha. I love how the bottle label looks like a cigar band. Poured into a Founders snifter. The appearance of this beer is almost shocking. It is viscous and absolutely pitch black with a really dark brown head. The head is about a finger thick, but dissipates pretty quickly (not surprising at this ABV) and leaves a slight trace of sticky, almost crusty-looking lace behind. The nose has lots of sweet malt, roasted coffee, chocolate, a hint of vanilla, marshmallows, and dark fruit. Heavenly.

Very full body and a thick, creamy, almost gooey feel. This substantial mouthfeel seems appropriate given the complex myriad of flavors that explode across the palate. Big sweet bready malt, bitter espresso beans, dark bakers chocolate, molasses, tangy dark fruit, German lebkuchen, and earthy licorice are just a few of the many flavors I seem to pick up. Just when you think things are calming down, the finish hits you with a nice warming booziness that leaves a long, lingering taste like the burnt crust of a rum-soaked chocolate cake in your mouth.

This may or may not be the best-tasting RIS I have had. In a head-to-head, I still think I'd prefer Founders (Marshal Z is a little sweet and Founders has just the right amount of bitterness to suit my palate). Marshal Z however, is easily the most complex RIS I have had. I am really glad I have 2 more bottles as it will take at least another 1 or 2 sittings with this beer to even begin to expore all of its tantalizing pleasures. Thanks to Cigar City for brewing it, thanks to the folks in Florida for supporting this brewery, and thanks to Mposha for trading it.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 01:39:03 | More by deadonhisfeet

sweemzander

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into a snifter. Thanks again to Matt for sharing!

(A)- Pours pitch black, with one of the darkest brown colors in a head I have ever seen.

(S)- Aroma-wise, fairly straightforward for the style with some rich bits of raisin and molasses and a good underlying roasted profile.

(T)- A touch different from the smell in that, it has the classic roastedness and rich bits, but it almost tastes like it has an underlying honey-like sweetness throughout the flavor profile of the beer; interesting.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. Perhaps a touch sweeter than I was expecting, but it blends well and counterbalances what might have been quite a strong roasted profile. It definitely cut out some of the residual bitterness too.

(O)- Not sure how old this particular bottle was, but I did enjoy the slightly different nuances this beer put out. Not overly complex for the style, but it fits the style well.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 17:02:53 | More by sweemzander

eatabagofbooger

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2010 MZ. Been saving this one for a while and I'm excited to crack it open.

A: I don't usually rate very high for appearance, but this is just beautiful. Thick, jet black, and a huge, astounding dark mocha colored creamy head.

S: Sweet, roasty, chocolaty, and a hint of soy sauce.

T: Coffee, chocolate, coffee, soy sauce, and a very faint metallic tang that make this the lowest score. I'm debating edwhether my score is too harsh, as it is still delicious, and my palate has been spoiled over the last week with some truly awesome impy stouts. (

M: Holy hell, this is where this beer shines. The thickest beer I've ever had with the possible exception of bcbs, but more of a creamy tckness than a sludgy, syrupy thickness. Smooth, creamy, and oh so good.

O: okay, so I went back and upped the score for taste. It definitely got better as it warmed. Really glad I got to try this one. I think it says a lot that this beer fared so well in a week that included '08 bcbs and '07-'12 Abyss.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 23:35:23 | More by eatabagofbooger

davey101

Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

8/30/2012 vintage. 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass. Thanks Matt!

A - Pours a thick black body. I guess I have to go cliche and call it "motor oil" here. Although personally after performing numerous oil changes I've never seen used oil look this appealing. The head that forms initially is massive. Something I've never seen before in a beer is layers in the head. Three fingers of dark mocha foam with an apparent one finger layer of light mocha head capping it off. After settling down I'm left with some edging and an abundance of sticky lacing. Swirling creates a trace of alcoholic legs and thick clinging suds. Literally stains the side of the glass with a dark yellow/brown color for a bit. Perfect.

S - Lots of roasted malts that almost come off as ashy and chalky. Herbal anise leads into dark chocolate, coffee, sweet barbecue sauce (yes, BBQ sauce), vanilla and spices. Smooth and robust with some warming booze.

T - Roasted malts, bitter coffee beans, smooth dark chocolate, and sweet vanilla. Just an unreal balance of sweet, roast, and savory. Aftertaste if of burnt coffee, which is surprisingly enjoyable. Some warming alcohol on the end.

M - Thick, syrupy, and coating. A light prickly carbonation prevents it from being too much. Alcohol is hardly noticeable.

O - This beer has such presence. Its a huge roasty monstrosity of a stout, yet its never cloying or too alcoholic. It also has one of the best appearances and mouth feels I've experienced in a stout. Puts most barrel aged stouts to shame, this is the real deal!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 03:53:00 | More by davey101

merc7186

New York

4.23/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into snifter.

