Podge Belgian Imperial Stout - Picobrouwerij Alvinne / Den Bierzolder

kundabuffer

Indiana

3.18/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A--No freshness/mfg. date, but it can't be that old. According to the bottle this beer is "of a deep black color." And this is not so...it is a rather dark brown, with quite a lot of sediment floating about. I don't mind sediment in general, but with this much it starts to look rather unsightly. Also according to the bottle it can be aged for up to 8 years under proper conditions, so I don't know if that's true either...Regarding the age: I noticed that many other reviewers have also seen the "2003" date on the bottle, as it is on mine, as well as the photo. I believe this is the year of the brewery's first production...take note that the same date is on the photo of this beer on BA as well as the blonde ale from the same brewery. I looked at the brewery's website and found no text in English, but clicking on "brouwerij" yields a series of boxes, one for each year, going back to 2002 and I'm assuming this is some kind of "evolution of the brewery" type of thing...

S--Most true to a "stout" in its smell, which consists of the expected roasted malts, chocolate, etc. A pleasing smell.

T--The taste is surprisingly sour, so much so that this tastes like a cross between a belgian strong dark and flemish sour ale, and not like a stout at all. I'm not one to score a beer lower because it doesn't "fit the style," but this one is nowhere in the ballpark, and I don't know that I care for the taste so much either. The alcohol is well hidden, but only by the sourness. And somehow it manages to taste a little watery at the same time. Still it's a beer with "body," and thusly I give it an average score.

M--Can be inferred by the "taste" comments. It's a bit thin.

D--At over $5 a bottle, combined with the rather overpowering sour character, it's not too drinkable...this beer is an interesting experiment of sorts, which has gone slightly awry.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2008 04:42:49 | More by kundabuffer

Brewsed

North Carolina

2.2/5  rDev -36.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

CAUTION! this bottle was infected with wild yeast/bacteria.

Opened bottle and it geysered due to over fermentation in the bottle, by wild "bugs". Made a mess at the tasting room table at the bottle shop. (embarrassed the owner.)

Poured into wine glass at the bottle shop.

Appearance: Poured a murky black due to the high carbonation/spewing stirring up the lees.

Smell: Sour, not in a good way. Roast. Dried fruit. Acidic.

Taste: Sour, super fizzy, and very dry. Hints of roast dried fruit, buy it was very hard to pick up on this through the sourness.

Overall: Due to the fact that this beer was infected with wild yeasts/bacteria, I would say that overall, it is not a good beer. I would like to try this beer again, but only if I see better reviews saying that it is "clean".

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 13:22:00 | More by Brewsed

UCLABrewN84

California

3.95/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at the bottle share held at Chloe's inside Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

I usually don't mention bottle formats, but this beer was sampled from a magnum.

Pours a murky brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, dark fruits, and slight cocoa aromas. Taste is much the same with a fruity flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but it's definitely more of a Belgian, fruity type of stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 06:28:17 | More by UCLABrewN84

JDavidRice

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

02-16-2013 20:33:29 | More by JDavidRice

Lukass

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +22.1%

01-05-2013 13:50:58 | More by Lukass

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

12-07-2012 17:15:51 | More by t0rin0

beergoot

Colorado

3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Much like "allforbetterbeer" noted in the previous post: BEWARE -- my bottle also spewed upon opening (it was cool and had been sitting for several days). I had about 3-4 oz of beer to evaluate...

Dark, turbid brown body with a rather thick yet bubbly head. Rather unspectacular aroma; the spillage hinted at rich, dark grains and fruits, but what was left in the glass was a minor shell of this. Taste came across rather rich with a predominance of ripe, dark fruits; slightly bitter and a decent alcohol heat.. Medium-heavy body with a sweet, treacly feel.

