No, Olivia Newton-John has nothing to do with this beer.
But there is a bit of Nirvana to this brew.
Last summer, when my family vacationed on the Bruce Peninsula, we stumbled upon an altbier by a brewery in Owen Sound. It paired nicely with my homemade burger at a restaurant just outside of Tobermory, and it prompted me to also try their lighter, Kölsch, which I also liked.
I told myself that I would have to visit this brewery when I passed through this small Ontario town, on my way to Guelph.
Kilannan Brewing Company is a small operation, set in a non-descript warehouse at the intersection of Highway 6 and County Road 18, and when I pulled up to the side of the building, I was beginning to think that they had no sales area, that they were merely a production and distribution centre. I was going to turn around and continue on my journey, but something told me that I had to at least stick my head in the door and look around.
I'm glad I did.
While the brewery isn't build with looks in mind, they do have a tasting bar and a large refrigerator that is stocked with their mainstay offerings and seasonals. I had also tried their stout, in Tobermory, but unfortunately it was also a seasonal and was no longer available.
As luck would have it, they did have a few bottles of another seasonal stout on hand, and I picked up a few to have at a future date.
The future is now, and we find ourselves in Xanadu.
Xanadu Imperial Stout (9.5% ABV)
Kilannan Brewing Co.
Owen Sound, ON
Appearance: deep brown, with a creamy-taupe head that remains a solid cap. I literally stepped out of the house after a couple of sips and returned an hour later, and there was still a head.
Nose: prunes, licorice, and dark-roasted coffee.
Palate: black licorice and cocoa. The Imperial stout holds a nice body with a slightly astringent finish that brings out bourbon and oak. After a few mouthfuls, you can start to feel the alcohol on the tongue, but it is never overpowering.
Overall impression: this is a strong but gentle Imperial stout, one that doesn't bowl you over but can still flex its muscle and leave a solid impression. But remember: it is a strong beer in a large, 650ml (about 22 oz) bottle. I sipped the beer over an hour, and by the time I was done, I knew that there was no way that I was driving anywhere.
This is an ale that I would highly recommend that you search out. Hopefully, it's not as elusive as its name suggests. (And there are no Australian actresses associated with it, either.)
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Cheers!
Perry didn't lie.
It was the first beer that I ever reviewed, was the ale that made me create Beer O'Clock. And it was the best Imperial stout I ever had. When I was told that it could last 10 years, I put it to the test. And this year, it was time to say goodbye.
Months ago, when I told my friend that I only had one bottle of his stellar creation, he told me, in that calm, soft, nonchalant voice of his, "that's one more than I have." For all I know, it was the last bottle in existence. If you have any, I'd love to hear from you.
Also, if you do have a bottle, drink it now or forever keep it sealed.
Because, on this Imperial stout's tenth anniversary, it's reached its end.
Tsarina Katarina 2005 Imperial Stout (9% ABV)
Scotch-Irish Brewing Company
Fitzroy Harbour, ON
Appearance: deep, deep walnut, with a dark-taupe head that needed coaxing. In fact, I poured the bottle into a glass and then quickly poured that glass into another, to bring it to life. It raised a thick, foamy head that settled to a solid cap.
Nose: dark chocolate, licorice, and prunes.
Palate: sweet prunes and mild coffee. The liquid was mostly flat but not dead: there was a faint pulse that stimulated the tongue. But as I drank more, I could tell that the fizz was this beer's final breath. The flavour carried through to a tangy finish that was slightly sour.
As I continued to drink this old stout, I could taste it change, become more acidic, as though it was burning out. I have experienced this mouth change in some very old wines, but never in a beer. The air was taking the life out of the glass.
Overall impression: if this had been a new beer, I would have said that it was slightly off, that there might have been a flaw in the bottling. At 10 years, it was still drinkable, though the final sips told me that not only was my glass finished, this majestic brew was, too.
Knowing this beer's history, this final bottle was still enjoyable. My friend didn't lie: this ale lasted 10 years. No more.
I tip my hat to you, Perry: you were true to your word. You made a classic Imperial stout and you made it legendary. Your brewery is gone, and now what may have been the final bottle has been consumed. Be proud that it happened.
The queen is dead: rather, the tsarina is gone, but not forgotten.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Cheers!
