Berserker Imperial Stout
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

Berserker Imperial StoutBerserker Imperial Stout
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From:
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #452
ABV:
12.7%
Score:
96
Ranked #957
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 8.55%
Reviews:
310
Ratings:
1,231
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 02, 2023
Added:
Dec 13, 2005
Wants:
  800
Gots:
  289
Vicious and viscous, this menacing brew pours opaque black with a creamy maduro-colored head. Its aroma offers seductive whiskey, chewy red wine, dark fruit and lavish tobacco. Berserker Imperial Stout invades your taste buds with in-your-face flavor. Weighing in at almost 13% alcohol by volume, Berserker is completely out-of-control. Give it a good fight. Berserker Imperial Stout was aged in both red wine and whiskey barrels.

Original release of Berserker was at 10.4%, subsequent vintages have gone upwards of 12.7%. When reviewing, please list beer vintage and that vintage's specific ABV.

30 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by CHickman:
Photo of CHickman
Reviewed by CHickman from New York

4.43/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
12.7% ABV listed on bottle: Pours a sinister black color with a creamy 1-2 finger brown head that was full of tiny bubbles and faded with the spotty foamy lacing sliding down the glass. After a few minutes it looks like a glass full of motor oil.

The initial wave of sweetness includes molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, toffee, caramel, red wine, cocoa powder, dark fruit like raisins, then the booze which is a cross between rum and bourbon. Earthy notes and some hints of hops want to come through but get smacked out of the way by the bourbon and molasses. I let the bottle warm up for at least 30 minutes so the nose allowed for a wonderfully complex mix of all the flavors above that didn't cross over into cloyingly sweet.

Taste is very close to the aroma with the strong sweetness up front that includes molasses, maple syrup, toffee, brown sugar, caramel, red wine and or oak barrels, charred wood, s'mores, cocoa powder, dark fruit like raisins, plums and chocolate covered raisins, vanilla, coffee grinds and very rich dark chocolate. After the sweetness fades a bit the booze slides in, which like the nose is a cross between rum and bourbon with some very rich red wine mixed in. Initially I thought the molasses and syrup aspects made this too sweet, but as it continued to warm up the complexities brought out more malty sweetness, candied sugar, light peppery and leafy spices and fresh pumpernickel bread. The booze is present but the ABV is not a factor and blends in quite well with the fine mix of flavors.

Mouthfeel is creamy, slick and smooth with a velvety feel that slides across the tongue with mild carbonation, a medium to chewy body, a slight bitterness that resembles a bold coffee, and then the trailing sweetness that doesn't cross over into sugary sweet and cloyingly nasty and keeps it aggressive with a lot of char, booze, oaky notes, bourbon, molasses and syrup which whip around in a tornado of complex flavors. The fruit and hops managed to sneak in a little balance to level out this hard hitting stout, which is very tasty and incorporates the alcohol very well. A really enjoyable slow sipper, will seek this out again.
Oct 17, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.26 by not2quick from Missouri

Oct 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.59 by doctorgary from New York

Nov 01, 2022
 
Rated: 4.44 by Wisconsin_IPA_Lover from Wisconsin

Oct 14, 2022
 
Rated: 4.1 by brandoneast from Texas

Sep 17, 2022
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Midnight black body with a tan shallow head. Roasted malts fill the nose but have molasses, earth, smoke and dark bitter chocolate supporting. Frankly, I am in love with how rugged the flavor complexion is of this throw back stout: roasted and earthy malt with accents of smoky coffee, tobacco and earth, meet dark chocolate and black strap molasses on the second half that just glob onto the palate. Taste is just that tick more intense while still being drinkable. Which brings me to the feel, mirroring the taste, strong roast but refined by the finish with the bright sweetness of the molasses, robust yet smooth and quaffable.
Jul 22, 2022
Photo of dafla67
Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours deep black color. Aroma is intense dark chocolate, caramel, coffee and booziness. Taste is a balance of the nose - bittervdark chocolate, coffee and booze. Mouthfeel is perfectly full.

Overall an incredible stout.
Jun 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4.29 by smithj4 from New York

Jun 21, 2022
 
Rated: 3.96 by Hawkfish from Washington

Jun 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4.39 by SierraFlight from Virginia

Dec 09, 2021
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

4.46/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
On draft at the brewery. Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left sticky rings of lace on the glass. It smelled of dark chocolate, dark dried fruit, tobacco, caramel and coffee. Big roasted malt taste with toffee, caramel and a sharp bitterness.
Aug 04, 2021
 
Rated: 4.41 by CAcker from California

Mar 20, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by BeerRay from Rhode Island

Mar 19, 2021
Photo of EricLamboBeerGod
Reviewed by EricLamboBeerGod from Mississippi

5/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Hi fellow beer bro's! I'm the great Eric Lambino and I just wanted to pop in and say WOOWZEE WOWSERS this beer is a flavor EXPLOSION. From the caramel notes when it first touches your lips, to the smooth cocoa middle, to the crescendo of coffee to follow this beauty is a symphony of satisfaction. A melody of malt, a diddy of delight! Please, for me, the great Eric Lambino, give this beer a chance.. your life will never be the same again. Lambino out.
Mar 05, 2021
Photo of backblast
Reviewed by backblast from Alaska

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
2012 vintage enjoyed 2-2021. First sip tasted of dark umami plum and rich dark chocolate, deep dark fruit, roasted malt char and has a mild bitterness.
Feb 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by mrmsmith from District of Columbia

Feb 10, 2021
 
Rated: 4.58 by JCB1711 from Alaska

Jan 10, 2021
 
Rated: 4.19 by jbdpsu82 from Pennsylvania

Jan 05, 2021
 
Rated: 4.18 by GeorgeAKeim from Oregon

Dec 26, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 13, 2020
Berserker Imperial Stout from Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 1231 ratings