Fish Tale Poseidon's Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged) - Fish Brewing Company / Fishbowl Brewpub

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Dan for this. Pours black with a large, dry, thick head. Nose is mellow yet expressive -- roasted malt with little suggestion of bitterness, dry baker's chocolate, lightly sweet vanilla, wood. Flavor is quite sweet upfront and throughout, begins with chocolate and vanilla, unfolds into cherries and other dark fruits. Sweet dark cherries dipped into an earthy dark chocolate is a decent way of summing this up. Oxidation is pleasant and avoids overly paper/cardboard flavors. Feel is rich but a touch thin. Interesting how this has developed after so many years, 8 years I think? A light coffee bitterness creeps in on the finish, as does anise and a lot of earth. Ultimately this is a bit sweet for me as I like drier stouts, but it remains cohesive and interesting after all these years.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 03:18:15 | More by JAXSON

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.39/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle poured into a Teku snifter. Batch 3 from November 2011.

Appearance - Pours black with a great mocha head. Good retention. Nice thick collar. Good wisps.

Smell - A touch of acidity. Lots of wine notes. Chocolatey with dark fruits. Oxidized, but it adds a nice dimension.

Taste - Everything comes together perfectly here. Really rich chocolate. Wine is distinctive, but less acidic. Leaning more towards the fruit flavor of the wine. Still very oxidized, but again I think it plays very well.

Mouthfeel - No booze. The body has dropped off, but it seems to just make it easier to drink.

Overall - Impressive on its own, but truly phenomenal considering its age. Fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:35:28 | More by Alieniloquium

Auracom

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

Enormous thanks to Gregg for sending this one to me. Batch 3 bottled in November 2001, aged in Washington Cabernet barrels. Cracked at DLD on April 27th, 2013 and poured into a snifter.

A - I tried Moscatel BA Dark Lord right before cracking this, and they coincidentally look very similar. A red-ruby hue surrounds a flatter macassar ebony coloring. Just a ring of a head here, probably died off like 7 years ago. Not a lot of heft to this.

S - Oloroso sherry, cherry pit, prune skins (or like a prune jelly, if such a thing exists), sultana raisin, cigar smoke, fig, a hint of american oak, and residual brown sugar.

T - Obvious cabernet presence, with further touches of barrel, slight mocha leaning much more to the bitter side, lots of oxidation.

M - Medium body, dry and semi-short finish.

D - Worthy for a completely unique and historical reference. Graceful aging, to say the least. I doubt I'll ever try it again and that's pretty saddening.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 16:30:44 | More by Auracom

jbuddle

New York

4.5/5  rDev +2.3%

04-25-2013 13:47:40 | More by jbuddle

joel66

New York

4.44/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Joe( bucketboy )for bringing this one out. Never even heard of this before tonight but glad we were introduced Appearance- black with a quarter inch of tan head Nose- roasted nuts, cherry wood,cocoa powder Taste- wow....huge roasted flavor of almond,walnuts covered in chocolate, taste of dark fruit is suttle. Slightly vineous with bitter after taste. Reduced grape reduction with warm caramel on top Ridiculous

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 18:45:51 | More by joel66

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev -3.4%

11-19-2012 02:19:19 | More by t0rin0

largadeer

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks, David. 2001 vintage, cab barrel aged.

Black as pitch with a tall brown head that retains shockingly well for a beer this old.

Quite a bit of -bals left here. The nose is roasty, chocolatey, very complex and balanced. Notes of acidic coffee, buttery oak and vinous dark fruit. This has held up nicely.

Chocolatey, vinous palate. Chocolate truffles in particular. Some vanilla and a slight buttery note. A little caramel. Nice mellow roastiness and dark fruit in the finish. Full, silky body. Excellent, this exceeded my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 22:22:37 | More by largadeer

dsgolovin

California

4.5/5  rDev +2.3%

07-26-2012 09:39:14 | More by dsgolovin

BucketBoy

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks for the hookup, Dan! 3-16-12, NitanyBeerFan's kitchen, epic pre-tasting. Batch 2, Nov. 2000.