Like a fine wine, some beer is meant to be stored, set down so that it can fully mature. And Imperial stouts fall firmly into that category.
Not all Imperial stouts require aging. I've been able to bring a bottle back from the store, open it up, and savour it. For example, in this series of reviews, I opened a Bolshevik Bastard shortly after I picked up the four-pack at the LCBO, and I enjoyed the flavours as they presented themselves. I also picked up another Imperial stout that is meant to be consumed straight away—a Long, Dark Voyage to Uranus, by Sawdust City Brewing Company—and savoured it that very night, and again, a couple of weeks later.
I liked it, but didn't include it in this series of reviews because I had already chosen my list. I'll review it some other time, perhaps.
But what has really struck me, over the past couple of months (has it been that long??), is that not all Imperial stouts are created equally, and while some can be polished off on the night they left the liquor store, some must not.
Some must be put away and forgotten.
To wrap up my series of Imperial stout reviews, I was going to compare two ales that have been in my cellar for at least a year. They were by the same brewery and I thought it would be good to compare how they had aged.
When I did the last review of this Imperial stout, I thought it would be a good idea to let them age. I didn't let them age long enough.
The beer was a Russian Imperial stout, by McAuslan.
I brought my bottle from 2012 and 2013 up from the cellar. I decided to try the 2012 first, figuring it would have mellowed a little more, and I didn't want the 2013 to overpower my taste buds.
St-Ambroise Special Reserve 2012
Bourbon Wood-Aged Russian Imperial Stout (9.2% ABV)
McAuslan Brewing, Inc.
Montreal QC
Appearance: a murky, coffee brown with a light, creamy, cocoa-brown head that settles to a thin cap.
Nose: bourbon and oak, burnt toffee and cocoa.
Palate: big-time, toasty bourbon, prunes, and alcohol, with a boozy, charred-wood finish.
Overall impression: an Imperial stout that is as intense as this needed time before I could properly form an opinion. My taste buds needed time to adjust, because at first, I didn't like it. It was too much, too strong, too harsh. But I nursed the glass for a couple of hours, and as it opened up, ever so slightly, I gained an appreciation for it. I saw its potential, saw what it could become, if only I had left it in my cellar longer. Much longer.
Enjoying such an Imperial stout is like enjoying a good single-malt scotch. It is meant to be sipped, to be savoured.
It's also meant to age, for far longer than two years.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3 (for now)
When my friend, Perry, first gave me a case of his Russian Imperial stout, he told me that he thought it could stand up for 10 years. I was surprised, but I learned in drinking it, nine years on, that he was right. And I will finish my last bottle on its tenth anniversary.
The McAuslan stout is the same. It could last 10 years. It certainly shouldn't be released from its bottle before it turns five. I regret opening this bottle too soon, but I can redeem myself.
I placed the bottle of 2013 back in the cellar, promising myself to hold onto it until at least 2018 or 2020.
Or longer.
This is my last Imperial stout review until my friend's beer hits 10. I probably won't have another Imperial stout until then, as my palate craves something different.
I'll have another review next week. Cheers!
The more I drink Imperial stouts, I have found in the weeks that I have been reviewing stored and aged bottles from my cellar, that I'm not as big a fan of Imperial stouts as I am of regular stouts and porters.
They're serious ales, and I'm not a serious guy.
An Imperial stout is something that should be enjoyed once in a while: I don't think it's something that you should drink on a regular basis, unless you enjoy having your taste buds blown away and like a lot of alcohol. For myself, it takes at least an hour to drink one of these bad boys, more, if the bottle is a big one.
But as I go through my cellar, I'm depleting my collection, all in the interest of seeing what it's like to age some heavy ales. This week, I opened two bottles: one, that I purchased late last fall; the other, that my wife brought home for me in the autumn of 2013. Let's see how they drank.
Dragonslayer Imperial Stout (9.5% ABV)
Middle Ages Brewing Company
Syracuse, NY
Appearance: cavernous black with a deep-taupe head that quickly forms to a full lace.
Nose: espresso and chocolate malt that is as rich as a dragon's lair; bits of cedar.
Palate: dark chocolate and rich, full-bodied coffee. The alcohol comes through in the finish and leaves you with a fire-breathing dragon's breath.