A: Dark Opqaue Hue, Passes No Light, Brown Head, Some Lacing

S: Dark Mildly Smokey Malts, Bourbon

T: Bourbon, Espresso, Chocolate, Mildly Roasted Malts

M: Decent Carbonation, Full Bodied, Mildly Smokey, Mild boozy

Overall, a really solid but full bodied bourbon RIS, a must if you like the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 22:01:50 | More by merc7186

yamar68

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to robinsmv for this one!

Pours like motor oil... except maybe darker, and thicker. So sexy looking - dark coffee brown head fades to a thin, well retaining film that smears lacing across a layer of oily alcohol legs.

Oh my... bittersweet. Chocolate cookies, fudge... it even SMELLS thick. Damn. Some brown sugar or cinnamon, french toast, molasses... nose-gasm.

Bittersweet chocolates of all kinds, abstract roasted malt qualities, incredibly thick and exceedingly smooth, alcohol character goes virtually undetected... I wonder how many calories are in this bottle. My guess would be a lot, and it's worth every fuckin' sip.

Damn good.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 02:29:25 | More by yamar68

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.05/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle poured into my snifter. Huge thanks to RyanSchwam for this monster. My first CCB ever!

A - pours jet, jet black. One of the blackest beers I've ever seen. Lots of head, almost a waterfall effect like Guinness. The foam is the darkest brown. Great looking beer.

S - lots of malt, some hints of anise and coffee, maybe some chocolate on the bass note. The alcohol is detectable, but not overbearing.

T - I've been into Ten Fidy lately, so I'm implicitly comparing all RISs to that right now. MZ is pretty good, but the malt overwhelms, which is a trap to which many RISs succumb. Objectively, it's delicious.

M - goes down like a dream. The alcohol makes it somewhat syrupy, but nothing significant to complain about.

O - I asked Ryan for two bottles of this one because I was going to age the one that I didn't drink, but I'm not sure there are any flavors that need substantial toning down. Good beer, I'll certainly get it again if I'm ever in Florida.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 01:50:41 | More by JamesShoemaker

cfrances33

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by @scud, poured into a snifter.

Pour: Completely oil black body, with a very sizable two finger deep khaki head. Leaves no lacing, but the glass is slick with a brown sludge through the glass.

Smell: Bitter dark chocolate, with a hefty smokey/roastiness. A large amount of coffee comes through. as it warms, vanilla and caramel come out.

Taste: Deep bitter coffee and chocolate. Very rich. Some toffee and caramel come out as it warms. Closes with some vanilla milk chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Very heavy, and very rich. A definite sipper.

Overall: Evolves amazingly through the glass. Really great stuff. Thanks Dan for sharing.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:02:54 | More by cfrances33

Powderhornphil

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow. Pour this beer and it is black as can be with a Khaki head that just lasts forever.

At first this smells mostly of bakers chocolate. Espresso and coffee notes as it warms. Way underneath dark fruits.

Taste of espresso chocolate and roast. Some earthy hops come through as well. Very enjoyable. Not much alcohol but would love to try this with a year on it.

Mouthfeel is full. Incredibly thick beer. So smooth.

A top notch stout for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 03:45:10 | More by Powderhornphil

stouts4me

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 bottle poured into my 3F snifter.

A: Holy mudslick ! Blackest Black you can imagine, thick and very chewy. Looks like a chocolate mousse on top of a pour of motor oil - absolutely THE BEST if you love BIG stouts !

S: a bit of cherry,fruity, plum, with the barley toasted aroma, really very nice and welcoming.

T: Well, if you have read to here , you KNOW what is coming here - GEE-BUS !!! Unreal, deliciousness, just mouth-coating, smooth, not-to-sweet, awesome and so beguiling. You can't stop comi8ng back for more tastes. Smell the awesomeness, swish it and chew it and let it slowly drip down your throat.

M: thick, smooth, delightlyfully chewy , and just friggin' mouth-coating greatness !

O: EPIC. TOTALLY, will definetly seek out additional bottles.

Thank You Cigar City, signed, Fan For Life - stouts4me.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 01:41:53 | More by stouts4me

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, bottled August 31, 2012, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Absolutely gorgeous. Pours pitch black, thick and viscous looking. As it fills the glass it slowly produces a two-finger, dark chocolate brown, thick and creamy head, which has nice retention and spotty lacing.

S- Loads of chocolate and roasted grain, some char, fruit and vanilla.

T- A big rush of malty sweetness, chocolate, cocoa powder and molasses, after a bit some roasty flavors become more dominant, with roasted grain and a huge amount of coffee. Some notes of fruit and vanilla are playing in the background. Slight alcohol warmth towards the finish, but it's very well hidden in general.

M- Full-bodied, low carbonation, has a creamy, velvety and slightly slick feel with some lingering chewiness.

