The local beer store continually provides Martin House beers. Tonight I get to sample one of their imperial stouts. I have a tulip glass waiting so I make the pour out of the 16 oz can. The delivery is a thick appearing, completely black body topped with an all right cover of taupe foam. I smell coffee, roastiness and a touch of chocolate. The taste backs this up and I call it all good. Char and roast immediately, dark chocolate, coffee, burnt grain, a small amount of caramel, malt and a decent bitterness concluding. I like the moderately thick sensation.

I don’t know how Martin House keeps coming up with these beers. Cream Ale? Sign me up. A 12 oz can from the singles rack at the closest HEB. Opened and tilting into a snifter, the appearance is a clear coppery amber body finished by a slender skim of medium tan foam. Interesting nose, I get caramel and maple, plenty enough. The drink is sweet, very sweet. Maple syrup, cereal, honey and caramel. I know the intent but this one a bit too much for me.

Cloves, espresso, toffee, light soy, and toast. Sweet and malty and a bit acrid. Some musty bitterness. Medium to heavy body, sharp, and a bit thin. Pretty nice.

Tons of chocolate fudge cake on the nose. Kind of has a grocery store chocolate cupcake flavour. Pours black without much head. Some roast, lots of icing sugar. Comes off pretty sweet on the finish. Tap at Roosevelts at 7.

I have a 12 oz can that came from my local beer shop at a customer-friendly price. Martin House is a fine Ft. Worth brewery willing to take chances with its brews. They don't always work out but usually the results are good. I open the can and tilt inside of my Cowtown tulip glass to see a highly viscous, jet black body carrying a thin head of dark brown foam that quickly dissipates. The scent has a decent start, the cherries do not overwhelm. There is also grain and chocolate. The first taste now, ah, it goes in a different direction. Not over-the-top sweet like most pastry stouts. Dark chocolate, cereal grains, cherries in an acceptable amount, leather and a touch of vanilla. I get a slight bitterness at the finish. A fine enough imperial stout, an interesting beer.