L - Coats the sides of the glass with milk chocolate wisps, strands of separated cobweb foam clustsers, nicely amber rimmed medium bodied deep walnut. Looks a touch thin for a stout, but not surprising considering the cab barrel aging.

S - Dark burnt sugar malts, , bing cherry liqueur, 70% cocoa powder, cab finish with a hit of oak. A touch of chalk hints toward oxidation, but just enough that it makes it seem older but not deleterious at all. Just under vibrant after 12 years.

T - What a delicious beer, cleaely pristinely cellared. Black cherry liquer, bitterswet chocolate, cabernet grapes on the front with a lovely cab vinous oak finish. Really delicious, my favorite of the night (beating out Beatification b2 by a fair margin). Still hop finish to hold it together. So good!

M - surprisingly assertive bubbles, slick on the tongue in a mout-coating way. I expected smoother for such a vintage, really has held up eautifully.

O - I really loved this beer. Just a touch of the cabernet, may not have guessed it right off, but the vinous ptesence makes itself known in a delightful way. So damn good, so well cellared, wish I had another bottle. Win! Seek this out if you have the chance.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 03:19:33 | More by BucketBoy

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -14.8%

01-10-2012 07:57:05 | More by ygtbsm94

youradhere

Arkansas

5/5  rDev +13.6%

12-11-2011 00:26:51 | More by youradhere

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this in 2008 and most recently shared with youradhere yesterday.

A: Poured a jet black with great carbonation and a tannish head

S: Roasted, chocolate, booze, licorice, tobacco, wood and funk

T: Charred, chocolate, tobacco, wood, hot and booze and funky soured notes medium way through and finishing funky, wood, booze, roasted and some cabernet

M: Big bodied with lots going on, even after 10+ years it still has killer taste! Wine like feel, good carbonation.

O: Wow. Still very drinkable RIS. Amazingly good and this is a quality beer. I can't think of a single RIS that would hold up to the test of time. Top notch beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 13:09:53 | More by barleywinefiend

HopHead84

California

4.05/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

8/26/2011

Bottle shared by Mages64. This was a long time want, thanks! I think this was the 2001 vintage.

A: Foreboding black with a big tan head of froth. Good retention and scatted lacing.

S: Dark chocolate and cardboard with grape and plum. Oak accompanies a light vanilla presence and roasted malt.

T: Dark chocolate blends with grape, plum, and oak. Malt is modestly roasted and there's a firm earthy bitterness. Oxidation is strong, lending notes of sherry, soy sauce, and cardboard (light).

M: Full in body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is creamy and chewy.

Overall: It was great to finally try this. There are still some nice things going on, but I think at this point the oxidation has taken hold of the beer and it will soon consume the finer notes.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 19:20:49 | More by HopHead84

womencantsail

California

4.1/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Mages64

A: The beer pours black in color with a big, tan head on it.

S: The wine notes really come through quite strongly on this beer. Lots of red fruits and grape aromas along with the expected roasted malts and chocolate. There is a touch of vanilla as well as some oak.

T: A light booziness to the flavor, but otherwise quite good. Lots of roasted malt and chocolate flavors along with tons of wine, berries, and a bit of molasses. Some lightly charred oak with a light tannic feel to it.

M: A really sticky feel on the tongue with a very long finish. Quite nice.

O: Much better than the regular Poseidon, and better than the BA Leviathan I tried previously.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 00:23:11 | More by womencantsail

Chyren

Washington

5/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

(from notes)

Okay, I only had the opportunity to taste about 4 ounces of this stuff while at a Fish Brewing beer tasting. Those of us who stuck around long enough were surprised with a single 10-year old bottle of this amazing stout.

It poured out so black, and thick, and you could just feel the gravity emanating off this stuff. I swear that it spewed Hawking radiation, that's how black it was. The nose was incredibly rich like chocolate and roast and sweet clean caramel smoke. The taste reflected the nose, and it was bitter, but so thick and smooth the bitterness seemed tamed by the silk consistency. I don't think I've ever tasted a beer that so clearly aged in all the right ways. It is as if the harshness of taste and scent became things somehow only remembered by the drink and shown to the drinker, because it had become something so much more mature and complex and ultimately pleasurable. Anyways...