Overall impression: this is a classic Imperial stout—neither dull nor spell-binding. I enjoyed drinking it but wouldn't want it all the time. After all, a dragon is fascinating to see, but you wouldn't want one roaming your neighbourhood. I bought this bottle last fall, directly from the brewery. I tried a couple of their brews once I got them home: I'm glad I hung onto this one.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
The next beer is something that I almost forgot I had. When my wife went to Toronto, to enjoy a ladies' weekend with her closest friends, I asked her to visit one of the city's newest breweries (at the time). I had never been, and only knew of their beer by reputation, from the opinions of other Ottawa beer bloggers. I didn't know what would be available, but I asked my wife to grab a sample.
When she included an Imperial stout in the awesome mix, I thought I would lay it down for a year or so and see how it would fare. And over that year, as I enjoyed all of the other brews she had given me, I had great expectations.
I had a devil of a time with it.
Hellwoods Imperial Stout 2013 (10% ABV)
Bellwoods Brewery
Toronto, ON
Appearance: black as Hell with toffee-like sediment that sank to the bottom of the glass. A dark-taupe head quickly settled to a thin cap.
Nose: alcohol, chocolate, and a sinfully sweet caramel.
Palate: burnt wood, espresso beans (the beans, not the coffee), alcohol. The initial sipping experience had me feeling like I was being tormented, punished for the life I had lived so far. Perhaps, I had resisted the temptation of drinking it right away, and now I was paying for that sin. It went down as though I had swallowed a pitchfork: over time, however, the ale opened up and was more drinkable.
Overall impression: it's hard to tell if I was drinking this Imperial stout too early, too late, or during some awkward transitional phase. At one point, I was tempted to dump the remaining contents down the drain. But, because I was sipping it over several hours, I became accustomed to it's flavours. They lulled me—one sip called for another. I even swallowed the dregs.
This was the ale that made me think that perhaps an Imperial stout should be taken less regularly. Like, once a month. To be savoured for what it is, and then to move on to a pale ale, or a session ale.
Beer O'Clock rating: 1.5 (at first); 2.5 (overall)
I have two more of these beers to sample, and then I think I'll declare Imperial-stout season over.
For me, at least.
Cheers!
The first time I tried Tempest Imperial Stout, more than a year ago, I thought it was a boozy ale that was overpowering in flavour. When I saw that there was a year added to the label, I figured that it was meant to be laid down, not consumed right away. Because I had purchased two bottles, that's exactly what I did. I figured that this strong stout needed some time to settle down.
I was right.
Tempest Imperial Stout, 2013 (9% ABV)
Amsterdam Brewing Company
Toronto ON
Appearance: dark walnut with a taupe head that quickly settles to a dense lace or thin cap.
Nose: licorice and prunes.
Palate: burnt malt and charred wood; coffee and alcohol come through in the finish.
Overall impression: this stormy brew still packs a punch and still needs more time to settle down. The flavours come together and make its name appropriate—this is a tempest, for sure.
But I enjoyed it more than I remember from my first bottle, and I only wish I had another 2013 to store in my beer/wine cellar. I think 2018 would be a good year to try it again.
If you have any, hang onto it, unless you like intense, unbridled flavours and strong alcohol.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Cheers!
I think one of the marks of friendship is the ability to share not only interests but also aspirations. It's something special to have a friend confide in their hopes and dreams, and as their friend, your job is to listen and support his or her support of whatever that dream is.
I have two friends who told me of their aspirations for owning a brewery and creating some tasty craft beer, and I have supported them, if not in action, in spirit. It takes a special person to put themselves out there, to toil and sweat and make something to share with the public, and to have that public scrutinize that creation.
When I met Perry Mason, he was managing an Ontario wine boutique and teaching wine-appreciation courses on the side, but at heart he was a beer lover who had been making home brews for decades. He had forgotten more about beer than most people would learn over a lifetime, and he hadn't forgotten much.
When he opened the Scotch-Irish Brewing Company in 1998, four years after I had first heard of his dream to be a brewmaster, I was living in Korea and was unable to share in his success. It wasn't until April of 1999 that I was able to try his flagship beer, Session Ale.
And I knew that his years of hard work had paid off.
