Category Archives: Imperial Stout

Stone Xocoveza

Thin head that fizzles down quickly. I can smell the dark makes and spice aroma with the glass sitting a foot away from my nose. Aroma up close is not as strong as I would’ve thought- nice mellow dark malts. Full flavor, with a zing of cinnamon spice cutting through the dark malts, then quickly disappearing. Aftertaste is fairly mild dark malt. The 8.1% ABV is hidden well, with no detectable alcohol burn.

A little too complicated for my palate.

4 out of 5 stars.

Great Lakes Blackout Stout

Nice clean dark malt aroma, nothing overly sweet or “black licorice-esque” like a lot of these can be. Nice even grain flavor with no harshness, with a minor dark malt aftertaste that lingers slightly. Good hop crispness that cleans the palate but stays out of the way. This is from their 2015 seasonal, drank on 12/23/2015, well before the best by date of 05/06/16.  Having had this on tap before at the bar, I know these go down really well and you don’t have any idea of the 9% ABV, until you feel your head buzzing a bit.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Great Lakes Blackout Stout

 

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve with Raspberries

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Nice clean aroma with a hint of raspberries.  Slight edge of bourbon flavor that gets replaced by dark malt, and then a nice raspberry flavor comes in.  Overall very balanced 3-way tug-of-war going on between bourbon, dark malt, and raspberries. You can feel the alcohol heart in the aftertaste, slightly lingering in the back of the throat.  I think I would like it more of there were less bourbon presence, and it was just the dark malt and raspberries commingling.

Bottled 10/06/15, drank 11/17/15.

4 out of 5 stars.

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve With Toasted Chilies

Bottled 10/05/15, drank on 10/29/15. Nice sweet bourbon aroma but not harsh at all. Taste is very pleasant with nice dark malt flavor but no harshness. This is slowly followed by a slight wooden barrel flavor that gives way to a moderate chili kick. Slight alcohol warmth in aftertaste, mixed with chili heat. Great stuff going on, distracting you totally from the 11% ABV.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Dragons Milk Reserve with Toasted Chilies

Epic Big Bad Baptist

Strong coffee aroma. Somewhat crisp taste, like the cocoa is subduing the dark malt flavor. After that initial taste you get an alternating mix of dark chocolate and coffee flavors. Aftertaste is mostly coffee but with some hints of the alcohol level.

Label says release #10, which according to website was brewed on August 24, 2012 and I’m drinking it January 14, 2015. Says first aged in whiskey barrels them bourbon barrels.

3.5 out of 5 Stars.

Epic Big Bad Baptist