Imperial Stout Trooper - New England Brewing Co.

rdilauro

Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pour a dark dark black stout with an amber golden head that wasnt big, but never stopped.

The aroma and bouquet were very interesting. I almost expected a very hoppy stout. It reminded me of some of those 90+ IBUs IPAs, but this one even had a smooth aroma to it.

The first sip was pretty big. I tasted chocolate, coffee, a little Cinnamon, and perhaps a bit of almond. No question about the
malt in this one. Big and bold

The mouthful was big, almost enormous. It filled every sense category of my tongue and mouth.

I do have to say that the aftertaste was not as good at the initial taste and the mouthful.
But, still a very enjoyable and excellent stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 23:43:00 | More by rdilauro

uustal

Rhode Island

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours black with a fairly dark brown head. No doubt this is a quality RIS by the darkness of the head. Aroma of roasted malts, molasses and sweet coco. Big roasted malt flavor to start, coffee too. Settles into a sweeter blend of flavors. Syrupy chocolate, molasses, cream and fudge. Hints of earthy hops, licorice, and ever so tiny notes of alcohol on the finish. Tasty blend of flavors, has all of the roastyness, the sweetness and the more unique RIS flavors that you'd come to expect from a good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 03:48:39 | More by uustal

ksimons

New York

4.23/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-very dark brown with about a fingers worth of dark tan head that disappears pretty fast to leave a thin layer of lacing around the top

S-roasted malt, roasted dark coffee, molasses, and a bit of burnt sugar. Very nice.

T-Taste is also full of roast. Rich roasted malt, roasted coffee, molasses, dark chocolate and sweet caramel. A nice mix of roast and sweetness, and the booze is well hidden.

M-medium to full body, good carbonation, leaves a dry roasted taste.

Overall a pretty good RIS, good tasting, nice smelling, and a good mouthfeel. I will look for other New England Brewing Cos beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 19:28:30 | More by ksimons

GregSVT

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml capped bottle into a snifter - 2011 Vintage

A: Pours dark brown with a nice dark tan head that fades a ring and leaves some lacing on the glass.

S: The smell starts with chocolate, dark fruits, and cocoa and moves to a good amount of coffee, smoke, and roast as it warms. Pretty standard imperial stout with some nice aromas as it warms.

T: The taste mirrors the nose with nice flavors of cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, and a tiny touch of hops. As it warmed the coffee and roast intensifies with a touch of smoke on the finish.

M: Feel is medium bodied and pretty creamy.

O: Pretty standard RIS with good flavors and decent aromas. Nothing super fancy though.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 02:37:56 | More by GregSVT

codysjb

Florida

3.18/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Short Review, Poured from a 750ml bottle into my CBS glass. 2011 vintage.
L: Great, Nice and black and an awesome dark head that fades instantaneously.
S: Coffee and some caramel, mostly stout like.
T: Ehh not the best. Lots of Coffee notes, maybe some burned something or other. Little Caramel.
M: Same as taste.
O: Really disappointed in this. Wanted to like it, just didn't.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 00:20:41 | More by codysjb

Dope

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 12/2011, so it took 3 months to make it to MA apparently.

A: Inky black pour with a big dense brown head atop it. Retention is quite excellent, takes a long time to fade away. Nice spotty lacing.

S: Stinging alcohol. Lots of roasted malt. Surprisingly subtle for a big RIS.

T: Loaded with smoky roasted malt and chocolate. Like drinking watered down brownie batter. There is a bitter coffee element but it's mostly smoothed out by the silky chocolate. Some black licorice lingers in the aftertaste. A little boozy, alcohol not hidden that well surprisingly.

M: Medium-bodied and smooth.

O: Well balanced RIS. Chocolate is probably the heaviest factor but it smooths everything out nicely. Surprisingly boozy and just a touch thin detracts slightly, I bet after a year or two I could see 4.5s for mouthfeel and overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 04:16:56 | More by Dope

mikul93

California

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

A Black black black with a very small head that dissipates rather quickly. Decent lacing.

S Chocolate, alcohol, hints of coffee. Nice roast smell.

T Very smooth up front. Like milk chocolate smooth. Middle and back of the tongue, roast goodness, coffee, bitter chocolate that lingers. Delicious beer.

M A lot thinner than I was anticipating. Medium carbonation. Well done!

One of the better RIS's out there. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 04:43:41 | More by mikul93

rtaps

California

3.8/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours pitch black, like molasses. with a half finger dark tan head with decent retention that fades to a light film leaving hardly any lacing

rich chocolate with roasted malts, the chocolate if very dominate on the nose like a brownie.

not much up front but you get a very rich chocolate brownie thats fades into the roasted malts and that stays with you.

medium bodied and carbonated, very viscous. wet mouth feel left behind. it kinda had a maple syrup like character to it.

overall the flavors weren't as big as i expected and hoped for, but its still a very nice stout and enjoyable. seems like one you could drink over and over again

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 00:55:53 | More by rtaps

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Side by side vertical tasting of 2011 and 2012 batches
Poured old batch first...

