Thursday, February 27, 2014

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

As I continue to re-visit old favorite beers, and look back at old reviews, I keep finding that I said what needed to be said, in many cases. Here are notes from nearly11 years ago, March, 2003, for the Imperial Stout by Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster.
impe

Color is black as black can be, and the head is proud, large and a creamy tan color.

Aroma is warm and wonderfully delicious, soft, creamy, notes of chocolate, slightly roasty, and edging into darker flavors, but not quite there.

Palate is deliriously sweet and inviting. Mouthfeel: sursprisingly smooth and untroubled, gentle, harmonious, thick with malt, mellow with hops.

Very smooth drinking for an Imperial. I haven't had one of these in a long time, and have spoiled myself with the bolder, brasher, and far more adventurously flavored (roasted, malted, hopped, everywhichway) American versions, the Old Rasputins, Stormkings, Expeditions, Rogues, and Stones...
But, I can't help liking it. Great stout, delicicious,delightful, but a bit weak, at a "mere" 7%, compared to similar brews from "the colonies". Quite tasty, but I'd love it if they'd ever stretch out some.
..............................
No, they never did, and why would they? Wouldn't be very traditional, would it?
Here's stuff from the label:

Brewed at Samuel Smith's small, traditional British brewery with well water (the original well wink in 1758 is still in use), best barley malt, roasted barley, yeast and hops to create a rich flavorful ale; deep chocolate in colour with a roasted barley nose and flavour that is a complexity of malt, hops and yeast. Fermented in stone Yorkshire squares, this distinctive type of ale was originally shipped to Imperial Russia; it was a favorite of Russian nobility.

No comments: