Storm King Stout - Victory Brewing Company

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.76/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours midnight black with some tan foam. Clings around the edges. Strong dark chocolate nose. Taste is smooth and creamy, chocolate-milk like middle, closing with a firm coffee-infused bitter that lingers and takes hold. More bitter as the beer warms Residual feel a touch harsher than ideal.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 17:49:42 | More by KTCamm

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.14/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Drank this from a nonic.

A - Nice pitch-black appearance, with good head, and decent lacing on the glass.

S - Nice roasted smell, some bitternenss but not overly.

T - Very easy to drink. Almost had to do a double-take on the abv while drinking, although afterward, it starts to catch up with you. Fair amount of bitterness, but it's balanced nicely with the sweet chocolately flavors. Very satisfying.

M - Good, rich, medium/medium-full body. Slight hint of chewiness.

O - As expected (from Victory), this is a fine beer. I'll drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 23:06:43 | More by Beer-A-Lot

JuliusCaesar

New Hampshire

4.26/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pitch black with a light brown head.

S: Sweet malt and chocolate aroma.

T: Flavors follow the nose with sweet roasted malts, dark chocolate and alcohol. Slightly bitter finish.

M: very smooth.

Overall: Surprised at how good this beer is. A lot of deep flavors and well balanced. Excellent

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 18:35:38 | More by JuliusCaesar

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.99/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Ticking the "Beers of Fame" and got to this brew that I used to drink a lot, but haven't had the pleasure in quite some time.

Served in a Port City snifter.

A: Poured an inky black color, with absolutely no light passing through whatsoever. The head was mocha-colored, webby, sticky, splotchy, and quite robust.

S: In the center of this malty, dark beverage, there is a rather aggressive fruit component. Seriously, I got some pineapple and grapefruit wrapped up inside a malted milk ball.

T: Very bitter and cocoa-like, with the citrus playing second fiddle. Here recently, I had a brew on-tap at FFFs call "Blot Out the Sun" there and this one reminds me of that one, only not quite so assertive (or good). I definitely got Victory's signature "yeasty" taste profile in there.

M: Not extremely thick, but still heavy enough, therefore the drinkability on this was through the roof once one take the ABV into consideration. Ridiculous lacing and pretty high on the carbonation ladder considering the style and octane.

O: Definitely a different take on the IS, and if I were to just try this blindly, I'd have called it an Imperial Black IPA. Nevertheless, I like this one, it makes me happy, and brings back fond memories from my early days on the craft beer scene.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 04:43:41 | More by Chaney

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.51/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Opaque black (but not as dark as the usual RIS) with a tan one finger foamy head.

Aroma: Dark roasted malts, cream, chocolate. A sort of airy hoppyness as well.

Taste: Starts with dark malt and a very light citrus bitterness. Transitions into a middle section that gives more moderate bitterness levels and then a charred coffee and chocolate finish. The roasted bitterness sticks around on the palate for a long while though the 9.1% ABV is never noticeable. As it warms a little there are notes of fig and dried apricot in the flavor. A slight sweetness also develops with the slow rise in temperature. A tad underwhelming when all is said and done.

Mouthfeel: Just above medium in body which I tend to consider a little on the thin side in terms of the style. Carbonation is a bit much at first but a few swirls of the glass make way for a smooth drinking experience. Average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: A decent RIS. Some age would probably serve it well. Would I drink it again? Maybe.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 05:20:27 | More by JamesMN

HattedClassic

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance:
The beer pours a nice pitch black with limited head. The beer leaves a nice amount of lacing.

Smell:
The dark chocolate dominates the smell with bits of coco. The roasted malts also make an appearance.

Taste:
A stronger hop profile than most other stouts that I've had. The roasted malt and dark chocolate come out very well but I think the roasted malt dominate the taste and aftertaste.

Mouthfeel:
Heavy bodied with some carbonation.

Overall:
A pretty decent imperial stout that I'll probably buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 02:45:03 | More by HattedClassic

SlothB77

Virginia

4.26/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 ounce bottle into 4 ounce tulip tasting glass

a: Coffee black, but thicker. Very thing band of foam that dissipates slowly

S: Dark fruits, toffee, cherries, molasses and milk chocolate, roasted nuts.

T: Toffee, coffee, licorice, vanilla and cream. It is quite an excellent combination. Not too boozy at all. I agree about the bitter finish and charred aftertaste.

