Black Cauldron Imperial Stout - Grand Teton Brewing Co.

NilocRellim

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer came on tap in a pint glass, exhibiting a low, tan head and a black body. Smelled of sweet malts and chocolate. In addition to the chocolatey-coffee taste, there was a malty smokiness as well which lingered on the tongue, along with a slight earthiness.

Would I buy this beer again? Yes.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2012 03:49:42 | More by NilocRellim

notchucknorris

California

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at O'Brien's

A: Black with a thin tan head and pretty good retention.

S: Tons of roasted malt with a bit of molasses, black licorice, rye bread and some faint smoke. Pretty nice.

T: Lots of roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, molasses, rye bread and a touch of black licorice. Velvety mouthfeel made it a joy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2012 22:47:08 | More by notchucknorris

Cru

Montana

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tried this on tap, along with most of their other beers in the brewery.

Pitch black with dark lacy head, nicely carbonated.

Aroma is coffee, roasty, bready and the alcohol comes through in the aroma.

Chocolate and caramel dominate this flavor profile with a coffee background / aftertaste. The alcohol does not come through nearly as much in the flavor as the aroma.

Well done for an Imperial Stout. Many I've had seem to sacrifice the smooth, drinkable characteristic of the stout entirely for the bump in alcohol content. You know its there in this one, but much milder than most in the 9% range.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 22:33:53 | More by Cru

brewerburgundy

California

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

10oz served in a tulip at The Monk's Kettle on new year's eve. Review from notes.

Pure black with a gorgeous dark brown fine, foamy head that's sticky too. A good looking beer.

Nose is dominated by rich espresso, some darker berry comes through but it's subordinated. Dark chocolate is requisite but also weaker than the robust espresso emanating from the glass.

Darker berry and dark caramel come to the front, espresso rides the wave of dark, bubbly liquid. Raspberry and cherry mingle with dark chocolate. A little woodiness mixed in; very concentrated on classic Imperial Stout flavors, but very well executed.

Round, soft, and pretty much the standard for Imperial Stouts.

Better than decent drinkability and not even over the top in abv. As far as the style goes, quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2011 00:15:17 | More by brewerburgundy

jdense

Oregon

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Red Feather/Bittercreek 11.10.10, $5 12 oz. poured into big ass wine glass.

1/2 finger brown head, slow dissipation with minimal lacing. Dark brown almost black body, no visible carbonation. Significant chocolate nose, some roast, cocoa, vanilla, coffee, pretty complex aroma, though it faded significantly as the beer warmed. Taste mirrors nose, chocolate is the dominant taste, leading to a slightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel was actually a bit on the light side for the style, a bit thin and watery, this is no meal replacement. ABV pretty noticeable, a bit hot. This isn't Old Rasputin, but other than mouthfeel and fainting aroma, certainly worth a try for fans of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2010 19:12:44 | More by jdense

morebeergood

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap this past Saturday night at the Dive Bar in Worcester. Served in a small goblet glass for $6. Pitch black body. Very thin bubbly head. Some nice lacing. Smelled like a pot of melted dark chocolate. Loved the flavor. Loads of chocolate, roasted barley, smoked peat, vanilla, and a hint of bourbon. This beer tasted so good my wife almost stole it from me, but that was not happening. Mouthfeel was thick and smooth, and the abv was hidden well. Absolutely delicious; I could have gone for a much larger glass of this. The best Imperial Stout I have tried in the past 12 months. I can't wait to see bottles of this on shelves in MA.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2010 20:53:58 | More by morebeergood

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this glass at Armsby Abbey days after their Stoutfest.

Man, this is a Creamy/chewy stout. Very enjoyable.

Finger of tight/creamy light beige head. Dark brown, not black, no light gets through, not even at the edges. Lots of spider web lacing.

Aroma is very nice. Sweet, roasted malt at first, but right behind this are some nice floral herbacious hops.

Chocolate, smoky malts, slight vanilla in the finish. Raisins, dark fruit. Perhaps molasses. Some nice pine hop notes towards the end. Just a hint of alcohol.

Thick, creamy and silky. As subtle as carbonation could be. Bold bodied.

Nice stout, really enjoyed it. Good balance and not too sweet. Well done.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2010 23:51:00 | More by Reagan1984

ArsenicDrone

Arizona

4.85/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this on tap in a goblet at Boulders on Broadway in Tempe, AZ. Wanted to have Odell's Bourbon Barrel Stout, but this was a nice substitute when they were out.

A: Opaque, nearly black, arrived with no head at all, and a small rim of bubbles that left a little bit of lace. Excellent sign of what's to come.

