Gonzo Imperial Porter - Flying Dog Brewery

welldigger888

South Carolina

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

Poured from growler into a new belgium tulip, opaque inky black with a thick tan head that laces very well.

Subtle roasty grain goodness, hints of black coffee and dark chocolate.

The coffee and chocolate seem dominate but the roasty grain brings a solid sour mash char. The slight sour mash twang reminds me of an export stout (a good thing).

A very full mouthfeel here, with a solid creamy chew to it.

First timer on this brew & I am pleased even with the price tag. Seems as this would roll well with a barrel treatment. Outstanding!

Serving type: growler

07-10-2011 20:42:18 | More by welldigger888

bigdeuce

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Good head retention and very little carbonation.
Smells of fruity esthers, maybe cherry and chocolate. Taste is similar. This is a big beer. Very dry finish. Maybe some honey or molasses in there and a bunch of chocolate and coffee, cocoa maybe. This is no session beer. One and done, but certainly a fine beer, very creative.

Serving type: growler

03-14-2009 02:20:23 | More by bigdeuce

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is MAGNIFICENT! I must thank slatetank profusely for this treat. This was a very unique and rich tasty porter. WOW. Thanks for bring this over and sharing it with me.

Appearance: Pours a dark almost black color with a small tan head from the growler into my snifter glass..

Smell: Rich thick malts, very aromatic chocolate malts, caramel, vanilla, toffee, malted milk balls, coffee, and awesome earthy citrus hops. Sprucey pine flavors are very pleasant and unique for a porter.

Taste: Again rich smooth chocolate malts, very creamy vanilla and malty woody flavors. Viscous feel in the mouth. thick and heavy in both body and flavor. roasted coffee flavors and a bittersweetness balance the beers sweetness before the finish when it end with a big yet soft earthy spruce hop flavor that clings to the cheeks.

Mouthfeel: perfect. Thick and chewy; soft and smooth. It is everything you want it to be.

Drinkability: This is beyond *dangerous* it could be *deadly*! The 9.20% ABV is undetectable and it drinks like a milkshake. So easy to drink. I kept refilling my snifter to the point I had more than my share and I could have drank an entire growler by myself. I must put my hands on a case of this beer.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: growler

05-21-2007 06:40:52 | More by Phatz

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

poured at 55degress into a Guiness Nonic
A - An inky shade w/ medium brown head that cascades from halfway down the glass up to about 2 finger height. Leaves a great deal of lacing and reduces to 1.5 finger head.

S - Piney hoppiness and malty chocolate dominate with minimal vanilla character and slighty rum like odors.

M - a definite blessing to hold in the mouth-the longer the better. I experienced a prickly charred and chocolate bitterness followed by a gentle hop bite for good measure.

T - A sweet vanilla caramel taste immediately gets knocked down by a French roast smokiness and black malt essence with a coffee accent. Lovely piney, woody hop backing is enjoyed next. Creaminess is less pronounced in draft version and hoppy bitterness also seems amplified giving more balance than the bottled version. A great flavor undulates in magnificent ways. Magikal in darkest liquid sweetness-either draft or bottled is luxurious, but draft has a sweeter fuller feel with more hops
So Lively!

D - Loved it even more in the growler. Drink this and feel massively euphoric.

Serving type: growler

05-17-2007 22:39:32 | More by Slatetank

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.84/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Sam Adams signature pint glass,.

Appearance: A very dark brown, like a maple syrup pour with a tan head bubbling up to over a finger's length.

Smell: Malty smell with slight chocolate and bits of sugar/caramel...starts off potent but leaves the nostrils just as quick as it comes in.

Taste: Pretty good, but in my opinion somewhat simple. Light chocolate that feels definitely dark and light malt. Could use a little tweaking. Maybe the barrel aged version is better, who knows?

Mouth: Medium bodied, bitter chocolate at the and somewhat dry. Not bad wish it was more sticky.

Overall: Picked up a six pack on w whim, just to try it overall not bad but wouldn't categorize it on the team of the elite. Still good to have doesn't hurt to split a pack with a friend. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 18:57:58 | More by BlurryVisi0n

tewaris

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A dark brown with good clarity, great dark tan head, and good retention. Smells sweet and chocolaty without the coffee element some of its kind tend to take. Tastes malty and smooth with a restrained kick of roast at the back. Medium feel and somewhat high carbonation.

