Founders Imperial Stout
Poured into a snifter on 5/14/10 Bottled on 11/27/09 On the pour I can see faint traces of scorched brown; once in the glass however, this beer is jet black. This actually has to be one of the most viscous beers I have poured. So thick, it was almost a drizzle. The head is solid two fingers of milk chocolate colored foam of small, densely situated bubbles. Reduced to about 25% retention after several minutes, it has left good lacing so far. Thin but good retention & spotty lace throughout. Despite being a tad restrained the aroma is good. Licorice is notable upfront & quite prominent. Following are notes of sweet chocolate, roasted malts & hints of toffee. Maybe a spot of caramel & molasses. Not too much in the way of appreciable hops. A little booziness is also to be had. This is a big, malty critter. Moderately sweet chocolate, caramel & licorice hit upfront, leading in to drier, roasted malts. It seems roasted coffee is a faint part of the equation. In any case, the finish is very dry. As with the nose, hops are minimal at best; not exactly a problem though. Come to think of it, hops may account for a portion of the bitterness that embodies the finish. Honestly though, something about the taste isn't quite working for me. Something is missing, possibly distinct burnt characteristics. Very full bodied; this is a thick, chewy brew for sure. Carbonation is low; smooth & creamy, just like it should be. As mentioned above, the finish is very dry. Lots of roasted bitterness lingers on the finish for quite some time. At 10.5% abv, the alcohol is well-hidden. Regardless of the fact that something about the taste doesn't fully jive with me, this is a really solid Imperial Stout. It's otherwise very impressive. More impressive is how easy of a drinker it is at the aforementioned abv. I would have no reservations about giving it another shot next time around, especially if I found it on draft. Don't let me discourage you from giving a try.