S: Rather subtle for the style. A bit of the fruity esters, and the only thing that stood out as different was a hint of soy sauce smell.

T: Excellent. Quite smooth, and solid but not overbearing. Malty, sweet, and with only a little bit of roasted flavor - just right, I thought. Definitely chocolate, but not your standard bitter dark chocolate flavor - almost a chocolate Twizzler. If that sounds weird, don't worry, it's good. A very nice balance with the fruit, which was there when you wanted to pay attention to it, but not in the way.

M: Slightly thin by comparison to others, but little to complain about. Works just fine.

D: Would be dangerous if I didn't like taking my time with a beer like this. Goes down easy. Alcohol content just about right and pretty well hidden.

Recommended for those who like smooth imperial stouts. I bet I wouldn't have liked the Odell's as well. Will have to try this in a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2010 07:00:40 | More by ArsenicDrone

Halcyondays

California

3.2/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a dark brown/black with a soft tan head, nice notes of lace.

S: On the first smell I got a lot of what smelled like isoproponal, but I'm sure it was the ethanol. Some black malt and charcoal, but very light. Very boozy on the nose, like a spirit not a beer.

T: Here we go. Nice dark baker's chocolate and roasted malt. Very light coffee flavours. Solid taste.

M: Very thin for the style, this is an RIS, felt like a regular stout.

D: This beer is OK, but with all the classic great RIS's out there, this is going to get lost in the shuffle, it's from another time.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2009 02:47:41 | More by Halcyondays

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Bailey's Taproom in Portland.

Pours a deeply opaque jet black. A solid mocha colored head and some nice lacing.

Roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate dominate the nose. Very nice.

Taste follows the nose. Bittersweet chocolate on the front end, finishing with a roasted coffee and a modest hop bite. Very nice.

Rich, oily mouthfeel, just the way I like my RIS.

For my money, the only thing better than a flavorful beer is a flavorful beer that is low in ABV for its style. I am still rather stunned that this is only a 7.5% ABV as it tastes much bigger.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2008 15:52:24 | More by sholland119

dnichols

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was served a mug from the tap at the Sports Page bar in Pullman, WA.

A: It poured a black body with ruby tints at the edges when back lit. The head was moderate and deep chocolaty brown with sticky tiny bubbles. The head receded slowly and left little lacing.

S: It had a deep roasted malt aroma that gave off odors of chocolate and coffee.

T: Yummy...nice stout. Rich, thick and creamy. It presented a solid sweet and bittersweet chocolate profile complemented by a biting back side that reminded me of campfire coffee. As the brew warmed the flavors blended nicely into an easy moca latte.

M: It was medium to full bodied with a smooth, creamy and rich presense. It had a sweet coco front, biting coffee back and a clean warm finish.

A thick sticky liquid that rolls through the mouth, is nicely complimented by a more subtle carbonation than most. Quite nice.

D: Its modest ABV, creamy chocolaty flavor and smooth warm and clean finish make this a beer that would be easy to enjoy long into the night.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2008 03:08:20 | More by dnichols

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed from draft at The Front Door ... poured into a Chimay goblet ... nice 3/4" lite brown creamy head with good lacing that lasted until the last sip. Aroma is chocolate malts and roasted grains... big aroma that reminds me of a cool mocha.. a little sweetness with a bunch of chocolate and coffee ... Flavor begins with the body... Fantastic body ... up front full mouthfeel ... viscous ... feels like it has a higher ABV .. creamy chocolate melts into the roasted barley ... not getting alot of hops, but I know they're there.. Dark fruits.. chocolate covered cherries.. yummy... Drinks like a bigger RIS.

I am sooo glad Grand Teton re-released this one... I drank my last of the previous vintage on my birthday back in June while hot-springing in the Idaho wilderness.

I've purchased the new bottles at a few different places in Boise.. ranging from $12-$13. All are in the Big 1ltr waxed flip tops. Note, the bottles no longer look like the BA pic, now they are the fatter ones ... Donkey Punch is bottled in the same bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2007 08:21:44 | More by JohnGalt1

younger35

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Grabbed a pint of this on tap at Chili’s. I couldn’t believe it either. 5 taps of macros and then this. Awesome! Drank from a 16oz mug.