Words cannot describe this beer; perfect in every way is a good start though. I was lucky enough to be there to quaff the very last droplets of this rare libation. Now it no longer exists except within the fading memories of heavy drinkers.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 19:33:30 | More by Chyren

AgentZero

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Alex for sharing this one side by side with the non-BA version.

A - Black beer with a two finger tan head that faded to a cap with some nice lacing. A pretty impressive looking beer.

S - Oak, roast, chocolate, some vinous notes, oak, vanilla. There's some slight oxidation but it's not ba at all. Has a lot of things going on that all work well together.

T - A little sweet, with chocolate, barrel, some bourbon, roast. Tastes quite nice and balanced. Really have no complaints on this one other than the slight bit of oxidation.

M - Smooth, full bodied, lower carbonation.

O - Great beer, past it's prime, but really hasn't lost much that I can tell. The vinous qualities, although not as present in the taste, give it a uniqueness that sets it apart from most other barrel aged RIS.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 21:30:04 | More by AgentZero

tmoneyba

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured clear dark brown with a large frothy light brown head that mostly lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy toasted chocolate, coffee malt, small hop with a small alcohol aroma. Medium to full body with a creamy smooth texture and flat carbonation. Heavy toasted dark chocolate malt flavor with a heavy bittersweet finish of long duration. This is a standout beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 23:45:15 | More by tmoneyba

Lazerlobe

Washington

4.33/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Year 2000, Batch #2

A: Cola colored, translucent red around the edges. A thin head caps the beer. Easily the lightest colored imperial stout I've tried.

S: Smoke, molasses, BBQ meat and a whiff of empty red wine barrels.

T: More smoke, dried cocoa, dark cherries, bold Merlot, still musty oak barrels on the way out. Overall a satisfying smoky/earthy taste lingering on. Not a hint of oxidation.

M: Prickly carbonation, lightly viscous body but working well with light carbonation.

O: Superbly held together, no errors in blending and amazingly balanced 11 years after the original bottling. Amazing wine and wood use. Really a perfect blend standing the test of time.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 06:18:36 | More by Lazerlobe

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Alex for sharing a bottle I really didn't think I'd ever come across. Tasted at the post-Christmas tasting in Chicago. Served in my Cantillon tulip.

Pours near black with a pretty good tan head and a than cap as that falls down. The nose is really quite complex with a nice amount of the red wine place some nice fruit and sweet malt plus a bit of chocolate. The taste is really nice and I love the red-wine character in this one. Really complex and smooth. The mouthfeel is pretty full and has held up well over time. Really quite drinkable and tasty; I'm really glad I got to try this.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 03:05:15 | More by Thorpe429

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this as part of a post-Christmas tasting in Chicago, courtesy of Masterski (thanks Alex!). This was bottled in 2001, and has been on my WANTS list for some time.

It pours with more foam than I feared it would be capable of, due to age and barrel treatment. Dark brown-black color with a thick tan foam.

It smells a little old, maybe a touch oxidized, but I like that and it also has a lot of refined or melded things going on, cocoa and oak barrel, mellowed out roast, and a sweet presentation throughout.

Sweet tasting but only lightly sweet, with chocolate and roasted malts matching each other well. The cabernet character is there too, I loved it. Nice thick body, very substantial mouthfeel, it tastes and feels of quality.

Very happy to have had this, and could have gone for more. The age is showing, would have loved to try it a little fresher.

I can now remove this from my WANTS list, but I'd be happy to try it again any time.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 00:45:50 | More by TurdFurgison

jrallen34

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Alex, the King of Obscurity, for this 9 year old beer I've never heard of...Awesome pour that is totally black with at least two full fingers of medium tan head that settles to a nice cap with good lacing...Complex aroma of oak, red wine, and chocolate. Great balance...The taste is almost as good but loses a lot of the wine character except for the finish.
Enjoyed this. If you like winey stouts this for you.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 19:56:54 | More by jrallen34

MasterSki

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to bgramer for this rarity. Batch #3, bottled November 2001 - over 9 years old! Served in a Rodenbach tulip.

A - This stuff looks superb. Pours with two fingers of light mocha foam that settles to a thin cap and thick collar, leaving behind spotty lace. The body is pitch black.