Perhaps if the bottle allowed a decent serving I could have rated this beer a tad better. Not bad, taste-wise, for an imperial stout, but looks, after it settled in my glass, exuded an unappealing muddy, watery brown color. The aroma in the glass was faint. The mouthfeel was nothing to write home about. Only the taste left a hint of what this may have been, but as a 'complete beer' offering, I wouldn't waste any money on it.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 22:02:05 | More by beergoot

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

2.58/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Batch 572 stamped on cap. WARNING! This bottle was a total gusher. I lost all but maybe 3 oz in the sink (good thing I was standing right there!). What a waste of money.

What is left after the old faithful event is a murky brown liquid with a dark tan head. Full of yeasty chunks. There was obviously a thick layer at the bottom of the bottle.

Smells of dark sugar, cider, sea foam, cherry, apple skins, and day old spent coffee grounds.

The flavor is interesting. This really tastes to me more like a Belgian strong dark ale with some roasted barley thrown in. The yeasty spices are apparent, as is a slight twang which might signal an infection (maybe what caused this to shoot out of the bottle the moment I pried the cap). I don't taste much in the way of hops. There is a bit of cola and cider.

Strangely light bodied. Very carbonated but lighter than expected. Over attenuated for sure.

Conclusion: Well I don't know what to make of this beer, but the gushing all over wasn't a positive point. I think it has a subtle infection and would have eventually been a cider bottle-bomb.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 22:51:32 | More by allforbetterbeer

Beer21

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

09-10-2012 03:25:22 | More by Beer21

Yabev15

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

08-16-2012 23:26:43 | More by Yabev15

acurtis

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

07-07-2012 21:00:10 | More by acurtis

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.73/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky brown red amber with lots of black floating particles. Massive medium tan head and lacing. Faint toasty malt, light fruit aroma. Taste of toasted malt, sweet malt, light fruits, maybe chocolate. Pleasant light cherry like flavor in the middle and finishes brightly with an nice slightly acidic fruit flavor. Quite different approach to a RIS. Will try again if it isn't too pricey.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 03:55:45 | More by LiquidAmber

msarver16

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -21%

06-26-2012 01:51:54 | More by msarver16

avalon07

South Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a mostly thick consistency. Had a creamy, off white, fairly long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: Not a whole lot of aroma, but there were traces of dark fruit and malt.

T: Tasted of malt, a hint of chocolate, dark fruit (plums, raisins), and a somewhat unpleasant burnt quality. Flavor here is kind of on the thin side, and not nearly as robust as you would expect from a RIS.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a dry, smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: Not the worst example of a Russian Imperial Stout I've ever had, but certainly not the best. Definitely an underdeveloped beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 12:08:38 | More by avalon07

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

11.2oz bottle served in a snifter.

pours a murky, muddy dark brown tone with a solid finger, maybe two, of a foamy tan head; decent retention, lacing. OK presentation, nothing especially noteworthy.

aroma is sweet up front with a notes of dark fruits, spice, belgian yeast. some chocolate and roasted malts in the background. sort of muddled and uninspiring, more reminiscent of a belgian dark ale than a stout... flavor follows the nose with a bit of a tart fruitiness up front followed by some traditional stout notes. as i'm not the first to make the observation, the first thing you think is that this seems much more BSDA territory than imperial stout; RIS does not leap to mind.

medium-plus bodied with carbonation a bit on the high side. i would not balk at another if offered, but left to my own devices i'd prefer something else. overall a 'meh' sort of beer: looks like 3s across the board for me.

originally reviewed: 01-23-2011

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 23:05:26 | More by BostonHops

mrsimm

Florida

3/5  rDev -13.8%

04-28-2012 00:16:51 | More by mrsimm

mikeborglum

Missouri

2.9/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Aroma is loaded with roasty malt, dough. Color is black and very hazy with a full tan head that dismisses quickly. Taste is quite sweet with the presence of dried fruit. Very carbonated, lively, with medium body and oily texture. Finish is smooth and long. Just an average stout for me, I prefer a bigger body and creamy texture with much less carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 00:41:16 | More by mikeborglum

getbehindthemule

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

04-16-2012 22:32:37 | More by getbehindthemule

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.23/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 33cL bottle into a brandy snifter. Best by June 2013. Lot 7JN.