Appearance- Pours a really dark brown/black with hints of dark amber. Forms a nice one finger dark tan head that runs down the side of the mug. The head stays for almost the whole beer and it leaves plenty of lacing.
Smell- Loads of black licorice is the first smell that greats my nostrils. A bit of bitter chocolate and coffee with plenty of cream. There is a bit of sweetness from all the malt that is a bit more powerful that in previous RIS’s I’ve had. Plenty of alcohol shows as well.
Taste- The first thing that I notice about this bad boy is how sweet it is. I know the bottle says to age at least a year and I’m sure some of this sweetness would mellow a bit. Lots of milk chocolate comes through with a bit of licorice. There is quite of bit of fruitiness in the background as well. Chocolate covered raisins and dried apricots come to mind. The alcohol isn’t as evident in the mouth as it is on the nose.
Mouthfeel- Fairly thin body with fairly aggressive carbonation.
Drinkability- There are bottles of this stuff all over town right now and I’m debating on whether or not I should grab a couple for storage. It just sucks spending $10.99 per bottle. This was a fairly solid brew that I enjoyed. The sweetness could be toned down a bit but for the most part it’s not too bad.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2007 00:24:13 | More by younger35

TheSixthRing

California

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on date of 10/23/12

Appearance - Pours jet black with a half finger cocoa brown head. Fair retention, Leaving a fairly smooth surface, with bubbles gathering around the edge of the glass. Small, spotty lacing with fair stick.

Smell - Chocolate and char smoke. Dark, fruity sweetness.

Taste - Strongly chocolate throughout, with noticeable notes of char and smokiness. Touches of anise and blackened caramel. Moderate dark fruit sweetness. Coffee roast bitterness creeps in subtly in the finish.

Mouthfeel - Full body with modest carbonation. Somewhat creamy before a dry finish. Goes down easy enough.

Overall - A good, approachable imperial stout. One I think I'll be revisiting time and again. This particular bottle is nearly 6 months old... I'd love to try it a bit fresher, though I doubt there'd be much of a noticeable difference.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 03:48:57 | More by TheSixthRing

br3wmeister

Colorado

3.79/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - Extremely dark beer, held up to a light only the very edges of the glass let light through showing that this beer has some dark brown hues. The beer had a small dark tan head that diminishes quickly leaving no lacing.

Smell - Fairly light aroma for an imperial stout. Swirling in a wind glass and sticking my face in the glass I can pick out dark roasted barley, chocolate, some dark ripe fruit, figs and charcoal. The alcohol also comes through in the end.

Taste - Very roast, and pretty dry. Charcoal, dark chocolate, and and some burn toast notes up front, hints of dark fruit and some sweetness comes through as well.

Mouthfeel - Pretty light on the palate very light carbonation finishes dry, with some lingering bitterness.

Over all I would say this is a pretty good imperial stout, it is a nice change from some of the overly sweet imperial stouts, and had a nice mouth feel that is not common among this style.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 02:40:33 | More by br3wmeister

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice. Bottled on 10/23/2012.

Appearance: Pours a dark oily black with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of deep tan head that fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a good amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A very rich and robust dark stout aroma. Dark roasted malts with big hints of dark chocolate, coffee, dark toasted bread, biscuit, caramel, toffee, and cream. Good hints of smoked malt. Big presence of sweet molasses and some anise spicing. Good hints of dark cherry, raisin, fig, and plum. Also some solid hints of earthy and herbal hops coming out from the background. A really nice full imperial stout aroma.

Taste: As rich, roasty, and complex as the aroma hints at. Big taste of dark roasted malts with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, burnt caramel, toffee, burnt toast, biscuit, and a little milk cream. A nice taste of smoked malts are tasted along with a big taste of molasses sweetness and some licorice anise spice. Strong dark fruit undertones with notes of raisins, dark cherry, fig, prune, and plum. A decent backing of herbal and earthy malts round things out. A very good full on stout taste.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Rich, creamy, and somewhat slick. Fairly sweet and has a drying finish. Alcohol is hidden pretty well.

Overall: A great imperial stout. Very rich and complex with some nice fruit and hop notes under all the dark malts.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 07:52:23 | More by MattyG85

tito42

Missouri

4.19/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 750 mL bomber to a tulip. Bottled on 8/23/2012.

A: Very opaque. Some cola color is barely visible on the extreme bottom of the tulip glass when held to light. Creamy-looking, hot cocoa colored head.

S: Rich blend of roasted malt, vanilla, cocoa nibs, tobacco, and plum. Wonderful.

T: Vanilla, chocolate milk, tobacco, plum, and roasted malt.

M: Medium bodied. The 8.0% ABV is definitely noticeable. There is definitely an alcohol presence that is hidden better in other RISs. A moderately dry finish.

O: A very nice RIS. Found this on the clearance rack at my beer supplier, and it was well worth the $6 for the bomber. Not the best RIS I've had, but it has its strengths.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 02:35:58 | More by tito42

Dope

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 8/23/12

A: Pours inky black. Big, dense medium brown head. Fades slowly, leaving thin splotches of lacework behind.