A- pours black with a nice puffy two finger mocha head, nice retention and sticky lacing, looks beautiful.

S- malty, dark fruits, alcohol, black licorice and chocolate, almost mochay chocolate.

T- nice and mochay, with a bit more coffe notes then unexpected from the nose, milk chocolate and a hint of roast and smoke and cream, beautiful flavor profile, blended nicley, slightly bitter. hint of caramel... A touch
Of alcohol on the finish

M- medium carbonation, creamy, and very well rounded, almost dry on the finish, the age seems to have done nicley on this one, rounding out all the flavor

O- after a year, thus beer is phenomenal and mellow, with nice complexity and mouth feel, excellent!

2012 review....

A- pours similar bit with a bit less of a head, black with a mocha head, head fades a bit quicker, lacing seems a bit less sticky,

S- more smokey, chocolate , a bit roasty, the alcohol is still there but a bit more hidden then in the aged aroma, a very nice smell
For sure.

T- the smoke and roasty notes are a lot more prevalent And less rounded then the aged version. Heavy black coffe and mocha notes mixed with smoke, and a slight hop bite.

M- nice medium/heavy body with medium carbonation, a bit creamy , but not nearly as creamy as the aged , but nice all the same

O- a great ris, which I feel deffinatly gets better with aged, deffinatly glad I still have one of last years squirreled away.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 04:15:13 | More by PeterIngemi

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle split between 4 people, poured into Boulevard tulip. Winter '11 version (I believe).

A: This pours a deep, dark brownish black color. Not the darkest RIS I have ever seen, but still there isn't any light getting through the main part of the glass. On the pour, I got a finger of tan head. Lots of sticky lacing bits are present as well. Pretty stout.

S: There is some nice roasty character and also some deep dark fruity notes. Maybe some char. Not getting anything TOO strong intially. After a little bit, I do get some mild coffee.

T: There is some roast char'ed bitterness on the tip of the tongue. Or maybe some dark chocolate. It's a very easy drinking stout. Not boozy at all. Very mild coffee roast notes. The taste lingers on your palate, which is a good thing.

M: This is a full bodied stout, which is true to type. But again, not the thickest beer I have had in this category.

O: This is an A- for me. Very good beer. Not taking anything away from that, but I was expecting a little more. It's a very balanced easy drinking RIS though.

O: A- not as much as I was expecting but very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 16:29:06 | More by inlimbo77

MrVonzipper

California

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

IST '10
Pitch black. Fairly Oily and viscous. Creamy khaki head. Decent retention. Spotty lacing.

Chocolatey covered chocolate. Mild vanilla and maple syrup. Nice roasted notes.

Good flavor. Not as big as I'd anticipated. Nice roasted nuttiness, smoky maple syrup, vanilla and chocolate.

Full-bodied. Velvety and creamy. A touch dry. Low carbonation.

Very good. Not mind blowing like I'd hoped. 

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 04:42:24 | More by MrVonzipper

claspada

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Growler courtesy of montrose79 at my recent tasting.

Pours a fairly thick, viscous black body with dark brown head, that foams up to a large bubbly head.

Aromas begin quite full and rich, initially sweet smell coming off of it, almost akin to a milk stout but much stronger and with a much greater depth to it. Rich chocolate notes were rotating in and out and mingling with roasted coffee and vanilla, really becoming quite full. Some light soy sauce emerges more as it warms. No hint of alcohol in the aroma what so ever. There was a touch of a grainy and earthy like back that could be found hiding deep underneath a well and slight hints of dark caramel.

The tastes begin very, very roasty. Lots of coffee, and some more roasted malts for good measure, bordering charred maltiness. A good earthiness and bitterness and just a hint of chocolate and vanilla. The intense char interacts with that same soy sauce element I was getting in the nose. Not offensive as it sounds but a big flavored beer for sure.

The mouthfeel is medium to heavy with a medium amount of carbonation, thank goodness, otherwise this would be like sludge on your palate. The finish is dry and roasty and bitter from all the dark malt additions here.

Overall, I am kinda over big boy stouts like this one, and I thought I was going to hate this but I actually enjoyed my small pour decently. 4 oz is all I really needed as this beer is packed with massive roast, char and dark chocolate flavors. Not for the faint of heart and worth a go if you like extremely dark roasty stouts.

Serving type: growler

02-19-2012 15:40:27 | More by claspada

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage poured in to CBS Snifter.

A - Dark black with one finger of thick bubbly espresso coloured head and decent lacing.