M: Medium-bodied, smooth and creamy, low acidity, low carbonation

O: I've had a lot of stouts this winter and this one was very impressive. It seems smoother and creamier than most of the other ones I have tried.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

01-31-2013 02:03:46 | More by SlothB77

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A- poured into a snifter. Pours opaque black, like thick oil with a small tan head with short retention, leaving just a bit on top

S- noticable hops at first, stronger than in a typical stout. Chocolate, espresso, a bit woodsy, caramelized and burnt sugar, damp basement, slightly phenolic smell as well, not sure where that's coming from. Aromas become more prevalent as it warms.

T- bitter-sweet chocolate and caramel notes transition into burnt charcoal and sugar, some earthy woodsy notes and a touch of vanilla. Nice hop presence at the end provides a slightly bitter finish, combined with a somewhat dry charred linger.

M- medium-heavy body with just enough carbonation, velvety mouthfeel with a long and creamy finish. Mouthfeel is nearly perfect

O- a complex and well balanced stout. Alcohol is hidden well and has a great hop kick to balance it out. The flavors and aromas get better as they warm, nice roasted character highlights this brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 02:03:39 | More by Treyliff

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Ba Review #250
Served On: 1/30/2013
Glassware: Duvel Glass
Labeled ABV: 9.1%
Date/ Code: 7/20/12

This 12oz bottle was from a sixer I found at Ye Old Spirit Shop in Frederick.

Look: Poured a super black color with some dirty brown tinges along the edges. Initial head was 2-fingers of a frothy tan foam. Some spotty lacing, but nothing too crazy. Carbonation level seemed sort of low.

Smell: I could smell the hops right after cracking open the bottle. Sweet juniper and a sharp sassafras hop note. Also a roasted coffee character was behind the hoppy bouquet.

Taste: First up was an herbal hoppiness that gave way to a coffee-like bitterness. The bitterness continued into the finish where some malt sweetness seemed to set in. The aftertaste was fairly dry with the hops returning with that sharp resin quality.

I would consider this beer more of an Imperial American Black Ale instead of a RIS. The use of hops basically dominated both the aroma and the palate. This was defiantly a Stout brewed for hop lovers.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 16:24:19 | More by CraftBeerTastic

ranger7

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle into a Hofbrau mug.
Picked it up from a custom 6-pack from World Market.

A - Very black with a tan finger of foam.

S - Floral, definite hop aroma. Some typical chocolate and coffee after tasting. Not toasty or roasted like some stouts.

T - Some roasted flavor, but not overpowering. A hop kick up front that quickly dissolves into a much more sweet taste. Good.

M - Fairly smooth in-mouth. A little carbonation does not disturb the sweet flavor. A little aftertaste, which is pleasant.

Summary - A pretty good stout. A little scary to start off - the hops aroma and the kick at the start of the sip had me worried, but it really balances out the more you drink it. I enjoyed not having such a roasted kick as in some other stouts. Enjoyable and powerful, I'd drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 03:06:07 | More by ranger7

MickeyBeer

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a pint

A- Pours a dark black with about a finger and a half of light brown creamy head. When held up to light it is essentially opaque, only letting a little bit of light in around the edges. Left some beautiful lacing on the glass.

S-Aromas of coffee and chocolate. A sweet malty smell with a hint of alcohol.

T- A delicious chocolaty coffee flavor with roasted malts. Very sweet with some hop balance. Aftertaste is dominated by a roasted/smokey taste with a bit of coffee.

M- Full bodied and light in carbonation. Smooth all the way through. Has a decent amount of chewiness to it like a good RIS should.

O- This is a great Imperial Stout that I have been drinking for years. It is very tasty and has never disappointed me. It is full of complex flavors, has a great mouthfeel, and packs nice punch at 9.1% ABV. Grab a six pack if you get a chance.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 02:08:12 | More by MickeyBeer

CloudStrife

New York

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Enjoy by Apr 09 2017.

A: Pours a dark black with a 1.5 finger sort of puffy light tan head. Sticks around for a few minutes dwindling to a thin covering and leaving a spot or two of lace. Light gets through about 1/8" of the beer when held up to the light.

S: Roasted malt and a fermented dark fruit characteristic. Chocolate is also pretty strong. A fair amount of hop bitterness. Just a hint of booze.

T: Starts off with a mild stoutish flavor and a decent hop bittering kicks in. Some alcohol taste combines with a raisin/fig flavor in the middle. Real highlight in the aftertaste with a strong roasted malt. Coffee comes through pretty strong too.

M: Medium bodied stout with a good velvety or creamy mouthfeel. Fairly clean finish, isnt sticky or anything. Warming but the booze isnt too hot.

