B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout
Poured from 22oz. bottle into imperial pint glass. Born-on date probably not an issue with this one. Would like to know the vintage, though. Aroma: Dark chocolate, coconut, and cabernet sauvignon. I'm curious what strain of yeast they're using--there's definitely a wine-like character to the aroma. I prefer more of a dark, malty chocolate aroma, but the fruitiness definitely adds complexity. Appearance: The darkest opaque espresso one could imagine. Pretty thin light brown head disappears quickly per style. Minimal lacing per style, but she's got legs! Flavor: Bittersweet dark chocolate. Definitely a fruity Bordeaux-like character, as the aroma suggested. Bitterness and dark malty sweetness are well-balanced. I notice a slight earthiness, either from roasted barley (or possibly mineral from the water?) prior to the finish. Speaking of finish-- hoppy bitterness remains at the end, and holds on for more than a minute. Lots to talk about here. Mouthfeel: On a scale of 1 - 5, this one gets a 10 for mouthfeel! It has the smooth viscosity of whole chocolate milk. This is definitely one of the thickest brews I've ever had, thanks to the oatmeal. Overall: When the other aspects of this review are so great, what else can I add? B.O.R.I.S. has a dark, malty whallop, a thick body, a bass-line of hop bitterness, and the high alcohol content is very well-concealed. It's definitely not a brew that one would necessarily want to drink all night, but neither are its best bretheren from other breweries. I know the Dark Lords of the world must be great and all (I'm still trying to get my hands on one), but how much better can it get than this??? We're definitely splitting hairs at some point. I can thankfully walk into any of my three favorite liquor stores in my area and buy this whenever I want!