The Czar - Avery Brewing Company

DonDirkA

Arizona

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled in 2009. Poured into Stone IRS glass.

Nose is dark chocolate, heavy roasted coffee notes, anise, kind of sweet, kind of smells like cream and there's definitely still some booze in there. I feel like there's something else buried in there too but I can't quite identify it. Maybe some toffee? The taste is great. There's notes of anise, chocolate and coffee all at once but they push each other back and forth and weave in and out. I wanna say chocolate into coffee then it dives into anise and kicks back to the coffee (almost a mocha flavor) before it fades into anise and a bit of alcohol heat. The after taste is mostly roasted malts and coffee. The mouthfeel is substantial but not overwhelming. The heat sticks around in the pit of the stomach, it would definitely be nice on a cold night. I don't remember what I thought of this when I tried it years ago but right now its pretty fantastic. Thanks Whole Foods for doing my aging for me ;-)

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 00:09:19 | More by DonDirkA

nick_asian

Nevada

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-19-2013 06:47:38 | More by nick_asian

arlingtonjoe

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

2010 vintage - opened 5-13-2013

a: pours black with a 2 finger dark tan head. nice burgundy color when held to the light

s: raisins, plum, breadiness, licorice, hint of vanilla and earth

t: roasted malt, char, bakers chocolate, molasses, licorice, and still has some hallertau hop present in the dry finish.

m: light carbonation with medium body and resinous finish.

o: liked it from first time I tried it in 2010 and glad I cellared some. licorice has developed nicely and was one of the reasons I first purchased it. gonna have to break in to a fresh one soon to compare.

cheers

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 04:04:13 | More by arlingtonjoe

carlosega

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-17-2013 19:30:01 | More by carlosega

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

05-17-2013 03:11:41 | More by ElizabethEleanor

mtbdonn

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-16-2013 21:16:59 | More by mtbdonn

Zbeetleman

California

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-15-2013 05:28:32 | More by Zbeetleman

Beer21

Florida

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-13-2013 23:23:17 | More by Beer21

MinorThreat

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-11-2013 21:24:44 | More by MinorThreat

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-10-2013 14:44:47 | More by twenty5

ncstateplaya

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

05-10-2013 14:02:59 | More by ncstateplaya

bootdown21

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-10-2013 13:51:37 | More by bootdown21

bigorange

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-10-2013 01:33:27 | More by bigorange

blknikon

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-08-2013 19:43:13 | More by blknikon

Jordantb313

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-05-2013 02:45:10 | More by Jordantb313

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4.3/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served on tap at Bier Station into a 6 oz tulip style glass.

Appearance - Pours with a healthy tan, toasted marshmallow head sitting atop a body of dark walnut to black. Holding up to light yields pretty much zero translucence. Solid lacing as the ample one-finger head clings to the side of the glass as I drink it down.

Smell - Roasted malt and dark, dried fruits are the dominant aroma. Doesn't quite kick me in the nose like I would expect of an 11% Russian imperial.

Taste - Definitely drinkable, Heavy with molasses, burnt sugar giving way to more of a bittersweet chocolate flavor. Notes of coffee bean bitterness as well. I can't help but wonder if the tamer aroma plays into the way the flavor is rich and decadent without being overpowering.

Mouthfeel - Exceedingly pleasant and smooth. Taste lingers, but without a cloying bitterness that I sometimes get from the style. It reminds me of the smoothness of a stout on nitro, but this one definitely is not on nitro.

Overall a wonderful representation of the style in my opinion. I could drink this by itself, with dessert, or poured over ice cream, quite honestly. The taste is definitely where it shines.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2013 04:29:27 | More by LambicPentameter

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-03-2013 03:58:23 | More by DerekMorgan

rfbenavi80

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

05-02-2013 10:28:52 | More by rfbenavi80

trodam

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +1.8%

04-20-2013 20:03:24 | More by trodam

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

04-20-2013 03:08:33 | More by browniewithnuts

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.86/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

***Batch No. 11***

Thanks to mklever42 for this one.

Poured from a 1 pint 6oz. bottle, bottled Nov. 2012.

Appearance: A very dark brown pour with a light brown head that fills up the glass nicely and lazily sits there while forming a seal around the glass. Chunks of lacing are left behind and as it slowly recedes, makes for a mountainous head.

Smell: Roasted/burnt coffee, nut;, sweet, milky chocolate.

Taste: Strong bittersweet chocolate, raisins, sweetened bitter coffee, very rich.

Mouthfeel: Bit of bitterness that is covered by a mostly thick creaminess.

Overall: A good stout, maybe a bit unbalanced and slightly too sweet (and this is me talking) but overall a nice pick.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 11:28:15 | More by papat444

prlykens

Colorado

4/5  rDev +1.8%

04-16-2013 03:37:20 | More by prlykens

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3/5  rDev -23.7%

04-15-2013 03:28:09 | More by Rhettroactive

Pecafaced

Maryland

4/5  rDev +1.8%

04-12-2013 06:09:01 | More by Pecafaced

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.16/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Batch 11, Nov 2012. A 22oz bomber. $9.99. Poured into a chalice.

A - Slightly viscous, black, opaque with a two-finger rocky head. Nice lacing. Well carbonated.

S - Sweet, maltly, some dark fruit (but not overwhelming like some), some spiceness).

T - Raisins, roasted malt, coffee is there but in the background. Slight sweetness. Mild hoppy bitterness. Some spiceness up front. Alcohol in the finish. Immediately warming.

MF - Slight creaminess, but a bit thin.

O - A very complex beer that shows its 11.1% ABV. Rather balanced. Maybe could do with some cellaring to smooth it out. Made me think of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. One of the more unique imperial stouts I have tasted. Definitely a beer that should be a the proper temperature and maybe even a little warmer.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 01:44:56 | More by Sludgeman