Serpent's Stout - The Lost Abbey

stakem

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes taken almost a year ago to the day: 10/20/10. On tap at Al's of Hampden, served in a snifter this was a beer gas blend of nitro/co2. The brew appears black in color with some lighter indications of brown and clarity around the edges. The head appears a finger strong of dark tan foam that slowly recedes. Spotty amounts of lace cling along the glass.

The initial aroma is dark and roasty smelling of plum with alcohol esters. The alcohol becomes increasingly evident with a slight mellow sting in the nose. Some yeasty indications blend with faint citrus hops to finish out the nose.

The taste is dark and roasted grain bringing on a flavor of chocolate and mild bitterness from the roast. A bit of focus on the alcohol that has a slight bite once warm. Fruity and yeasty throughout with a dark fruited sweetness caught between plums or prunes mixes well with the roasted quality of the grain.

This is a medium to full bodied brew that is smooth in the feel. A minor to moderate amount of carbonation. It is easy drinking with the 11% abv well integrated with a pleasant warmth and taste that is not completely hidden. The alcohol really comesnout with the dark fruited quality of this brew and even more so as it warms.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-14-2011 15:16:42 | More by stakem

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on I think nitro tap. This beer pours completely pitch black with a nice one inch mocha colored head. The aromas a rich malty and there are hints of chocolate. The flavor is slightly sweet and roasty the abv is barely noticeable as this was my first beer of the night and I cowshed the pint faster then anyone else finished their session ales. This beer has a smooth as silk mouthfeel full bodied and is very drinkable based on how fast I consumed it. I will definitely be picking up a dew of these to age and might consider trading for chinchillas to try a blends barrel aged version

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-09-2011 13:15:42 | More by rowingbrewer

Vdubb86

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter on nitro at The Barley House in Algonquin, IL

This beer pours a blackness with 2 fingers of thick tan foam. The main aromas are bourbon, chocolate, smoke, char and oak, none of them are particularly strong. The taste mostly consists of the chocolate and the bourbon, but this doesn't work in too bad of a manor with the consistency of the beer. It feels really nice on nitro but perhaps a bit muddled. This is a rather nice drinking beer and I would have no problem having some on hand all night, if it weren't for the fact that it wouldn't take long for me to get hammered.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-17-2010 08:07:06 | More by Vdubb86

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was very pleased to be able to try this at Al's of Hampden before it kicked!
Served chilled from the nitro tap in a tulip

A pitch black like an 8 ball shiny opaque appearnce w/ a trail of carbonation rising to a mocha head w/ very tight bead. The smell is sweet up front w/ roasted notes of cocoa and some caramel malt fragrance accenting. The slight bitter char is present in the aroma w/ a subtle coffee and plum essence complimented by a woody hop scent and mild alcohol aroma until it warms where it becomes more noticeable. I am not a big fan of the nitro as it seems to bring out the bitterness and make it seem higher in the feel w/ moderately dry roasted texture backing. The carbonation is moderately high w/ a mild alcohol essence and dry char on the finish.

The stout is a tasty blend of coffee notes w/ gentle charred edge and slight dried fruit accenting w/ mild cocoa and caramel blend. The flavor has complimentary woody hop flavor w/ a slight alcohol and pepper taste which gets earthy and mildly vegetal in a small degree. I enjoy the dry toasted flavor and slight malted chocolate ball that is left resonating. A beer designed to sip, not quaff as the 11%abv should warn, and I can't give it more than a 4 in the drinkability honestly, but it is a worthy stout w/ lots of flavor which equates to drinkable in every other sense except abv!

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-06-2010 16:41:31 | More by Slatetank

Agent1

Alberta (Canada)

4.54/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance - Incredible. The head and lacing are super thick and look like chocolate mousse. After having a very tasty, yet amazing bottle of Deliverance Ale and being thoroughly disappointed at how awful the appearance was, this makes up for it. I've let this sit in my La Trappe chalice for almost 10 minutes and the head DOES NOT go away. A solid finger's worth of head and it looks super, buttery/ creamy. Like whipped cream. Very, very impressive for a stout.

Smell - Dark dried fruits (plums, fig, cherry), vanilla, mild peat moss, wood with a faint aroma of smoke. Barely any alcohol is noticeable on the nose. A strange hop funk which I cannot seem to pin down. It's different. Rich spices, almost peppery.