Overall a very impressive RIS. Although its no longer in the top 100 beers of fame, I am glad it was still on my list to try. Would recommend to any stout fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 01:52:00 | More by CloudStrife

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.29/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This pours a dark brown color with a foamy, light brown head. The scent is very robust filled with malts, toffee, coffee, and just a touch of hops. The flavor is rich and bold beyond belief for such a reasonable 6pk price. There are lots of roasted malts and caramel malts in the mix as well a crisp bitter finish. This is the way to make a good, complex brew at a reasonable price. It’s a “Victory” to say the least!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 04:03:50 | More by Lemke10

LinusBohman

Sweden

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thank you adrock7309 for including this as an extra in our trade!

Served into a snifter at room temperature.

A: Black as the dark side of the moon. The head is very fluffy, almost a little jellyish in it's behaviour, cocao coloured it is. The king quickly loses his crown though but leaves plenty of lacing on the sides of the glass and a thin blanket of foam on top of the black liquid underneath.
No apparent bubbles.

S: Wonderful smell! I get chocalates, coffeebeans, dark bread and wort.

T: The first tastes that comes to mind are dark chocolate and coffee. The hops have nice combination of bitterness and fruityness. The aftertaste is bitter.

M: I perceive the body to be a little thin for a RIS. It's quite bubbly and dry on the palate.

O: Delightful beer that has a nice combination of dark roasted malts and generous amounts of hops. The lack of body brings down the score a bit but I would very well like to drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 15:53:33 | More by LinusBohman

KFBR392

Illinois

3.46/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Poured a very dark brown stout that was pitch black when attempting to see through the glass. Carbonation was very present throughout, probably the most I've seen in this level of a stout. Appropriate amounts of lacing stuck to the glass as this beer was drank. Enjoyed out of a snifter.

Smell: The aroma gave a mysterious mask for this beer. The hops are in the front but the roasted malt character is buried. You can tell other characters of this beer are trying to burst through in the aroma but cannot overcome the hops.

Taste: An incredibly powerful hop attack out of this stout. I feel like the hop character is trying to be like that of Nightstalker from Goose Island but to me is not on the same level. The aroma leads the drinker to expect a creamy hop lacing but comes off as over the top bitter. The darkness of this beer is hidden. Very little malt or coffee/espresso presence in this beer.

Mouthfeel: The sticky hops hand around for a long time with this beer. The creamy texture is there but at the same time leaves me wanting some more. Hops create a dryness which clings to the palette

Overall: Not a memorable stout. Its direction seems lost on me. I had high expectations for this beer and it did not live up to them. Worth a try but for the price tag I would recommend many other Stouts.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 22:33:34 | More by KFBR392

78c

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Imperial stout.
Dark caramel brown, opaque.
Froths creamy white.
Slight odor of malt.
Sharp bitterness followed by pleasing barley and hop profile, hints of chocolate and espresso and slight sweetness and rounding and mellowing of hoppiness.
Overall, very good -> excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2013 22:12:59 | More by 78c

TheMarkE

California

4.24/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Dark, thick, and rich.

Smell: Hoppy, followed by roasted malts.

Taste: Chocolate and espresso, with lots of hops to balance things out.

Mouthfeel: Thick, rich, and creamy.

Overall: Nice. The first impression of the first sip was “wow, that’s bitter!” After that it was “mmm chocolate and espresso!” Malty and hoppy, this is another victory from Victory.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 21:22:10 | More by TheMarkE

joeseppy

Illinois

4.24/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours dark, thick and rich.

Huge hop aroma upfront, burnt sugar and roast malt.

Initial tastes of sweet black coffee ebbing into roast malt complexity and bitterness.

Creamy and sweet enough to get your tongue latching onto the roof of your mouth. Hop presence lingers.

A well balanced stout that demands your company to marvel at and soak it in!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 04:02:49 | More by joeseppy

ribby

Michigan

4.8/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is pretty darn close to the perfect stout. The appearance is perfect, dark and impenetrable to ordinary light. The head is a creamy medium brown, one finger. The flavor is very dense, slightly on the bitter side, but very well balanced between sweet malt, charred malt, and hops. If you like stouts you have to try this.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 23:32:36 | More by ribby

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass. Kinda always surprised me that this makes it to 12 oz bottles. I've had this on draft before too. Russian Imperial isn't usually my jam, but I'll leave that at the door.

Appearance: Pure black with a nice huge tan head that took a long while to die.

Smell: Citrus, maybe anise/licorice hops, sweet malts, alcohol on the end. Not bad, but it always surprises me how much I pick up the hops here.

Taste: I guess it always surprises me how much I pick up the hops here too. Very much everything I picked up in the smell. So, citrus, anise/licorice, sweet malts and a decent amount of alcohol on the end, but nothing big enough to turn you away.

Mouthfeel: Stylistically, probably a little lighter, but not mistaken for anything less than medium to heavy. Light carbonation, but what is there helps me drink it from a more casual perspective. Draft was tough for me, personally.