In December, 2005, Perry created his first Imperial stout, and when he delivered my first case to me, he said that he suspected that this creation would last 10 years. I kept him at his word.
I drank Tsarina Katarina regularly into the spring of 2006, but didn't have any again until December, 2011, on the brew's sixth anniversary. Since then, I've had it again in December of 2013 and this past December, and I'm happy to say that on its ninth anniversary, drinking it with Perry and some Ottawa beer aficionados, the Imperial stout was still holding strong.
And for my review of Imperial stouts, I thought I would give it another official review.
Tsarina Katarina Imperial Stout, 2005 (9% ABV)
Scotch-Irish Brewing Company (no longer open)
Fitzroy Harbour ON
Appearance: deep walnut to black. No light comes through. A thick, foamy, dark taupe head still poured thick but quickly settled to a solid cap, and then a thin cap, and finally a full, tight lace.
Nose: sweet dates and ripe prunes, with a hint of licorice. The nose drops off after a few minutes but does not entirely go away.
Palate: bitter chocolate and rich malt, with some fruit. The beer has mellowed but all the elements are still there. There is a full, cedar and eucalyptus finish.
Overall impression: I am amazed at this beer, but not surprised: amazed, that a beer can hold on for so long and still run strong with a younger crowd; not surprise, that this beer met the expectations that my friend said it would fulfill.
I have only one bottle of this treasure left. I shall open it in December of this year, on its tenth anniversary. I look forward to finishing the end of a great era of a great brewmaster.
Beer O'Clock rating: 5
Another friend of mine, someone I have only know for a few years, also expressed his desire to own a brewing company before he actually brought his dream to fruition. And his beer is already off to a great start.
J.P. Fournier has made some interesting beers in less than two years with his brewery, Turtle Island. He has made a sour-cherry ale, a hibiscus ale, and the strongest dessert beer-liqueur I've ever had. But there is method in J.P.'s madness.
When J.P. created his Imperial stout, in 2013, he introduced it at a beer market in Manotick, and it won the distinction of best beer of the event. In 2014, and the same event, he presented a cask from the same vintage, and again, his Imperial stout was deemed the best of the show.
Being a good friend, he gave me a couple of bottled versions. This weekend, I opened one of them.
H.M.S Imperial Maple Stout (14% ABV)
Turtle Island Brewing Company
Ottawa ON
Appearance: black—I think light was getting sucked into the glass, as everything around it seemed to darken (I had to overexpose the photo by more than two stops to capture it properly). A creamy, mid-light-taupe head sustained good depth as I drank it.
Nose: I didn't get much off the nose. This baby was holding onto its secrets like family jewels.
Palate: BAM! Lots of alcohol with strong flavours of prunes and cedar. The maple comes through in the finish and tastes slightly burnt, like the caramelization in a crème brulée.
Overall impression: if you're at home and only want one beer, this one is it. The alcohol will hit you by the time you reach the end of your glass, and you ain't goin' nowhere. This is a royal stout that is a little to heady to quaff all night long. This ship fires all guns at will, and it will sink you.
But it does hold up an intense flavour that should balance it out as it ages. I'm going to set my second bottle down and try it again in a few years.
Maybe, with Perry.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
When you love Imperial stout, like I do, it's good to have friends in the beer industry, who have followed their dreams and produced wonderful ales.
The beers are a good thing. The friendship is the true benefit.
Cheers!
When the temperature drops, I tend to seek the warmth of the indoors, where I can relax, share time with family and friends, and enjoy a good pint.
My choice of beer over the winter months is a good stout or porter, and there is no shortage at this time of year. And the king of dark ales is the Imperial stout.
Over the past few years, I have collected a variety of these powerful ales, and this month, I've decided that I cannot wait any longer to try them. And so, for the next few weeks, I plan to share my opinions of these Imperial stouts.
Some of these ales were purchased as recently as a couple of weeks ago; many have been held for a year or two. One is entering its tenth year in the bottle. So, most of these beers are not available in stores.
Why share my opinion, you may say? Why write about beer that you cannot seek? I'm hoping that, in showing how these strong stouts age over time, you may want to conduct a similar experiment, may want to age beers yourself, so that, when you finally crack one open, you can enjoy a similar experience.
That, or maybe I'm just rubbing in what I have and you may not.
