Imperial Stout - Epic Brewing Co.

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Opaque black with a frothy light brown head. Looks like it will leave some nice lacing as well.

Aroma: Roasted dark malts with hints of dark chocolate and anise. Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from an Imperial Stout.

Taste: A lot of flavors up front but what sticks out to me the most is a smooth black liquorish. A lot of dark malts backing up that flavor along with some alcohol. Some moderate bitterness right away but that goes away by the middle. Interestingly there is no roasted malt bitterness except for a slight black coffee echo in the aftertaste. This is actually a nice change of pace since usually this style gets quite palate biting in the finish. Heat from the 9.1% ABV in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Full and thick in body, almost chewy. Smooth effervescence and decent drinkability for how big a beer it feels like.

Final Thoughts: A real nice example of the style. It's lack of bitter roasted flavor may be a surprise to some but it makes for a nice drinking experience. Would I drink it again? If they make a barrel aged version.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 02:28:20 | More by JamesMN

Moose90

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

22oz Bomber
"RELEASE #10 – 11.1%ALC./VOL"

A – Pours a nice dark mahogany brown, quite thick as well. Head is thin, but light brown in color, leaves standard lacing throughout.

S – Bitter chocolates, malted milk, light roasted coffee. Strongly bitter, sweetness is undetected, though this is not a charred mess.

T – Deep, complex, and rich. Strong dark chocolate here, more bitter coffee, almost espresso. Sweetness is only detected on the palate, as it provides a nice coating and leads you to come back for more. Quite warming.

M – Thick, appropriately for the style. The alcohol is noticeable here, but only in the way that it warms you up on the way down. Wonderful.

O – Grabbed this on a whim, at what I would regard as a fair price. This is a great quality imperial. I haven't had any other released, but this one is stellar.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 03:17:59 | More by Moose90

Laklimell

Washington

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-14-2013 06:52:50 | More by Laklimell

mtstatebeer

West Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle, release #4. Pours a opaque black color with a frothy brown head. Aroma is caramel and roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, soy, a bit of herbal hops, and a hint of alcohol. Flavor is caramel and roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, a touch of vanilla, molasses, tobacco, and a hint of herbal hops. Mouthfeel is full bodied, syrupy, warming and slightly bitter. Good beer, nice complexity.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 02:25:01 | More by mtstatebeer

bmoney

Ohio

4/5  rDev +3.4%

04-28-2013 01:20:41 | More by bmoney

havoc1

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

04-26-2013 04:25:16 | More by havoc1

srandycarter

California

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - Very dark, almost black, low tan head, some cling lace.

S - Cocoa, sweet malt and coffee. Choc chip cookies come to mind too.

T - Taste emulates smell, just not as sweet.

M - Medium to heavy body, good carb, fair balance.

D - Big beer, but hides it well. Nice offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 03:20:15 | More by srandycarter

Devinph

California

4/5  rDev +3.4%

04-05-2013 05:25:56 | More by Devinph

EyePeeAyBryan

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

04-03-2013 23:05:14 | More by EyePeeAyBryan

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

03-30-2013 17:04:44 | More by RedneckBeerz

brbrocc

New York

4/5  rDev +3.4%

03-20-2013 04:42:36 | More by brbrocc

ESeab

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.4%

03-15-2013 12:12:18 | More by ESeab

PStriedl

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

03-09-2013 22:22:11 | More by PStriedl

Rayek

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

03-05-2013 23:21:53 | More by Rayek

BGsWo22

New York

3.25/5  rDev -16%

03-05-2013 22:26:56 | More by BGsWo22

muskiesman

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

02-26-2013 05:05:44 | More by muskiesman

kagent777

Utah

4.29/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I am pretty sure I picked this bottle up from the brewery on small business saturday, thanks American Express! This is from batch 10, clocks in at 11.1%, and was bottled on Nov 20, 2012. Three months old. Poured into my CCB snifter.

Appearance: Pours out nice and viscous, extremely black, with a nice deep tan head that rose to one finger before settling to a foam. Lacing all over the glass.

Smell: I get a sense of coffee and roast, with a bit of char. A touch of cocoa as well. Little sweetness, much stronger bitterness, maybe a bit of the Chinook.

Taste: This is what I look for in an RIS. Deep flavors, coffee and cocoa, with a very strong roasted backbone. Any residual sweetness is quickly covered up by bitter roast and some hops. A bit of fruit but that, too, is muted. Even at this young age, the alcohol is pretty well masked.

Mouthfeel: Thick, without being a wet blanket. Carbonation is spot on. Huge flavors easily cover taste buds.

Overall: I am glad this one is available here. Maybe a bit expensive at 8 a bomber, only Old Raspy beats it in value to cost ratio of the RISs that I have had. I would be curious to try a two and half year old bottle of this. I may sound like a homer, but this one is quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 04:26:13 | More by kagent777

MarkyMOD

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

02-15-2013 02:35:13 | More by MarkyMOD

InfernoBoss

California

4/5  rDev +3.4%

02-10-2013 07:31:17 | More by InfernoBoss

jsteele

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

02-10-2013 00:07:36 | More by jsteele

Falcone

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.4%

02-03-2013 05:28:40 | More by Falcone

Joshpu

California

4.01/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a duvel glass.

A: Poured a black used motor oil with a half finger of brown head. Thin lacing.

S: Very roasty smelling. Roasted malts, chocolate, coffee. Definitely get the alcohol smell as it warms.

T: The taste is like the smell, except maybe more of a darker fruit presence and black licorice. I get a little bit of the alcohol on the end as it warms. Actually more bitter than one might expect.

M: Full bodied. It feels like its got quite a bit of carbonation to it.

Overall it's a good beer. Nothing that really knocks my socks off, or is crazy out of the box, but is still a good imperial stout. Definitely recommend atleast trying.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 07:22:39 | More by Joshpu

Paul68

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

01-17-2013 00:50:40 | More by Paul68

discdueler

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

01-09-2013 00:55:58 | More by discdueler

oldedog

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.4%

01-06-2013 02:33:41 | More by oldedog