Wreck Alley Imperial Stout - Karl Strauss Brewing Company

yoitsarch

California

2.75/5  rDev -30.6%

01-11-2013 20:00:25 | More by yoitsarch

firecrack0r

California

5/5  rDev +26.3%

05-22-2013 23:02:14 | More by firecrack0r

LesleyLooWho

California

5/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is still the best beer I've ever tasted. I am actually not sure if it was on nitro-tap, but I wouldn't be surprised with how smooth it was. The aftertaste was like a cool cup of coffee and it wasn't bitter, but velvety smooth and chocolaty - just the way I like 'em.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2013 23:36:25 | More by LesleyLooWho

tourdot

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-14-2013 06:25:13 | More by tourdot

SalukiAlum

Colorado

4/5  rDev +1%

05-13-2013 00:17:17 | More by SalukiAlum

djaeon

California

4/5  rDev +1%

05-06-2013 01:43:09 | More by djaeon

ArrogantB

Colorado

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewery. Black color, short tan head. Aroma was quite nice, lots of coffee and chocolate. Big coffee in the flavor, chocolate, alcohol, pretty good. My only complaint was the mouthfeel being a little thin. Best beer I had at Karl Strauss.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2013 01:10:47 | More by ArrogantB

MadCat

New Jersey

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

Appearance: Very dark brown, almost opaque. Short coffee colored head. Not as crazy dark as most Imperial stouts

Smell: Coffee, chocolate, roasted malts

Taste: More coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts. Starts off a little sweet, but has a nice roasty malt finish

Mouthfeel: Thicker than it looks, definitely full bodied, reasonable carbonation

Overall: A worthy stout. Nothing to write home about, but nothing to sneeze at. If you want a stout, and are at Karl Strauss, you can't go wrong. Also, you would never notice it is 9.5% abv until you stand up.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 04:23:29 | More by MadCat

kingmaker

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +1%

04-17-2013 01:06:48 | More by kingmaker

IRONRakkasan

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

04-12-2013 06:23:39 | More by IRONRakkasan

flayedandskinned

California

3.21/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

No bottle date

Poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

Appearance: pours a deep, very dark brown with a finger and a half light tan head that recedes disappointingly fast, leaving no lacing behind.

Aroma: Soft milk chocolate, roasted malts, grassy, herbal hops and some background notes of coffee.

Taste: Creamy baker's chocolate up front, with some herbaceous hops intermingling with some rich, caramel laden roasted malts. There is a nice flourish of robust coffee beans and more chocolate in the lingering, off dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, a quite bit thin for the style with some soft carbonation.

Overall: A decent imperial stout; I definitely wish the mouthfeel was fuller for 9.5% and I wish the coffee notes were more apparent, but the creamy, overt notes of chocolate are quite nice and help the beer seem richer. Karl Strauss hides the 9.5% extraordinarily well. I've allowed this beer to warm up almost to almost room temperature, and still not a single hint of alcohol which is quite impressive. I'd recommend this to someone who wants to try an easy drinking Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:33:48 | More by flayedandskinned

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours out pitch black with about an inch of tan head. All this is great, but the head disappears very fast and leaves zero lace behind.

Chocolate, toffee and a hint of brown sugar make up the smell.

Chocolate and dark fruit start off the taste, though they are both pretty light. Vanilla and earth come in a bit in the middle. Chocolate dominates the finish. No booze from what I can taste. Very light bodied and high in carbonation for an imperial anything.

There isn't anything offensive, or not good about this imperial stout. It's just a bit bland and uncreative. It would be a nice, easy introductory beer for anyone new to the style, but not great for someone looking for an interesting stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:15:15 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

dertyd

California

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured from a 22 oz bomber to a 562 pint glass

A:dark almoast black with red hues looks like an dark iced coffee.verry thin kahaki head that settles to a ring around the glass almoast no lace

S:dark roast coffee,chocolate malts and vanilla

T: just like smell coffe,chocolate and vanilla verry smooth

M:smooth rich,verry wet

O:verry good imperial stout not to much coffee but just enough verry smooth

Live life drink beer!!!:-)

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 06:39:58 | More by dertyd

bootdown21

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +1%

03-18-2013 15:15:17 | More by bootdown21

Puckstop98

4.75/5  rDev +19.9%

03-15-2013 14:38:41 | More by Puckstop98

CommanderOfAwesome

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

2012 bottle poured into a snifter

A: Pours black/deep dark brown with nice 2 finger khaki brown head. slight lacing on the glass.

S: Some chocolatey and big coffee notes. Sweetness about it along with a hint of some charcoal.

T: Roasty, coffee notes, and chocolate sweetness. slight vanilla and a bit of alcohol warming effect.

M: On thin side for an imperial stout. Not creamy which I would normally expect. Not as thin as say Drakonic, but closer to that than a thick creamy stout. Carbonation is noticable on the palate and bit harsh. Slight bit of booze after taste.

O: Alright offering, found the mouthfeel to be disappointing and carbonation levels off. Not as pathetic of an offering as drakonic, but not one I will buy multiple of. I'd be curious to try the BA version, should note for the price ~$8 its not a terrible deal.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 03:53:32 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +1%

03-10-2013 16:53:00 | More by BarrytheBear

dbone_has_biers

California

5/5  rDev +26.3%

03-05-2013 05:18:08 | More by dbone_has_biers

ambruns1979

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

03-05-2013 01:59:43 | More by ambruns1979

jeffjeff1

California

4.31/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I tried this at the Winter Brews Fest in Concord but couldn't really write notes on it then. I got a few bottles of it later and took some notes.

Appearance- black color, thin tan head, decent lacing

Smell- coffee, chocolate

Taste- coffee, chocolate, very nice!

Mouthfeel- full bodied

Drinkability- I thought this was a very good stout. I really enjoyed it a lot!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:32:18 | More by jeffjeff1

WestCoastBrew2

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%

02-07-2013 02:12:12 | More by WestCoastBrew2

Devinph

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

02-06-2013 05:35:25 | More by Devinph

AlbertosTacos

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

02-03-2013 07:29:42 | More by AlbertosTacos

Zorro

California

3.96/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very dark brown colored beer, it is basically lightproof. No head formation.

Smells sweet and very well charred. Smells of berry, smoke and medicine. Burned chocolate aroma and a faint whiff of coffee. Alcohol is completely hidden a lot like a Milk Stout in flavor.

Starts out sweet with a strong chocolate flavor and an after taste of wheat toast. Slight berry flavor.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall this is pretty tasty. Heavy on the malt makes it pretty easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:57:19 | More by Zorro

steve8robin

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%

01-23-2013 04:56:18 | More by steve8robin