Taste - Figs, prunes, dates, espresso coffee, plums, candied cherries, tobacco, pudding, roasted (slightly burnt malts), molasses and plenty of baker's chocolate (rich cocoa -- nice and bitter). Quite syrupy, but pleasant. Peppery and dry. A delicious bready yeast flavor that hides underneath of everything. A very dry finish unlike any stour I've had. It really lingers and mimics the taste of chewing on wood chips or rooibos. Tons of wood the more you focus on the aftertaste. Very bitter, but nice and not offensive. This helps to balance out the crazy sugars in this beer. Extremely faint anise/ licorice notes. It may not appear like it, but there seems to be a TON of dark candi sugar used in this recipe (possibly Belgian). The alcohol cuts in a way that I have never tasted before. It adds so much to this beer in a non-offensive way. A very intelligent use of alcohol. That may sound a bit strange....but it really adds a lot of character to all the surrounding flavors. It also is very subtle in the overall mix of complexity given how high it is (11% abv).

Mouthfeel - This is so heavy that it sticks to the roof of the mouth, however, it can be felt all throughout. Very rich and chewy. It coats the entire mouth and quite literally sticks. Like pudding. Impressive.

Overall - As far as stouts are concerned, it really doesn't get much better than this, if at all. I have never had this until now. Always wanted it, but could never find it. This beer does not shit the bed. I am increasingly becoming more and more of a fan of The Lost Abbey. Easily one of the best craft breweries out of the US. Rich, complex and hearty. The kind of beer Vikings would have lapped up before terrorizing a small village. Definitely pick this up if you run into it.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 04:12:11 | More by Agent1

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.86/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to 011x0110 for this beer. I have had this one at least four years, obtained sometime in or before 2009, from back in my trading days. I just finished my first triathlon so that seems like a special enough occasion.

Corked and caged 25.4oz bottle pours into my The Lost Abbey chalice. Not a great looking beer. Has the consistency and cola of any standard cola, with the thin wispy head to match.

Pleasing aroma. Lots and lots of dark fruits such as raisins, figs, prunes, a large dose of chocolate and chocolate malts, hints of coffee and tobacco. Smells more like a Russian than American double stout. Slight alcohol aromas add a second dose of sweet fruitiness.

Very solid flavors. Chocolate and alcohol right up front. Sweet with very little bitterness fruits are raisins and some lighter stuff like dried cranberries and strawberry. Coffee in the back adds a nice touch.

Rather thin on the body. Very warming alcohol; goes straight to my ears and warms them nicely. Sweet without being cloying.

A decent beer overall. I have never had a fresh version but this one was a treat to have. Needs more body for sure. I like the coffee and chocolate flavors but thin and dry. Thanks again for the beer 011x0110.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 17:20:27 | More by SaCkErZ9

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark black with a finger of frothy khaki-chocolate head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Chocolate and dark caramel malts, molasses, vanilla, black licorice, vanilla, coffee, and a bit of booze.

T - Dark caramel and chocolate malts, molasses, vanilla, black licorice, roasted coffee, vanilla, dark fruits, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and a touch thick with a roasted, sweet, and warming finish.

D - Great imperial stout. Good overall balance and mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 04:42:43 | More by ngeunit1

Lledd

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: One finger head, black, caramel color up to bright light. It looks thick when pouring.

S: Caramel, light brown sugar, toast, and something spicy, like a kiss of anise.

T: Boozy upfront and on the finish. I don't notice the anise like I did in the smell. The 11%abv is not hidden well but it doesn't take away from the beer. Caramel is there, and a very nice toffee flavor that I haven't noticed in many stouts. A hint of tobacco. Big malts. There is almost a sourness/heat that lingers.

M: Big. I want to chew this beer. It's heavy but not muddy. Very fine carbonation really cuts the thickness of the brew nicely. For such a thick beer it really leaves a wet mouth.

O: I'll buy this again. It's big in a lot of ways, and is certainly unique. Between the toffee flavor and sour backend, you're going to get something different here. It's a refreshing taste from the smooth, caramel, coffee stouts. If you're looking for a quality stout and something different, this is it.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 02:44:24 | More by Lledd

seand

California

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: Pours a murky opaque black with a small amount of tan head. A thin patchy film retains, and leaves some spots of lacing.

S: Sweet molasses, vanilla, and cocoa, with a touch of smoke.

T: Starts full and sweet, leading into a fairly bitter roasted note which balances it pretty nicely.The overall flavor is very full and complex.

M: Full body, light prickly carbonation.

Overall, an enjoyable very full flavored strong stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 06:04:19 | More by seand

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A thick brown head. Deep brown color, cant tell what the opacity is like due to how dark it is.

Charcoal, smoke, burnt ham, asphalt all on the nose.faint notes of dark fruits, figs, raisins and chocolate.