This beer is superior to many talked about imperial porters and stouts. I like it and the barrel aged version is fantastic as well.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 05:18:34 | More by tewaris

Burkbom23

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

A- Dark Brown almost black in color, nice frothy tan head, fair ammount of lacing. S- Sweet chocolatie aroma with strong smell of dark fruit, raisens, prunes. Did get a hint of soy sauce in the nose. T- Sweet malty flavor, a lot of chocolate coming through. Some coffee and smokiness. M- Creamy medium body, little on the light side for a porter. Would have liked more from the feel. Did leave a warming feeling from the alcohol. O- Definitely leans towards the sweet malty side of things. After a couple i think the sweetness would be too much, but still a drinkable beer, especially for 9.2 abv.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 01:20:43 | More by Burkbom23

Neorebel

New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a completely opaque jet black color. Although the carbonation is minimal at best, there is a frothy tan head sitting on top. The retention is fairly long with some of the head clinging to the glass on the way down.

The aroma suggests that the beer will be very sweet, with sugary malts and dark fruits outweighing any roasted aspects by a large margin.

This assessment above proves to be 100% correct after a taste. Raisins, some milk chocolate, and a super sweet candied flavor dominate. The finish sneaks in a little roastiness and a huge hop bitterness.

I could stand for the mouth feel to be a bit more full, yet the beer seems a little 'boozy' nevertheless.

Overall worth a try if you are a fan of Belgian strong dark ales (no joke). The sweetness and perceived strength of this really took me by surprise!

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 05:47:29 | More by Neorebel

jjchristiano

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Seemed more like a BIPA to me with the hoppiness. Didn't get any of the malty chocolate flavor but just overwhelming hoppy flavor. The high ABV wasn't apparent at all.
Maybe I should not have had a Russian Imperial Stout just before this, because the hops hit me after the sweet chocolate maltiness of the Stout. I like hoppy beers and would probably like this one if not for the order drank.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 03:46:55 | More by jjchristiano

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice. Label says vintage 12JJ.

Appearance: Pours a oily pitch black. Moderate amount of bubbles and a solid three fingers of tan head with decent retention. Leaves a lot of creamy lacing around the glass.

Smell: A robust aroma of dark roasty malts with some fruit hints and herbal hops. Dark roasted malts up front with big hints of chocolate, coffee, vanilla, cream, toasted bread, biscuit, caramel, toffee, yeast, nuts, and smoked malt. Sweet molasses and a hint of anise licorice spicing. Hints of dark cherry, raisin, and prune. A fair amount of herbal and earthy hops in the background. A pretty rich and nice aroma.

Taste: Like the smell hints, a rich and roasty taste of dark malts and creamy chocolate. Rich roasted malts with a taste of chocolate, coffee, cream, and vanilla along with some toast, caramel, toffee, biscuit, yeast, smoked malt, and nuts. A fair amount of molasses sweetness. A little anise spice. Undertones of dark fruit including raisin, prune, dark cherry, and fig. A nice dose of earthy herbal hops provide some drying bitterness towards the finish. A really good taste that is more like an imperial stout than a porter.

Mouthfeel: Fairly full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very creamy and somewhat slick. Alcohol heat is hidden very well.

Overall: A really good imperial Porter. Nicely rich, dark, and creamy with a solid hop backing.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 07:26:49 | More by MattyG85

Greywulfken

New York

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: into a pint, opaque black body with a fat light brown head of stiff mousse; nice lacing

S: about all I really got was dark roasty chocolate malts

T: following nose, predominant dark chocolate and roasted dark malt flavors, slight espresso coffee flavor - I found it very mild and fairly refreshing; hints of smoke

M: smooth, creamy, remarkably light feeling

O: I've only had a few Baltic porters, and there seems to be some leeway to the style - they come off light light stouts - somewhat unassuming, very drinkable for such a dark-looking beer, and with no hint of the high abv they're packing. I found this to be a fairly unremarkable representation of the style, but certainly good-tasting and easy-drinking.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 02:44:56 | More by Greywulfken

arlingtonjoe

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a: dark brown opaque body and doughy head, nice lacing

s: dark fruits, roasted malt and chocolate

t: raisin, bitter coffee, chocolate and a slightly dry finish from the hops

m: full bodied and sticky

o: one of my top five porters and will be sorely missed when they no longer allocate to illinois

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 06:14:27 | More by arlingtonjoe

kangarooAdam59

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thanx to Myrik for this one, and congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens for just winning the Super Bowl (here's to Maryland):

Into a nonic:

A: black colored body leaving a one finger white foamy head that fades fairly quickly to a film covering the top of the body. Minimal lacing is left.

S: some coffee, chocolate, alcohol and light malts up front.

T: bitter and boozy with the coffee and alcohol coming in strong. It leaves a dry aftertaste and has a bitter finish.

