0.355 l bottle from ’Bottle Shop Eindhoven’, bottled in February 2016. Pitch black with a medium large, very creamy, stable, dark brown head. Sweetish-malty, roasty and a little fruity aroma of dark chocolate, coffee, licorice, some tropical fruits and a bit of pine. Sweet, malty, rather roasty and also quite fruity taste of dark chocolate, hard roasted coffee, licorice, praline, tropical fruits and a bit of pine, followed by a rather long, roasty-bitter, slightly resiny finish. Full body, very creamy and sticky mouthfeel, soft carbonation. Great intensity, unexpectedly hoppy, superb mouthfeel. Really good!

0.355l bottle. Pitch black body, brown head. Huge chocolate notes in the aroma with caramel, coffee, juniper (gin) with spicy and floral hops. Taste of chocolate, caramel, sour cherry, coffee and grassy hops. Thick and creamy. Great imperial stout.

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Can from The Beerhive. Black body with a medium head. Good lacing. Aroma of espresso, hazelnut and Marmite. Flavour of rust, coffee, chocolate and cocoa powder. Medium to full body with a gloopy, chewy mouthfeel. Soft fizz. Quite bitter for an Imperial IPA. A quality beer.

almost black colour, large, creamy brown head, which lasts for several minutes; aroma of coffee, dark chocolate, burnt wood, earthy notes, dried fruitiness and hints of herbal liqueur notes; taste of roasted coffee and nuts, some dark chocolate, hints of dried fruits, earthy notes, herbal liqueur and sweet syrup (just a hint in the background); extraordinary imperial stout!

Bottle shared at home /w Mrk. Black with over medium tanned head. Strong roasted smell :-). Roasted chocolate malts, burnt caramel, strong bitter hoppy undertones, some marijuana and some grilled onions. Greek coffee (which is super sweet and bitter), toffee bomb. Big sweet, bitter counterpart. Did I mention the coffee? Full body, chocolate/coffee cake laced with marzipan. Bit grainy sugar chrystal texture. Low but noticeable carbonation, long chocolatey bittersweet finish. Hop bitterness kicks in a bit raw, but it’s tasty as hell.

3 month old bottle. Pitch black pour, visibly thick, with a very tall and long lasting espresso head. Smells like roasted malts, chocolate, cherries, a bit of smoke, citrus hops and pine resin. The fresh hop aroma is quite nice. Tastes like chocolate, cocoa, a bit of coffee, grapefruit. Smoothish mouthfeel with low carbonation and a chocolate bitter aftertaste.

330ml bottle from Brewdog online store. Pours black with a light brown foamy head leaving lacing and aroma of coffee, chocolate, roast malt, fruity hop. Taste is roasted malt, ash, sweet, molasses, raisins, dark fruits, hoppy, with coffee & chocolate and earthy bitterness. Oily mouthfeel, full bodied, soft carbonation, dry roast bitter finish. Nicely drinkable.

Great Divide’s acclaimed RIS, so far only tasted in its oaked version but now it’s time for the original. Creamy, lacing, stable, pale greyish beige head on top of a black beer with mahogany edges. Lovely, rich and flawless bouquet of cocoa, coffee grounds, vanilla, stewed beef, bayleaf, cappuccino, cured bacon, salmiak, some shoe polish, roasted pine nuts. Restrained, well-placed candied fig sweetishness in the mouth surrounded by a thick, beefy umami edge, softish carbo with very creamy, thick, oily mouthfeel as is to be expected from the style, thick bitter chocolate sauce, caramel and coffee-like roasted bitterness, mouth-filling, ensuring a long dry finish along with a spicy dosis of peppery hops and a glow of warm, whisky-like alcohol. Classic American impy in every sense, this completely lives up to is reputation, but then I admit to have a weakness for the style.