S - Big roasted malt aroma up front. Smoke, chocolate and licorice. Some noticeable alcohol.

T - Huge roasted malt and smoke flaovurs dominate. Car, dark chocolate and a noticeable bitterness are present throughout. The ABV is noticeable here; some time might really smooth this one out.

M - Medium body, creamy. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 15:33:00 | More by TheSevenDuffs

Brabander

Netherlands

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Jeffo brought this beer with him at the tastingday @ de Molen in Bodegraven, Holland. This tasting was organized by THE beerlady of Holland, Fiona de Lange.

Thanks for this bottle Jeff!

Jeff tolf us the story behind this bottle and that made me curious about this beer.

To be hounest, this is not one of the better stouts i had. Taste and smell are a bit above normal. This stout is a good beer to begin with when you are new on the stout front!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 19:33:09 | More by Brabander

n2185

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours black with a finger of tan head that fades into a thin ring with a little lacing.

S: lots of roasted malts on the nose with robust coffee and bitter chocolate notes.

T: similar to the aroma, tons of roasted malts. Bitter chocolate, smoke, and char bring up the finish.

M: thick body with medium carbonation that accents the bitter and tobust characters of the beer well.

O: a pretty decent imperial stout. Nice and robust without being sweet at all. It lacks some complexity, but is still good.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 01:00:20 | More by n2185

Mar02x

Netherlands

3.88/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Ba Jeffo was so kind to share his beer with me and the other attenders. We were at a tasting at the Molen, organized by Fiona de Lange (the Dutch Beer lady).

A - A dark brown beer with a small beige head.

S - A good scent of dark chocolate,dark fruits, raisins.

T - The taste is fresh due to the hops, there is also a good chocolate presence.

M - The body is a bit light, the carbonation is medium and the finish is bitter.

O - It is a good stout, but not excellent.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 19:10:17 | More by Mar02x

TMoney2591

Illinois

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

Served in a Rogue shaker pint glass.

Big thanks to jl28r1 for this bottle!

2010 vintage. Gotta love those glasses, baby. This stuff pours a straight onyx topped by a finger or so of dark tan foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, chocolate powder, light brown sugar, and toasted caramel. The taste brings in more of the same, with the usual stout notes of roast and chocolate coming to the fore, taking charge without o'erwhelming everything else. The body is a light heavy, with a light moderate carbonation and a generally smooth and lightly chewy feel. Overall, a very nice impy stout. That's all I can say. I think I was expecting something exceptional, though, and got something only really good. I hope that makes sense...

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 22:36:13 | More by TMoney2591

eclipse54

Idaho

4/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 750 mL bottle of the 2010 release sent by FluffyMcTingles; thanks! Split with a few friends, and poured into a 5 oz. snifter. Reviewed from notes taken on 11/06/2011.

Pours a pitch black body with very little brown head. Swirling releases a plethora of brown bubbles. Good lacing left on the glass.

Aroma is of caramel, chocolate, faint vanilla, roasted malt, and brown sugar; well balanced and inviting.

Taste is similar, consisting of chocolate, caramel, some toffee, toasted sugar, and vanilla. There's also a hint of citrusy hops that also lend a mysterious "dark fruit" flavor to it, such as date or raisin.

Mouthfeel is smooth yet rich. A bit of warming ethanol comes through, but the carbonation lends a slightly crisp, dry finish.

Overall, a rather unique stout. I'd have thought the hops would have become more muddled by this point, but they were still actively lending a good amount of flavor to the mix. Certainly enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 17:11:54 | More by eclipse54

TWStandley

Massachusetts

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

Poured into a snifter.

Appeared a dark black color with a mocha colored head that faded to a single strand. Left a bit of oily lacing on the glass.

Smelled of chocolate up front, with some boozy notes and a roasty background.

Tasted like a mix of chocolate, dark chocolate, dark coffee, and some molasses. Truly a great balance of flavors. Definitely a very rich taste.

Moutheel was a bit lighter than I anticipated, though the low level of carbonation made the liquid stick around for awhile.

Overall this is a great stout and I am certainly happy that I picked up a few of these to sit on for awhile. Love the balanced yet rich flavor, and who dosen't love the bottles they come in? Everyone should seek this out!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 05:30:57 | More by TWStandley

bmwfan1987

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- pitch black, with a dark tan head that quickly dies down and leaves a ring.

Smell- bittersweet chocolate, coffee beans and espresso roast.

Taste- much of the same from the aroma. Very complex coffee and chocolate going on.

M- very creamy, and full bodied.

O- a must have in your life time. Just a brilliant stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 15:23:52 | More by bmwfan1987

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Capping off birthday number 51 with Blind Beer #3 from johnbjaeger. Into my Lord Chesterfield glass and Vickie's into her Mad Elf snifter.