M: medium with nothing harsh on the tongue, very smooth and rich for the most part

O: I like this as a Baltic Porter. I'd have this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 04:01:19 | More by kangarooAdam59

I_Love_Beer

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First time I've enjoyed this beer, Found it on tap at a local restaurant. Bartender offered a sample and it was good so I ordered a 22 oz. Draft

A: Very dark almost black color, 1 finger head which lasted nicely

S: Strong roatsed malts, coffee bean, the smell is overall nice

T: This is is hard to describe but it as a nice taste, definitely taste the coffee and espresso, as I read in another review it tastes almost as if you crunched down on a coffee bean. It's a nice strong malty beer and you can tatse the 9% ABV but its not overpowering.

M: Smooth mouthfeel with a bit of a alcohol burn after a swallow, Not to much but a nice overall mouthfeel.

O: I enjoy stronger beers, I've found porters to be my go to beers if I want a strong beer, I enjoyed a chili spaghetti dish with 2 of these and I enjoyed it very much. I needed a little time to linger afterwards being as its a bit of heavy hitter as far as the ABV goes so use caution, I highly recommend this one if you enjoy porter or stout beers. I will try to find this in a 6 pack and pick up 1 or 2 for the fridge at home. The restaurant charges way to much for this beer on draft.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 20:30:36 | More by I_Love_Beer

JoshatTownHall

4.41/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

As a Baltimore guy who has enjoyed numerous authentic Baltic Porters over in Europe I was pumped when Flying Dog came out with their own take on the style. Drank straight from the bottle from a $13.99 6 pack from Oakdale Wine & Spirits in Catonsville, Md. Exceptional version of a Baltic Porter that I would place at the top of my list of Flying Dog's beers. It is definitely worth a second buy while in season.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 07:06:55 | More by JoshatTownHall

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Very dark brown with a massive frothy 4-inch tan head. Good lacing. Sadly, the appearance was the best aspect of the beer.

S - Piney hops, and slight roasty malt. Not terribly fragrant.

T - Pne, some chocolate malt; grainy; woody finish with a hint of smoke.

M - Creamy; Medium to full bodied. Dry.

O - Overall the flavors seem out of balance to me. I would have liked a little more sweetness. Not a bad beer, but I've had many porters and stouts that I prefer. I won't be revisiting this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 15:00:14 | More by thlayli87

danieelol

Australia

4.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From notes.

Wasn't going to review this but it really impressed me. Says "Vintage12BB" on the bottle.

Nice dark licorice colour with nice tanned head and great lacing.

Smell is coffee, brown sugar, licorice, vanilla ice cream.

Taste is not as potent as the aroma and features mainly licorice and some coffee.

Mouthfeel is a tad astringent.

Overall a very enjoyable Baltic Porter.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 10:04:26 | More by danieelol

jucifer1818

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Note: this beer is partially bottle conditioned, and has live yeast in it. As such, conditioning over time may improve it further

A: very, very, very dark. Its not quite completely solid black, but between 37-39 SRM, coming to a very nice color for a imperial stout. Its also a very clear beer with no cloudiness or suspended yeast in it, which also give it good marks for appearance.
Its head leaves a lot to be desired tho, with only maybe a 1/4th of a finger of head, that quickly disapates
not surprising for a beer that's over 9% abv, but it is a issue
4/5

s: this beers smell is very restrained. It smells mostly of fruity alcohols, almost like fruit loops but combined with a good bit of caramel roastyness in it as well
no hop aromas are present
I like it, but would prefer some more roasty chocolaty smells present
4/5

T: Ohh my, where did all that roastyness come from? it certainly was not in the smell!
this one tastes of deep, dark, roasted coffee beans and dry espresso beans. it tastes like chomping on raw espresso beans, and its beautifully nutty and dry (most likely also from its high ABV).
peat smoked malt is also present, but it is well balanced and does not overpower your mouth like others might.
the also gives it a slight sweetness but its well balanced, and can easily improve from ageing.
Hops are very biter on the after taste, but come in so close with the brews roasted barley and black malt that its very hard to pick them out from the roasty bitterness
overall I like this a lot
4.5/5

mouthfeel: grainy, dark, but not very syrupy at all. the beers dryness sees to that
not bad
4/5

Overall: to put it short, this beer is a very good stout, but its not the best...really you have to play it to style
its a dry stout. a VERY dry stout. their is no cloying sweetness in this brew. this is dark, grainy, dry, and bitter, but never overly so.
If you like that sort of thing this IS the beer for you
however I personally prefer a sweeter stout, but still can enjoy this one
I give it a decent 4.5/5

Cellar it, and see how it changes over time!
It might be a 5 brew in a year or two
Cheers

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 00:57:25 | More by jucifer1818

AmitC

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer was an awesome one. Leaves a lot of stouts well behind.