I have nine Imperial stouts from eight different breweries. Seven of these breweries are from Ontario (though one of them no longer exists); one brewery is in Québec, and one more is in New York state. I will review anywhere from one to four ales in a post.
So get ready for some heavy drinking on an empirical level.
I decided to start with an ale that I picked up just a few weeks ago and is still available in the LCBO. I have had this stout many times before but thought I should share my thoughts.
Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout (9% ABV)
Nickel Brook Brewing Company
Burlington ON
Appearance: dark walnut to black, with a creamy, deep-taupe head that has rusty highlights, and settles to a thin cap.
Nose: dark-roasted coffee, cedar, and a tinge of turpentine.
Palate: rich coffee with a mild, black licorice, and a hint of cocoa. A good balance of malt and alcohol, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Overall opinion: this is a rich but easy-to-drink Imperial stout. It exhibits complex flavours, while being pleasing on the palate. It's a great start to my exploration of strong stouts and will help keep me warm on cold nights.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
I know I've been lax in my reviews of late. But rest assured, February will be full of beer, and I will be sure to share my thoughts on more styles of ale over the year.
Cheers!
Each time I try a new beer from a Québec microbrewery, I am more and more impressed. These microbrasseries really produce craft beers of substance. They don't seem to shy away from making bold statements in producing flavourful, high-alcohol, seductive ales.
Take, for example, Dieu du Ciel. I have only tried three of their beers, and I've loved each of them. They are bold, flavourful, and often have an alcohol level that teeters near or surpasses the 10-percent mark. But they are balanced and a brew to savour.
This week, I tried one of their offerings that I once saw in an article by Ross Scarano, about the 100 beers you had to try before dying. I had already tried 10 of the beers in that list: I can make this one my eleventh.
Péché Mortel (Mortal Sin) Imperial Coffee Stout (9.5% ABV)
Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
St-Jérôme, QC
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Appearance: a deep mahogany that allows no light to pass through, with a taupe head that dissipates to a fine lace.
Nose: espresso, chocolate, and a hint of iodine.
Palate: bourbon, malted chocolate, and coffee, which ends in a strong alcoholic finish.
Overall impression: this is a serious stout that cannot be consumed lightly. It's well-balanced for the most part, but I found that I had to savour it in small sips, not large mouthfuls, lest the alcohol bite me. The trace of iodine gave it a slight medicinal aroma, which at first was a little off-putting, but it did ease up and allow the coffee to open up.
I picked up a six pack of this beer at Bières du Monde but I have also seen it in Broue Ha Ha and La Trappe a Fromage. It's not available in Ontario.
But crossing the border to pick this up is well worth the trip. Think of it as a sinful pleasure.
Cheers!
Yesterday, I wrote about how I decided to open a neglected holiday gift pack of Beau's, that it had been so long since I had looked at the four-pack that I couldn't remember what was in it, and that I was going to blindly pull out a bottle each night until it was gone.
You can read that post here. My tasting started off on a high.
Last night, I once again reached into the box and grabbed a bottle without looking. Here's what came out:
Matt's Sleepy Time Belgian Imperial Stout (8% ABV)
Beau's All Natural Brewing Company
Vankleek Hill, ON
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Appearance: besides the bottle, which had a mutilated label that was hard to read in some places (especially in places that had valuable information), the beer itself poured a dark brown with walnut highlights and a creamy, taupe head that followed the stout to the bottom of the glass.
Nose: dark chocolate, malt, with a touch of hops. At one point, I thought I smelled coconut, but that's just crazy talk.
Palate: walnuts, coffee, some bitter hops, and a cocoa finish.
Overall impression: lousy labelling aside, I liked this stout. It had great flavours and went down well. Despite the high alcohol content, this imperial stout was well balanced with the bitterness of the hops, the walnuts, and the cocoa.
Sadly, because this ale was the first of the brewery's Wild Oats series, only 1,000 bottles were made for its March 19, 2011 release. I'm surprised I even was able to get my hands on one in December, 2012, but it seems that the lads put some in this gift pack for a special release.
Oh well.
Hopefully, this brew will come out again, and if it does, grab some.
Cheers!
I found a treasure in my basement today. I found a beer that I had all but forgotten I had.