Definitely some decadent chocolate cake notes right off the bat. Carbonation is brisk for such a giant beer which helps break up the flavors a bit. Rich chocolate flavors. Some savory, smokey, almost bourbon like notes are replicated by this brew. Faintly tannic presence with a touch of alcohol heat that lingers on the lips but not as much as youd expect from an 11% brew. As the beer warms raisins and fig flavors come through but rich chocolate lingers on the palate. A pretty nice brew that begs for food and drinks much smoother than you'd expect.

Also getting some raspberry notes, a deep brew that seems simple on the surface.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 04:07:13 | More by jtierney89

Huffaroma

Montana

4.98/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Great beer by the way.

First time trying anything from the lost abbey and I was blown away.

Great appearance black and thick rich looking.

Aroma, there was something that I couldn't place my finger on in the beer, lots of roasted grains and malt, but something that I couldn't put my finger on.

Taste, great FULL bodied beer full of heavily roasted good grains, along with rich malt that made this a very filling beer, (which is what I like).

Mouthfeel, pretty good smooth and little cutting on the tongue.

Overall a great tasting beer in the stout realm. The most interesting thing was the pattern left with the last glass of beer. It embodied a snake which was very interesting, couldn't figure out if it was left over after barrel yeast and grains but it was tasty. Floated to the top of the glass and was a little syrupy but very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 03:40:10 | More by Huffaroma

ONUMello

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml vintage 2013 bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Pitch black with a monsterous billowing three-finger head that lingers on and on
S: Lots of rich roasted malt with just a hint of cocoa/coffee
T: Dark with tons of roasted malt, coffee, bitter hops, cocoa, and oak
M: Full-bodied, viscous, almost a bit too oily
O: Big. Very big. Tasty well-made overall

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 02:37:21 | More by ONUMello

tut2528

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a deep black, with a massive 3 fingers worth of thick and foamy dark brown head formation. The lacing is phenomenal and the head doesn’t seem to dissipate.

S: getting bold dark chocolate and coffee grounds, roasted malt and a slight smokiness. There is a nice sweetness in the form of vanilla that helps brings this one to a very nice balance.

T: identical to the nose. Some bitter dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and sweet vanilla.

M: this is the shining moment of this brew. It’s a solid full bodied brew, and the viscosity is nice a slick along the palate leaving a nice flavorful dose of chocolate, coffee, yet subtle sweet vanilla sweetness. Just a mild burn of alcohol is felt on the palate. But it’s inviting

O: ok, so I will admit that I am not the biggest fan of LA. But this is definitely an awesome brew, and definitely worth a try. It lacks the complexity that I seek out in this style, but it is very well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 00:03:05 | More by tut2528

brotherloco

California

4.16/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750ml C&C bottle. Vintage 2013. Served in a snifter.

Pours the darkest of opaque browns with about a finger of dark mocha foam. Settles to a creamy ring. A few strands of lacing.

Aroma of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, toasted brown bread, and vanilla. Moderate sweetness. Mild floral hops. A good dose of alcohol as well.

Flavor starts with a ton of roasted coffee. Sweetens up a little in the middle and finishes with long lingering roastines, pretty much burnt malt. Lots of bitterness from the roast. Alcohol is present, but blends with the other strong flavors.

Full bodied and well carbonated. Rich and creamy feel, but doesn't get too heavy.

This is a nice alternative to the sweeter and barrel aged stouts out there, and delivers straight forward bold roast stout flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 22:21:56 | More by brotherloco

cjoc83

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2013 vintage pours jet black into a Dutchesse chalice with a little under 2 fingers of deep brown head that quickly fades to a cap. Some sparse, soapy lace hangs to the glass here and there.

A lot of roasted malts in the nose accompanied by molasses, dark chocolate, espresso, sweet dark fruits (plum, currant), and some booze.

Starts out sweet with a mix of toast, roasted malt, sugar plum and currants before bringing out brown sugar, molasses, bittersweet chocolate, and coffee. Really great interplay of flavors here. The sweetness makes it to the middle of the mouth before the beer hooks a right turn and finishes with some earthy hop spice, slightly bitter coffee and chocolate, and some astringent alcohol, although not as much as expected with the 11% abv.

Fuller side of medium bodied, some alcohol warmth in the throat and chest that's noticeable but surprisingly mild.

