7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
A serviceable stout on all fronts. Chocolatey, roasted body is smooth and balanced. I enjoyed this one, and will have to pick more up. Now called "The Poet."
Tried
on 11 Mar 2003
at 10:08
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
GABF 2002: Red brown color. Malty whiskey aroma. Flat and raisiny. Sharp alcoholic finish, burns the tongue. A great warmer and sipper.
Update and rerate 15.5 years later, with some better insights compared to my small festival sampling, on what was probably a dead palate after having countless samples at GABF in 2002. Curiously my score will only go up from 3.8 to 3.9, though my description will be very different. Also curious, if I had re-rated this about 10 years ago instead, I probably would have gone way up to 4.5, but now I'm less impressed by big barrel aged imperial stouts.
Finally on to the rating. Very dark, not totally opaque. Burnt malt aromas and flavors, roasty with deep espresso notes, lighter oakiness, virtually no detectable bourbon. Full palate but curiously soft, cushiony feel. A bit sharp/acrid at finish.
Update and rerate 15.5 years later, with some better insights compared to my small festival sampling, on what was probably a dead palate after having countless samples at GABF in 2002. Curiously my score will only go up from 3.8 to 3.9, though my description will be very different. Also curious, if I had re-rated this about 10 years ago instead, I probably would have gone way up to 4.5, but now I'm less impressed by big barrel aged imperial stouts.
Finally on to the rating. Very dark, not totally opaque. Burnt malt aromas and flavors, roasty with deep espresso notes, lighter oakiness, virtually no detectable bourbon. Full palate but curiously soft, cushiony feel. A bit sharp/acrid at finish.
Tried
on 07 Oct 2002
at 08:00
6.1/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cloudy amber; yeast more like a Belgian; pithy hops kick in and it's all good.
Tried
on 24 Jul 2002
at 17:10
5.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Amber, slightly phenolic nose; mild palate with clean pale malt notes, fairly subdued spiciness.
Tried
on 23 Jul 2002
at 19:16
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Dark burgundy; glosette raisins aroma; some paper but beyond that light fruitiness and a pleasurably mellow brown.
Tried
on 23 Jul 2002
at 19:15