And on a vicious winter's day, with a ton of snow falling on our city, I felt it was high time I tried this beer.
World Wide Stout (18% ABV)
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton DE, U.S.A.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Colour: deep, walnut brown with a dark brown head that dissipated like cola in a glass.
Nose: chocolate, malt.
Palate: raisins, dates, toffee, and alcohol that meld into a black licorice finish with bold hops.
Overall impression: the bottle states, "A very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley." It should also say "And a shitload of alcohol." But although the ABV is mind-blowing, the alcohol taste isn't. The dried fruit, burnt sweetness of toffee, and licorice all marry well and deliver massive flavour.
Flavour that hits you like a sledgehammer.
This is a special stout that should be shared with friends. I regret that I did not do that when I drank mine, but I will seek more out the next time I'm in the States and will share then.
Cheers!
Doubly so.
On Monday, on my other blog, I talked about my fear of waiting too long to open a bottle of beer. I purchased some beer last July and didn't actually open it until this past Saturday.
The beer was great, but the building sediment in the glass made me fear it was past its prime and was coming apart, much the way old wine can.
I decided to take no chances and delved into the other bottle I stashed.
Double Naked Fish
Imperial Chocolate Raspberry Stout (7.6% ABV)
DuClaw Brewing Company
Abingdon, MD, U.S.A.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4.5
Colour: dark, light-absorbing walnut with possible red highlights; a foamy, taupe to deep beige head.
Nose: Dark chocolate, coffee, malt, and a hint of fruit.
Palate: Fresh raspberries and dark chocolate with a dry, rich coffee finish; some hops come through (54 IBUs) and the chocolate returns in the lingering finish.
Overall impression: this is perhaps a nearly perfect stout. There is a great balance between the chocolate, the coffee, and the fruit. The amount of raspberry is perfect: not too tart, not too sweet. It's distinct without overpowering.
What would make this stout perfect? It took me a while to figure that out. I like stouts with a dry finish, like my favourite oatmeal stout, St-Ambroise. But I'm not sure I like a dry finish in a chocolate stout; particularly, a raspberry-chocolate stout. I think this beer deserves something more decadent, creamy, slightly cloying. I think my nose and taste buds anticipated something sweeter while the beer rolled about my mouth.
Don't get me wrong: this is an amazing stout. I'm now anxious to get my hands on more (I wish I lived closer to Maryland). I loved it from the first few mouthfuls to the end, but as I drank I wished the finish was as rich as the start. It starts full and ends with a cliffhanger-like ending.
But that suspense leaves you wanting more.
And as for the aging? It wasn't an issue at all. This is a beer that held up easily over the seven months.
Cheers!
As if I don't blog enough, I've decided to create another blog that is dedicated exclusively to beer. Because life is too short to focus on only one beer a week.
If you've read my beer reviews before, this post will be a little different. The reviews will be brief, sticking merely to the facts about the beer. In other words, I won't ramble.
While most of the beer that I review will be from what I pick up at the LCBO or at Ottawa-area breweries, I'll also take a look at beer from wherever I can find it: be it across the border, in Québec, or across the other border, in the United States, I will focus on beer that is available to as big an audience as I can make it.
I will write a couple of reviews each week, as time allows. And, for now, I'll continue to write my regular weekly review for The Brown Knowser. We'll see how this experiment works.
To start, I want to look at one of my favourite styles of beer: stout. Imperial stout.
Mokah Imperial Blended Stout
Southern Tier Brewery, Lakewood NY
LCBO: $9.15; 11.2% ABV
Appearance: deep brown, with a creamy beige head that slowly dissipates.
Nose: intense chocolate malt with espresso undertones.
Palate: rich, sweet chocolate (I'm reminded of a chocolate malt shake) with subtle coffee in the finish; not so much a beer as it is a dessert--best shared.
Overall impression: someone at Southern Tier has a sweet tooth. This is only the third offering of this brewer that I've tried, and every one of them has been sweet. But because I don't drink them often, they are a treat. And with the considerable alcohol content, they aren't beers that you would drink many of in a single sitting. At a staggering 11.2% ABV, I was surprised at how the alcohol didn't come through like a sledgehammer. It was detectable, but not overpowering. This stout is complex but well-balanced. Delicious.
Rating: 4/5