A-Pour is an opaque dark chestnut brown with some nice ruby highlights at the bottom. A thin foamy mocha head leaves some nice sheets of lacing. 4.0

S-Toasted marshmallow, brown sugar, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla. Smells like bourbon barrel something. 4.0

T-Mighty tasty indeed. A bit hot but not overwhelmingly so. Nice roast character blends well with bourbony vanilla, some earthy bitterness shows up nicely in the finish. Great bland of flavors. 4.5

M-Medium bodied, boozy warmth lingers nicely. 4.0

O-Another very tasty beverage. Great blend of flavors for 9.2% ABV. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 00:50:36 | More by sholland119

tjkinate

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

As a Star Wars fan this brew was a must. I'm just glad it tasted great too!

2010 Vintage

A: Single fingered, creamy light brown head that displayed great retention forms atop this nearly black bodied brew and slowly recedes leaving behind a good amount of lacing eventually settling to a thin foamy ring.

S: Loads of molasses, dark fruits, and dark chocolate malts. Maybe I have been spoiled with BA brews lately, but it seemed to lack complexity although the smells that are present are fantastic.

T: Dark Chocolate, some of those dark fruits poke through, and fairly dry (which I like). As the beer warms the fruit flavors really begin to show and are accompanied with a previously undetected hint of toffee.

M: Heavy, creamy, perfectly carbonated.

O: A beer worthy of its SciFi reference. Should of had the beer in the movie instead of Jar Jar!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 23:45:28 | More by tjkinate

grittybrews

Washington

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From South Sound tasting notes:

Poured near-black with barely a trace of dark mocha head. Really nice aroma of sweet chocolate, roasty coffee malt, licorice, and vanilla.

Moderate carbonation and a thick, creamy mouthfeel. Taste is mellower than expected; dominated by smooth espresso, sweet cocoa and caramel, and some roasty bitterness on the tail end.

Solid stout with no bells and whistles; just really good.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 15:35:04 | More by grittybrews

bamadog

Kentucky

4.55/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Finally decided to crack into this one from one of my earliest trades. I really wish I would have created a spreadsheet so I would be able to look up who has sent me what over the last couple of years, but alas... Review is from notes taken on 1/15/2012 and poured from the bottle (2009 vintage) to a snifter.

Appearance: Glug, glug, glug comes the beer out of the bottle and it looks pretty thick and a little syrupy as it its the glass; body is pitch black as it should be and it starts with a short 1/4 dark brown head that fades pretty much immediately to nothing other than a couple of faint strands and wisps of the same color; entirely opaque; 2 or 3 lone spots of dark brown lacing hang around briefly.

Smell: Ahhh yeahhh! Smell is excellent -- tons and tons of roast and burnt coffee/espresso beans; syrupy sweet chocolate malts about, and there is also a hint of some bittersweet baker's chocolate as well; maybe just a touch of booziness hides out in there, but really, smells exactly what I hope for every time I crack open a bottle labeled as an RIS...

Taste: Ahhh yeahhh (again)! Great flavors abound, led by a strong and rather bitter and earthy roasty/burnt coffee and espresso flavor; the bittersweet chocolate seems to come from the same bitterness, and the sweeter, syrupy chocolate is more of a lingering flavor; perhaps a bit of a sweet vanilla and cherry as well, that I'm surprised didn't show up in the nose. Really quite an excellent and well balanced big beer.

Mouthfeel: Mouth is big, smooth, creamy and chewy -- bit like a milkshake -- something I don't think I've experienced in this capacity since seeing an '08 Dark Lord cracked and poured a couple of years ago (not that is "quite" that thick, but in terms of getting what I hope to, this one delivers almost like no other); carbonation is kind of a moot point, but there's a faint tickle of it, but life remains in the body from the warming alcohol that leaves some vapors on the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth; belly is left a little warm as well.

Overall: I wish this was a year-round kind of beer that was available to me all the time. Really, great from cracking the cap to finish, the only thing that would slow me down on this one is the weight and higher ABV, but I'm not going to have a problem finishing the 750 all by my lonesome. Cheers to an amazing beer!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 02:27:08 | More by bamadog

LtCracker20

Connecticut

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

2010 vintage.

A- Pours an almost pitch black with slight ruby hues around the edges. A big 3-finger coffee colored head rises and shows very good retention before falling to a thin cap. Leaves some decent lacing.

S- Roasted malts, dark chocolate, vanilla, and some black licorice.

T- Just like the aroma. Roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, and a nice hop bite even after a year.

MF- Big, bold, and creamy. Awesome.

O- I really liked this fresh, but with age on it it seemed to tone down the carbonation levels and the amount of bitterness. It's said they changed the recipe (not sure in what ways) but I prefer this over the new/fresh 2011 batch.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 19:44:38 | More by LtCracker20