S: Lots of dark fruit. Raisin and cherry most prominent. Smoky, quite smoky. A bit of sharp booze.

T: Again, dark fruit up front. Raisin, cherry, plums are the most discernible. Smokiness follows into the middle. Some chocolate and char joins it. Lots of anise kicks in in the finish, mingling with the smoke. Finish is bitter char and smoke mainly. Lingering smoke in the aftertaste. Overall fairly sweet, which helps dampen the smokiness.

M: Quite heavy and thick. Lower carbonation. Smooth and a little drying from the smoke/char, particularly in the finish.

O: Not a bad RIS. Definitely heavy on the dark fruits and smoke. Lacks some roasted malt character like chocolate and coffee though (which is usually what i prefer, if I'm honest). Good complexity and flavor balance, having said that. Very full bodied, leading to a nice drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 05:10:55 | More by Dope

yamar68

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage:

Very dark... darker than most of its kind. A finger of dark tan head recedes quickly, leaving a neat collar that laces, beads... all that good shit.

I notice a bit of dark fruit right away combined with some brown sugar and coffee grounds. Fairly mellow, approachable, not too sweet and not too hot. I can dig it.

More of that bitter coffee with a slight suggestion of brownie sweetness. Chocolate syrup and cooked sugar make the shift towards a bitter dry dessert character. Nice.

I like this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 07:49:53 | More by yamar68

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a very thin beige head that fades quickly and leaves a very thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains roasted malts, chocolate, molasses and licorice with a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors chocolate, coffee, molasses and licorice. Then a hearty roasted malt character comes in. The hops presence is very mild as you would expect and there’s a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, a bit viscous, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, good kick, decent representation of style, it’s a decent beer but there are several others in the style that I would choose first.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 04:24:30 | More by TheManiacalOne

denver10

Colorado

3.39/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours black with a nice deep mocha head. Aroma is roasty with some chocolate and earthy hops. Flavor is bitter chocolate, roasted malt, leather, and bitter earthy hops in the finish, Fuller mouthfeel, somewhat creamy. Overall, a good beer though not really my favorite take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 04:02:35 | More by denver10

MisterNic

Wyoming

3.4/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle, bottled on 10/23/2012

A - Pours dark, opaque black with a 1 finger dark brown head that dissipates quickly.

S - Nice roasted coffee and sweet milk chocolate aroma.

T - Starts roasty, moves on to sweet chocolate, and finishes with a big dry roasty bitter coffee taste. After a couple of sips I noticed a little bit of an alcohol burn in the back of my throat that stuck around for a while.

M - Full bodied, thick and creamy mouthfeel. Finishes dry.

Overall, I would consider this an average Imperial Stout. It's good, but I've had a few other Imperial Stouts that I consider to be much better. It would interesting to see how much better this beer is with a year of age on it to mellow out the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 18:11:09 | More by MisterNic

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bottle, bottled on date reads 09/21/2011, so this beer has been chillin in the bottle for over a year now.

A - Extremely dark black color, with no light showing through. Beautiful cappuccino looking mocha colored head. Looks very nice.

S - Warmth. Chocolate. Coffee. Alcohol. Some kind of roasted nutty flavor in there.

T - Coffee. Chocolate cream. Slight hint of alcohol in the finish. I'm not a big stout fan to begin with, but this isn't bad at all.

M - The chocolate and coffee tastes linger for a while, as does the slight booze finish. Very smooth beer, and a tad more watery than expected, but I don't mean that in a negative way. It is still a very full-bodied beer.

Overall, I have been impressed with what Grand Teton has to offer. This beer isn't terribly good, but it is by no means bad. Like I said, I'm not the biggest stout fan anyway. Like a slice of chocolate cake in a bottle, or something. Looking forward to trying more from Grand Teton!

Grand Teton Black Cauldron Imperial Stout ---3.5/5

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 15:43:23 | More by mfnmbvp

Detlef90

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first beer from this brewery and definitely made me intrigued about their other beers. I thought this was a smooth and creamy stout. Not too bitter (which was nice as many of the stouts I have been drinking recently have been quite hoppy). I recommend it for it's body and for it's easy drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 20:06:34 | More by Detlef90

PrivateEquity

Kansas

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark black color letting through little light. Nice tan lacing. Very appealing look.

S - Chocolate and coffe malts are very nice and enticing.

T - Chocolate, fruity strong malt base. Very nice and roasted. Maybe just a little less chocolate and this would be subperb.

M - Nice roasted thickness and creaminess.

O - Solid Imperial Stout that is consistent all around. Very nice drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 02:31:16 | More by PrivateEquity