A: The head gushed out of the bottle, spilling slightly, before I was able to pour it. Good retention and great lacing from the two fingers of off-white head. The beer is dark chocolate brown.

S: A bit metallic, then some fruity yeast. Definitely not what I expected.

T/M: Thinnish, but not a bad flavour. Chocolate malts, bright fruit, and an inappropriate carbonation. Definitely fruity-floral aftertaste, perhaps from Belgian yeast? More bright than dark, which isn't necessarily what I was looking for in my imperial stout. A hint of roast.

O: Interesting, but unexceptional. I will probably never have another, but I'm glad I tried this one.

Notes
OG: 24.3 Plato
Color: 302 EBC
IBU: 48
ABV: 10.5%
Malt: pilsner and "6 special malts"
Hops: Challenger and EK of Goldings
Other Ingredients: water, Irisch ale yeast, candi sugar

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 04:07:11 | More by AgentMunky

kentmanfield

Maine

4.5/5  rDev +29.3%

04-05-2012 03:37:34 | More by kentmanfield

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

2.13/5  rDev -38.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a translucent black with purplish-red highlights. Has 1 finger of khaki colored head that dissipates slowly. There’s tons of yeast and some pretty vicious carbonation.

N: Cherry, raspberry, prune, red grape, vanilla and hints of milk chocolate. Smells very much like a Belgian Dark Strong Ale. It’s rather pleasant.

T: This is a serious step down from the nose. Upfront there is prune juice, dish soap, raspberry and blackberry. Mid-palate becomes very metallic with notes of bakers chocolate, rotten grape and lemon. The finish is a horrendous mishmash of all of the above along with astringent pine notes and booze. Blech!

M: Light-medium bodied, warming and clean.

O: Tastes like rotten prunes and rusty screws. Giving it the benefit of the doubt, it’s a pretty bad Imperial Stout or Belgian Strong Ale. It’s just not good.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 13:39:11 | More by justintcoons

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours with a pitch black body and a small, one finger head...the head had a light brown hue to it and become wispy over time...some traces of lacing were left behind

S - The aroma was the highlight of the beer...it was very complex...roasted, dark chocolate, dark fruits (raisins and dates), some coriander, strong yeast strain

T - More Belgian flavors stand out on the palate...the yeast is very present from the middle to the finish...there is a slight chocolate and coffee presence also in the middle of the beer but the spices overpower that...the spice and fruit are also take a lead role in the middle...there is a slight bitterness at the end but it also pairs with the Belgian yeast

M - Medium bodied...needed more for a 10.5% Imperial Stout...spicy with yeast flavors

O - A Belgian Imperial Stout just didn't do it for me...I enjoyed the complexity of the nose, but on the palate there was just something not right

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 15:36:54 | More by thain709

SpillyBeers

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +14.9%

03-10-2012 03:59:12 | More by SpillyBeers

djcira

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

02-19-2012 16:43:38 | More by djcira

sweemzander

Illinois

1.38/5  rDev -60.3%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

11.2oz bottle poured into a snifter.

(A)- Pours a rather muddy/murky brown color. Some tan bubbles. Not a very appealing look to what should be a stout.

(S)- Some rather "muddy" aromas to it. Mildly funky clay, tons of raisin, very heavy yeast, and a prune-like metallic finish.

(T)- Almost tart. Tons of raisin and prune. Very very heavy yeast, metallic, and funky clay to it.

(M)- A normal carbonation level for the style, but the rest of this beer is just kind of a mess. Muddy, murky, and disjointed. Very thin overall too.

(D)- Not sure what is up with this beer, but it is just all over the place. Not sure how old or young it is, but at 10.5%, it should have been fine for a few years at least. Major disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 18:39:32 | More by sweemzander