(h)Optimism As A Radical Life Choice
Torrside Brewing in New Mills, Derbyshire, England 🏴
Collab with: Elusive Brewing / Cult of Oak / Emperor's Brewery / Heist Brew Co.Stout - Pastry / Flavoured - Imperial Regular
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Score
7.35
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As a fitting farewell to the mighty Hoptimism and to say thank you for all their support over the years, Torrside Brewing have joined forces with fellow beer heroes A Hoppy Place and some of their absolute favourite breweries – Cult of Oak Elusive Brewing Emperor's Brewery and Heist Brew Co – to brew something particularly special! Combining beech, oak, cherrywood, and maple smoked malts, with all matter of other dark and delicious goodness, the result is a rich and luxurious quadruple-smoked vanilla imperial stout.
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Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
7/11/2023. Bottle shared by Colin, cheers. Pours close to black with a small bubbly beige head. Aroma is smoky, tobacco, ashtray, dark malts, chocolate, coffee, wood. Moderate sweetness and medium roasted bitterness. Quite full bodied, smooth, soft carbonation. Earthy bitter finish. Enjoyable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle split at a share, bottle sourced from the brewery. Pours deepest brown towards black with a tan cap. Aroma: roasted malt, dark chocolate, maple, vanilla, spicy, light beech smoke, charred oak, vanilla. Taste: moderate+ sweet & bitter, slick, oily, gently smoky, caramel, toffee, dark chocolate, dried fruits, tobacco hints. Medium+ body with fine carbonation. Nice balance with restrained smokiness. A nice drop indeed.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle split a the 2nd CBJ tasting, thanks to Kenny, 31/08/23. black with a tan cap that clears to the edge. Nose is dark malts, light spice, herb, dried fruit rinds, light smoke, toffee. Taste comprises chocolate, spice, dates, light charr, dark malts. Full bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a balanced kiss of alcohol. Tidy.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle shared in London - cheers to Dave. Pours black-brown with a foamy tan head. Big sweet flavour. Some meaty roast, dark berries, a little roast. Medium to full bodied with fine carbonation rim . Sweet and lightly warming finish.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
31st August 2023
Craft Beer Junction bottleshare. Thanks to Dave. Almost clear dark amber brown beer, small tan head. Light and semi dry palate, decent fine carbonation. Thin dark malts, a little Maltesears dark chocolate. Some bourbon fruity spice. Semi dry finish. Generic but fine.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Keg at Casc, Aberdeen. It pours oily darkest brown to black with a small, bubbly tan head. The aroma is rich roasted malt, bitter - sweet, deep dark smoke, charred oak, vanilla, toasted marshmallow, dark chocolate, liquorice, pipe tobacco, gateaux and ash. The taste is slick, oily, bitter - sweet, deep smoked vibes (but not in a harsh way), pipe tobacco, sticky chocolate character that coats the mouth, gateaux, touch of toffee, caramel, fudge, dark and dried fruits, cherry pie, rock road, vanilla, toasted marshmallow, dry oak, charry, toasted peppery spice and alcohol warmth is present, but restrained. Finishes smooth, with mellow smoke and bitter - sweet chocolate. Smoke lingers for some time! Fulsome body, fine carbonation and oily mouth feel. Lovely stuff.