Appearance: Pours very dark brown with some thickness. Black inside the glass. A tan-brown colored head that is persistent and about two fingers thick. Excellent lacing. Totally opaque.

Aroma: Excellent roasty aromas that include burnt up, black malts, some coffee and toffee like flavor. Very good presence of hops in the aroma makes for a wonderful nose experience. Some dry fruits may be. Alcohol comes up in the nose as well mixed up with other aromas.

Taste: Bitter, burnt up and strong. These three words come to mind. Very good use of hops that are well interspersed with roasted malts. Strong alcohol that is very likable.

Mouth feel: Thick and full bodied. Some astringency that is a combination of carbonation, burnt malts, hops and alcohol. But it all gulps down the throat very very well.

Such beers make craft scene worth enjoying. Well done Flying Dog on this one. Very distinct and stout like though being marketed as imperial porter which is not a style.

Try it and you will love it.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 23:53:48 | More by AmitC

UCLABrewN84

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On nitro tap at Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. A foamy curtain of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, slight coffee, and alcohol. Taste is much the same with a cookie dough flavor on the finish. There is a medium roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but the nitro treatment isn't helping out very much.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-22-2012 07:16:13 | More by UCLABrewN84

superspak

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, Vintage 2012BB. Pours pitch black color with a nice 2 finger dense dark tan head with incredible retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice thick soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of dark chocolate, roasted malt, light char, herbal, caramel, toast, toffee, earth, light dark fruit, and light coffee. Nice aromas with good complexity and balance. Taste of dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, caramel, toffee, toast, char, earth, herbal spiciness, and light dark fruits. Fair amount of coffee bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, caramel, toffee, earth, light fruitiness, and herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Nice flavor balance and complexity; zero cloying flavors on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a creamy and lightly slick mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very good imperial porter. Good flavor balance and robustness; very smooth to sip on. I was expecting more out of this, but this was still quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 05:22:52 | More by superspak

danreitz

2.4/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served from a bottle at my friend's place during a session that also involved The Kraken rum. It pours deep, beautiful opaque nearly-black brown. Hoppy, faint aroma that does not give away what is in store for your tongue. Taste is all over the place: aggressive and bitter, with several flavors competing for your attention including burnt iron, cleaning supplies, dirt and liquorice. The predominant flavor is alcohol. Finishes with a bitter, lingering alcoholic aftertaste.

A very memorable beer. Aggressive to a fault. This beer lets you know you're drinking it the entire time you're drinking it and haunts your dreams once you pass out. I notice most of the reviews talk about this like it's an easy drinking beer. This was not an easy drinking beer. Did I get a bad bottle?

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 19:54:00 | More by danreitz

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2012 poured from a 12oz bottle into a Redhook limited release tulip glass.

Appearance- Darker than black with sandy colored three fingered head. Head lasted quite some time and left nice lacing once it was gone.

Smell- Malt. Some hops. Dark dried fruit, maybe prunes. A tinge of alcohol.

Taste- Roasted malts. Alcohol. Some nice bitterness, but not hoppy at all. Not overly impressive, but not bad by any means. The aftertaste is like bitter chocolate.

Mouthfeel- Coats my mouth. There's some weight to this beer. Overall pretty solid mouthfeel.

Overall- Not a bad Imperial Porter. Definantly worth the $2 single price I payed for it. Like most of Flying Dogs beers, I feel like it's missing something. I would probably buy it again if it stayed that price.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 18:16:22 | More by Seanniek91

HeavyMetalBrew

Michigan

4.48/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark, with a brown head. Minimal signs of carbonation.

Smell: Roasted malts. Chocolate. Some hop spiciness. Undertones of fruit.

Taste: Roasted malts. Chocolate. Hops. Cherries. Hay.

Mouthfeel: Malty. Low carbonation. Alcohol.

Overall: I really enjoy this beer. It's perfect for sipping on during Autumn, and I think I will save a few bottles for once the snow hits.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 21:41:52 | More by HeavyMetalBrew

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours out deep black with a short lived khaki head that dies back to a thin cap in about two minutes, leaving minimal lacing behind. Smooth body on the thicker side of medium heft, lighter side of medium carbonation.

Smells and tastes of generous dark roasted malts and medium coffee and bitter dark chocolate elements with a lighter cherry fruity garnish on top. The ABV is well hidden and the sweet / bitter ratio is appealing. It's big and hearty, yet smooth in texture, and I'd recommend giving it a try at least once in a lifetime.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 02:32:03 | More by WastingFreetime