Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Dark chestnut brown/black body, big creamy tan head. Strong chocolate aroma with plenty of roasted malts in addition to vanilla, licorice, brown sugar, and potent piney hops. The piney hops are nicely emphasized in the flavor (I don’t remember these being so strong in the non-aged version...but I haven’t tried that beer since it was called "Maverick Imperial Stout"). In that regard, this reminds me of Three Floyds Alpha Klaus, though the maltiness is still stronger here. A touch of grapefruit and caramel are evident as well. Oak flavors were surprisingly subtle. Incredibly smooth, creamy body. Delicious. Thanks John (JCW) for the sample!
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
This develops a big tan head that fills with large holes as it tries to die off, sticking to the sides all the way down. Rich malt and chocolate aroma, almost like warm brownies in the pan. Sweet and choclatey, with a roast malt finish that’s slightly bitter. Nicely done.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9
An amazing beer. Thick and syrupy. Black. Huge hop aroma as soon as the bottle was opened. Flavors of plums and oak; sweet malt. Complex. Very rich and heavy; it would be difficult to drink an entire 22 oz bottle in one sitting. Thanks to Obisbeer for the sample.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Hop aroma. Dark brown with almost no head. Flavors of hop bitterness and sweet malty goodness, and a low key wood flavor. Heavy palate. Lacks complexity, but does hide the alcohol.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Absolutely tar-black beer; huge, slightly irregular moccha-brown head. Great (green)grapey-hoppy nose, charcoal, chopped wood, moss, fruity-yeasty, wet straw. Bitter, a tad harsh flavour, both from a shockwave of hops, but also from roasted malts/grains. Fruity flavours as from grapes, lytchee or other exotic fruit. Full bodied, slick, filling. Good "Imperial" stout, very fruity thanks to judicious use of hops, but not really outstanding.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
2004 bottle. Pours a bright amber-red color with a creamy and lasting yellow flecked off-white head. Aroma is full of citrus, pine and tons of caramel and honey. Flavor is bitter but yet balanced well. Hops do not kill, they just injure you. But the body is full, with plenty of malt backbone. Finishes very citrusy, with light spice from the hops. I want to get excited about another well-made beer from Great Divide, but there is something I just can’t seem to get passed about this brewery. Most of their big beers, and the lower gravity ones I’ve had, are all tremendously well-made but they seem to lack any real house character. The Great Divide Imperial Stout is about as close to the Generic American Imperial Stout as I can think. This one is another perfectly by-the-book creation. And that is certainly wonderful, but I need something more to get excited about. Or could it be that great divide seems to hop on the bandwagon a little too late, after I’m already bored with the style? I’d like to think I can be more objective than that, but who knows.
Draught. 2005 and onwards
Still hoppy and assertive but these first bottles were startingly dry and clean, with less yeastiness than I remember. It’s like they didnt change their yeast enough on subsequent batches (I cant back that up, that’s pretty irresponsible criticism). But regardless, it just seems a little bit sourish, and with too much toasted malt apparency on draught. Lots of flavor and aroma hops, but tons of acidity and fatigue as well. Current score is an average of my sentiments between bottle and draught.
jgb9348 (11828) reviewed Bee Sting Ale from Great Divide Brewing Company 21 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 3 | Texture - 2 | Overall - 3.5
Nice honey coloured body with an orange glow and a thinnish off-white head. Better looking than I had expected. Aroma of honey (no surprise), apricots, peaches, malt and some sugars. Light-bodied; Very vegetable taste with some sweetness and more malty unpleasantness. Aftertaste still kicks with alcohol and vegetables. Overall, a pretty bad beer (as I had expected), but still worth a try. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased at Total Wine in McLean, Virginia on 19-December-2004.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
2003 Batch (Sampled under Maverick name):
Pitch black in colour, completely opaque with a nice thin light brown head. A nice look to a good old bottle. Aroma of cherries, strong coffee and bitter choclate (~70% cacao). Full-bodied; Strong roasted malt presence in the taste with a good chocolate and coffee taste following behind. The aftertaste shows a lot of the cherry character and some pit fruits, but it is more tart than I’d expect from an Imperial Stout. Overall, a nice beer, not as great for the style as i’ve tasted, but worth a try! I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from Chevy Chase Wine & Liquors in Washington, D.C. on Thanksgiving Thursday, 25-November-2004 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Dark brown coloured body almost completely opaque with a large dense tan head...very nice! Aroma of roasted malt, nuts, raisins, light coffee and a tiny bit of milk chocolate (~40% cacao). Medium-bodied; Strong nuttiness up front following with malt and a strong coffee presence. Aftertaste shows some bitter malt and a strong nuttiness lingering. Overall, I saw this more of a ’nut’ brown ale rather than a porter, but to all their own. I sampled this 12 ounce bottle purchased from Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on Thanksgiving Thursday 25-November-2004 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Deep black stout, thick and molassy. Nice hops and chocolate aroma. intense hops and rich chocolate, sweet malts. Alcohol burn, but rich bodied. (July 31 at Indiana Microbrewers Festival)