These were going fast at my local beer shop, and I can see why. Big, complex flavors with excellent balance. Excellent brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:35:54 | More by cjoc83

Nugganooch

California

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2013 Vintage – 750ml cork&caged like a mofo
*notes from 02/23/13 - Fresh with my FW snifter glass

A: Pour is a semi-thick looking inky black body. Tops off with a thick mocha brown froth demonstrating plenty of hang time. Splashy lace clings to the glass with each draw. Truly an awesome looking stout.

S: The nose leads with notes of chocolate malt and toasted grains backed by a blend of dark fruity esters. A little vinous with some prune and raisin likeness to it. I get a bit of understated dark molasses, vanilla crème, and a perk of roast coffee beans as the temps start to warm up. Hints of booze but has some real nice chocolaty aromas overall.

T: A delicious balance of cocoa and roast coffee with a vibrant dark fruit tartness. Like that of red grape or black cherry. Taste offers much more coffee than the nose leads on. Slightly on the sweeter side with some dark brown sugars. I get the dark grains and a bit of toasted oats in there. Bitterness is restrained although the hops do complement nicely with some earth and spice in the mix. More of a coffee like bitterness to the beer. There is a suggestion of licorice and a hint of alcohol spice as well. Slight smoky char to the finish. A rather nice Impy Stout overall with great balance to all the various elements.

M: The mouth feel is on the thicker side viscosity wise with a fuller body to it overall. The somewhat higher carbonation and possible oat additions here bring a nice smoothness and uplifting froth to the texture however. There is a slight warming alcohol presence and a touch of bitter dryness on the finish. Nice sleek coating after feel as well.

D: Big, rich, and complex with some fine balance overall. Not cloyingly sweet or harsh with the booze, even at 11% . Very quaffable with a great combination of chocolate, coffee, and dark fruits. All the great flavors one comes to expect from the style.

What a real shelf turd.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 20:46:24 | More by Nugganooch

gr0g

New Jersey

4.48/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle.

Pitch black with a dark tan head of lively but tiny bubbles. Some really nice steaks of lacing form, and the residual foam sticks nicely to the sides of the snifter. The aroma is powerful and features a big cocoa note in the forefront followed by a mild fuel note and some citric/grassy hops. A nice vanilla undertone, too.

On the palate, rich dark chocolate that takes a turn toward astringency leading to a dry finish. Nicely balanced. Smokey, roasted malt and bittersweet chocolate dominate. Some dark currant. The vigorous carbonation from the bottle conditioning is not harsh but actually quite soft, although the beer is a little too thin. Despite an 11% ABV and the alcohol on the nose, there is little booziness on the palate. A sinfully good stout that's dry, chocolatey, and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 23:33:32 | More by gr0g

StroppyMare

California

4.7/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5

Poured into a nonic pint glass: inky black with a decent head. Some lacing, but it didn't stick around long.

Smell was boozy at first, but mellowed with warming. In fact, the entire experience of this beer improved with warming.

Taste was excellent to start: caramel, dark fruit predominate. My kinda taste, very sticky. Warming intensified the flavors and added some depth. Really couldn't taste the alcohol, probably to my happy detriment.

Mouthfeel plenty of carbonation, I thought, initially, but that mellowed, also, with warming.

Overall, an excellent example of the style. I'll buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 05:10:43 | More by StroppyMare

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a corked and caged bottle into a Duvel tulip

A- pours black with a paper thin brown head. Disappointing on the head, thats for sure

S- lots of chocolate coming through in the head...yummy

T- chocolate, some bitter coffee in the finish. Not bad at all

M- huge body, very thick and viscous

O- if there was more carbonation in this, it would be incredible. Alas, it's still pretty damn good

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 00:19:20 | More by bigfnjoe

AltBock

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Willard's Tap House for their 3rd Anniversary party on Feb 16 2013. Willard's said that this keg was from 2010. They served it to me in a Peg's Catina Snifter.

Willard's isn't the most well lit place around, but I found enough light to tell me that this beer poured a thick motor oil black. What light I could find bounced right back into the lightbulb. Sitting on top of this thick black brew was a creamy 1/2 an inch dark beige almost coffee colored head of foam. It had great retention that left behind a big string of foamy rings and a ton of sticky streaks of lace around the glass. Beautiful!

Despite it being from 2010, this beer smelled fresh. It smelled like it was brewed yesterday. It had a nice thick roasted aroma of dark roasted malt, quality dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, a wide range of fresh dark fruits like plum and black cherry, a drop of anise, a dab of brown sugar, and a whiff of black licorice. The aroma was as nice as the appearance.

The taste was just as thick and roasted as the appearance and smell. First off in the taste was the dark roasted malts. Following the malts was the dark chocolate and the quality dark roasted coffee beans. The coffee flavor lasts for a little bit before it gives way to the dark fruits. The dark fruits consisted of raisins, plums, and black cherry. After the fruits had their fun, the beer then finishes with a slight roasted hop bitterness.