S - Oak, roasted malts, chocolate, light peppery red wine, a kiss of honey, and a touch of oxidation that imparts some light sherry and a bit of paper. Extremely mellow, with no trace of the 10% ABV.

T - That has a bit more apparent oxidation that imparts a fruity note that is complementary. Lots of caramel and sweet chocolate malts, and only a faint touch of vinous character. Finish is tannic and slightly astrigent.

M - Sticky, chewy, full bodied texture. Nice pleasant, moderate carbonation. Very sticky in the finish.

D - This beer wasn't mind-blowing, but it was still very good. It's probably starting to decline, but it's eminently drinkable as there's almost no booze character. It was also much, much better than the fresh, regular Poseidon's that we had side-by-side. Why did they stop barrel-aging this?

I'm not sure if the quality is more of a tribute to the beer itself or to Bottleworks' pristine cellar conditions and foresight. However, it gives me a lot of hope for the Merlot Leviathan, assuming I can get my hands on one.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 18:32:57 | More by MasterSki

jcalabre

California

4.78/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

8 Dec 2006: I just opened a 2002 bottle. It's still fantastic. pours with a great head; the flavor starts out rich and chocolatey and finishes w/ vinuous flavors. Thanks batkins

Batch 3, Nov 2001: Thick black pour w/ a tall, long lasting, tightly bubbled tan. head. Smoothly, chocolatey flavor w/ notes of wine. The aging in casks really comes into to play here. Hints of chocolate covered fruit (like raspberries) abound in the taste. Absolutely fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 13:46:07 | More by jcalabre

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Batch #3, November 2001. Aged roughly 3 years. Absolutely stunning!!! The opaque black body reveals only minor glints of ruby at the sides and base of the glass, and its frothy dark-tan head seems to hold on forever. The lacing, however, is limited; but that's to be expected in a high alcohol brew. The nose suggests bourbon, cocoa-ish malt, vanilla, and a touch of alcohol-soaked summer fruit. The body is full and rich with a smooth and creamy feel, and it very subtly tingles the tongue before it slides dextrinously away. Rich notes of bourbon dominate the flavor amidst a solid layer of leafy and somewhat pine-like hops and slick, dark chocolate, molasses, and alcohol. And despite the richness of its malt, the alcohol become apparent at mid-swallow and lingers into the aftertaste. Notes of fig and prune appear as well. Well done, and this is certainly a beer to cellar for at least a year. Still, worth trying even fresh!

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 12:56:30 | More by NeroFiddled

RoyalT

Ohio

4.97/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance - Black as night with a tight, blackened head that seemed to last forever. As I made it halfway through the glass by the end of this taste, I also noticed some serious sediment at the bottom of this glass, which is understandable for a brew that was bottled almost two years ago.

Smell - This is terrific. Big aromas abound. The sharp oak-aged port scent comes out right away, followed closely by the lovely smell of cherries dipped in fine chocolate. The roasted malt announces itself as well along with the presence of alcohol. There are a plethora of other fragrances in this glass, but these are the dominant ones that I could readily identify.

Taste - The wonderful burnt malt flavor picks up the pace here. The afore-mentioned chocolate-covered cherry flavor continues from the nose, complimented at the tongue by fine, dark-roasted, shaded Columbian coffee poured just moments after pressing. Notes of alcohol come and go as well, warning the drinker to keep it slow.

I should say that all of these flavors, and many others that I am unable to articulate, are very crisp, refined, and distinctive. This stout screams, "quality," with every sip. I usually don't care for a leaning emphasis on fruits for this style, but this was artfully executed.

Mouthfeel - Low carbonation in accordance with the style. The sharp flavors were exhilarating on the tongue and cheeks, and the alcohol notes played well to the roasted nature of this brew.

Drinkability - This was a tremendous experience. It was smooth enough to go down well yet complex enough to keep one entertained.

Comments - I popped this old Batch No. 3 (bottled November 2001) to prost the birth of williamstout's new son, Riley. Congrats on the new addition to the family, bro!

Admin Note -This review got moved into the non barrel-aged category so I had to delete, recreate, etc. It's dated 10/15/10 but I actually wrote and posted it in March 2003.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 02:22:39 | More by RoyalT