This is an oddly hoppy stout. It manages to hide its strength impressively, but that comes out a little more in the bottle. I remember it being almost... dangerously hidden on draft. Not really a beer I need to drink more than a few times a year.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 23:12:28 | More by ColdWaffles

d1ckvanswype

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Aggressive pour results in a finger and a half of espresso crema head on top of a pitch black liquid. Great lacing, this beer has some serious legs and glass-staining potential.

S: Surprisingly hop-forward, juicy bitter citrus (limes, tangerines), darkly roasted caramel, sweet, bready malts.

T: Wow this is a really hoppy stout! A hit of juicy tangerine-lime at first, swallowed up by the briefest sweet malty caramel and tons of aggressive hop/roast bitterness. Somewhat medicinal/asprin-y in the aftertaste, which builds with each sip.

M: They do an excellent job of hiding the alcohol (9+%ABV!), which only shows itself in a slight warming burn in the back of the throat, but make no mistake, even with great, smooth even carbonation it sits like motor oil, with a hoppy, resin-y stickiness.

O: Not exactly what I think of when I think "stout", but I suppose since it's Imperialized the extreme hoppiness has its place. I wouldn't reach for it if I was looking for something with more roast and less bitterness, but it does come across very satisfying. Successful contender for one of the best, more character-forward stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 01:30:45 | More by d1ckvanswype

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pitch black with a two-finger, off-white, fizzy, creamy head that lasted several minutes. Fantastic lacing.

S: Citrus hops and roasted malt.

T: Light sweetness and moderate bitterness. Mostly hops then some roasted malt.

M: Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Not warm going down, but sticky.

O: This Russian Imperial was very hop forward and lacked the roasted complexities I appreciate so much in other Russian Imperials. Not a bad stout, but I'm really not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 02:32:11 | More by SolipsismalCat

Amish_Ambush

4.35/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Notes: Poured out of a refrigerated bottle. I let it sit for 20 minutes before tasting.

Small head with an aggressive pour. The head is Brown sugar in color; breaks up nicely with some thick lacing. Heavy aroma notes of coffee and malt. Smaller notes of dark chocolate and prunes. Color is thick and dark. I cannot see through this beer even when holding it up to a light. This is a heavily bodied beer that is guaranteed to satisfy stout lovers. Flavor notes are coffee, dark chocolate and but a bit of the alcohol comes through.

Conclusion: An excellent stout, one of the best in the world.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 00:59:39 | More by Amish_Ambush

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Very dark mahogany/nearly black color. Average sized, smooth, creamy, fluffy, cafe colored head. Good retention leaving a nice lacing.

S - Enticing aroma. Citrus and piny hops compete with dark chocolate and sweet fudge for my attention. The bitterness of the hops and the bitter roasted malt aromas meld together wonderfully at the end of the whiff. Lively and mouth-watering aroma.

T - Starts with a slightly bitter citrus flavor with a touch of pine. Touch of mild coffee that persists as an undertone flavor. Some dark chocolate flavors along with a slight creamy and fudge-like sweetness. Finishes with a dark chocolate and earthy bitterness. Nice balance.

M - Medium body. Average carbonation (maybe slightly above average for the style). Creamy with a slight bite and tingle on the finish.

D - Easy to drink beer. Alcohol is well hidden. Flavors meld very well together (especially the hoppy and roasted bitterness). I had no problem finishing the bottle and enjoyed doing so.

Notes: Very hoppy stout; still didn't seem like a Black IPA to me though. Flavors meld very well together. Great mix of hops and stout flavors. Everything just worked for me. Not a world-beater, but a very good hoppy stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 22:03:03 | More by FreshHawk

kaseydad

California

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Shocked to find this at a local Whole Foods....as the Storm King has been elusive for some time.

Pint glass pour and I am met with black/dark brown ale with a decent size brown (not even beige) foamy head. Lotsa lacing.

The aroma is roasty, toasty dark malts and a good amount of leather. Mild fruit in the background. Smoke. Light caramel.

The taste is bitter, roasted coffee, hoppy, bittersweet chocolate. Slightly boozy as the tummy warming sensation is present. Delicate dark fruit aftertaste with more bitterness and leather.

The mouthfeel is hoppier than I was expecting. Not bad, but distracts somewhat.

Overall I will say this has improved from the "fresher" bottle I consumed when purchasing the six pack a few months ago. The fresher version was fruitier while it has integrated to a roasty beast with minimal fruit hints as it ages. I prefer the aging version. I like the beer but am not looking to head out into the storm for this soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 01:50:59 | More by kaseydad