The mouthfeel was thick and roasted like everything else. This flavorful aftertaste consisted of roasted malt and coffee, dark chocolate, and dark fruits. This aftertaste will linger on for a few minutes. 11% ABV? I didn't feel that. This is a sneaky little beer.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to have a glass of the 2010 Serpent's Stout on tap. I would go for another glass of this fine brew, but there are other things on tap that I would like to try.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2013 05:35:42 | More by AltBock

CommanderOfAwesome

California

4.24/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Had on tap at Beer Revolution.

A: Pours a very dark brown/black with a fantastic looking dark brown chocolate 2 finger head.

S: Tons on chocolate, chocolate malt, some grain in the middle, roasted coffee and Brown sugar.

M: Rich and full bodied. Slight alcohol warming and perfect amount of carbonation.

O: Excellent beer, my favorite from Lost Abbey. Highly drinkable for 11%

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2013 11:53:28 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

kevanb

Illinois

3.99/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750ml bottle, dated 1/6/2012, poured into a Lost Abbey Teku.

The beer pours an impressive sludgey jet black color barely a touch of brown when struck by the light. A nice soft billowy caramel colored head rises out of the beer, nearly 2 fingers hight that leaves about a quarter finger behind throughout the entire session with just a touch of lacing. The aroma is heavy on molasses, roasted coffee with bits of bitter dark chocolate and rich dark grain with a bit of raisin and dark stone fruit that leads to a big alcohol presence that is hot on the nostrils. The flavors are nice, rich decadent chocolate that isn’t too sweet or too bitter, layers of molasses, caramel and pitted fruit, sweet cherry predominantly. Roasted coffee peeks out behind the fruit while a strong malt sweetness that brings out the alcohol comes through at the finish, the alcohol is somewhat harsh on the tongue but doesn’t take over the other flavors too much. The body is very rich and viscous, thick but not syrupy with just enough lively carbonation to prop up the flavors well, the finish is silky and smooth with a mild warming sensation as it goes down.

Verdict: A big, bold, boozy Imperial Stout from The Lost Abbey, and one that is fairly rewarding. The flavors are mildly complex, nicely balanced but the alcohol is still very pesky and doesn’t really let this beer shine the way it could. Definitely one to check out if you like a big rich Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 02:34:10 | More by kevanb

KFBR392

Illinois

4.24/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Pitch black color. The carbonation was pleasant with a thin head on it. Was able to get a more aggressive head on the second pour out of the bomber. Lacing stuck well to the glass making this beer a very visually appealing experience.

Smell: The alcohol was strong here. It dominated the aroma but there was also some dark exotic fruits on the undertones. Dark chocolate with a nice burnt/charred aroma.

Taste: A nice smokey taste with this stout. A subtle darkness looms throughout this beer. The alcohol plays its role and is most noticeable at the end, along with a heavy blast of hops.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is very light compared to all the other characteristics in this beer. The hops stick around on the palette for a long time. A sweet nutty malt feeling with this beer going down.

Overall: Very good. This beer was bottled almost a year ago and had a very subtle taste compared to a bottle of this beer I've had before. I've always been happy with the Lost Abbey line, never blown away but very happy.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 03:26:08 | More by KFBR392

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I must say that I am rather impressed with this one. It's a very fluffy, full-flavored stout. All of the things we love about imperial stouts are there. The malts mesh perfectly. There is just enough hops to give it that dark chocolate/dark coffee bitterness. It's ridiculously drinkable for such a strong beer. After sharing one bottle with a friend, I can't say I can totally distinguish it from other great imperial stouts, but I wouldn't hesitate to grab one again and try.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 05:40:00 | More by TheRealBigC

sukwonee

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler filled at a local Total Wine (A total surprise! and it only cost me $5.99 for 32 oz).

A: Black.... black body with 2 finger mocha head. Lots of lacing. Beautiful looking stout.

S: Dark chocolate, roasted malt, some sweetness, hops (yes hops).

T: Dark chocolate, roasted malt, some char, brown sugar, hoppy bitterness towards the end, some nuttiness. This beer is awesome.

M: Syrupty, thick, and perfect amount of carbonation.

O: It's awesome. I think this beer is ready to drink now and it should improve over age (hoppiness will be toned down a bit). Best $5.99 I spent on beer ever and I have about 16 oz more to finish... (with no help from my preggo wife).

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 00:20:24 | More by sukwonee