O- This is a damn impressive beer, one of the tastiest stouts I've had in the last few months. Everything you could want in a stout is here in a big way and it all works very well together. If you were fighting your way room-by-room through the burning ruins of the Reichstag this is the kind of beer you would want to be drinking.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 04:29:36 | More by WillCarrera

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up on a trip to Orlando in Sept. 2010.

Poured from a 750ml. bottle and shared with my wife.

Appearance: Blacker than black body but no head at all. Kind of plops into the glass. Very viscous as it leaves a film on the glass as it's tilted.

Smell: Dark chocolate, bit sweet, robust coffee. Not as strong as i would have expected but still pleasant.

Taste: Hazelnut, layer of roasted coffee, long finish. Flavor is gradual, builds up in the middle. Molasses cookies, lingering coffee flavor. Not as complex as ABV would indicate.

Mouthfeel: Real thick yet retains a slick smooth feel. A bit syrupy.

Overall: Real good but still haven't found one that tops DL.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 16:07:57 | More by papat444

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Gotta give the Marshal another try. Last bottle was 100% flat. 2011-2012 winter version.

A- Pitch black doom into a pint glass with an extremely dark head. Cap is silky like whipped cream and retains very well. Big patches of lace all down the glass.

S- Chocolate drizzled raisins lead the way for me. Also big molasses and roast malts. Seems fairly straightforward.

T- Massive flavor of chocolate and cherries like a really sticky, fudge browny. Big notes of molasses syrup, coffee beans, caramel, and roast cracked grains. Seriously like a dessert in liquid form. Lots of sweetness.

MF- One of the thickest and biggest beers I have ever imbibed. Lower end carbonation does great justice compared to a horrifying flat version. Some alcohol heat and bitterness.

This beer is a BEAST, very thick and like a sweet dessert. Just a bit too sweet for me but I cant hate too hard. Brownies in the liquid phase.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 02:40:53 | More by cbutova

Toadvine

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours black and thick with a half inch of dark and dense head.

S: Chocolate and coffee aromas were present but subtle.

T: A little sweet up front with a nice dry and slightly bitter finish to round it out.

M: Big chewy body.

I liked this beer a lot. I wanted something big that would help me sink into the couch after a long day, and this guy did not disappoint. As massive and complex as an Imperial Stout should be, while maintaining the balance necessary to be dangerously drinkable.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 19:25:41 | More by Toadvine

Etan

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml generously shared by Marco. Thanks!

A: Pours black and inky with a creamy dark tan head.

S: Heavy blackened barley, dark chocolate, burnt coffee beans.

T: Coffee, milk chocolate, some booze, thick roasted grain, plenty of bitterness.

M: Thick and creamy.

O: Very good imperial stout, especially in the mouthfeel area.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 06:56:11 | More by Etan

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled this at the DC bottle share at the Smoke and Barrel on October 14, 2012.

Appearance is exactly what you expect in a big stout, dark with a little creamy head.

Smell not that intense, but very pleasant, a little smoke and a tiny tart fruit

Taste is similar to smell; no surprises. The alcohol is hidden well in this beer. Mouthfeel just so smooth.

The whole beer is just what I would call smooth deliciousness.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 19:38:20 | More by mendvicdog

smakawhat

Maryland

4.73/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass at Smoke & Barrel in DC for the bottle share. Personal review #1500, woah it's been that many already? Off we go, much thanks to InfinityonTrial for bringing it.

It is a bit dark downstairs to truly see but the most impressive thing is a super dark mocha chocolate head that is created. Settles slowly with a whispy top, some speckled like lacing gets stuck in some of the legs, on a classic opaque walnut black body.

Nose hits with what seems like very solid roast coffee, with a mild chocolate sense. Good solid roast body, light bitterness and not burning my nostrils. Pretty solid, not earth shattering, but feels and sense quite decent.

On first sip I feel in love instantly. Wonderful dark rich bitter chocolate, with a creamy ganache like sense in the palate. Roasting warming coffee on the aftertaste. A real fascinating play on the bitter as well, there's this wonderful lime juice on the tongue of hop astringency while finishing. All miraculously melds together even after multiple sips, a warming roast quality of piping coffee, but no boozy character either.

Great beer, truly memorable.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 22:48:53 | More by smakawhat

macrosmatic

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes. Had on-tap at CCB tasting room. Poured into a snifter.

A: Extremely dark brown, opaque, with a one finger medium brown head that quickly fades to foam. No visible carbonation, although there may be some hidden in here somewhere.

S: Dark cacao sweetness, roasted malts, deep dark spicy hints in the background.

T: Dark chocolate and a bit of coffee malts, tobacco & leather. There's sweetness here but finishes with an almost tannin dryness.

M: Smooth mouthfeel, nice heavy body. There is a noticeable alcohol presence but well-hidden given the ABV.

O: Very nice base stout. Solid and well put together. Doesn't compare to the various and sundry treatments that are intermittently available, but very good.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2012 16:49:53 | More by macrosmatic