Lagunitas Brewing Company Imperial Stout

**Aroma:** “Nice dark malt sweetness. Some caramel, a little toffee, some roast, chocolate, and coffee in the back. Prunes and dark fruit character is very strong, with cherry the strongest. Spicy alcohol and mild malt. Not an aggressive nose.” **Flavor:** “Roast character is blended and balanced with dark fruit esters. Caramel, chocolate, and slight hints of toffee come in later. Very low hops character. Nice sweet dark malt character. Dark fruit sweetness, cherry, raisin, and prune.Finishes slightly sweet and creamy with no lingering bitterness but a slight warmth.” **Overall:** “Enjoyable and has nice malt richness. A well-done beer that is balanced and sufficiently thought out. Malt complexity is nice. The sweetness from the fruity esters as well as the malt sweetness carry through. The heat helps to finish this beer to keep it from being too sweet. This is another barleywine interpretation of the style but the stout foundation is intact. It needs a little age to soften the alcohol edge.”

**Aroma:** “Strong bold aroma. Some toffee and caramel. Strong malt sweetness, sweet cocoa powder, and almond with lots of vanilla to fill the gaps. Strong butterscotch or Butterfinger.” **Flavor:** “The flavor starts with a dry chocolate sweetness and carries through with some bitterness that leaves a slight astringent finish. Lots of roast character in the flavor. Rich sweet milk chocolate and almond throughout with vanilla supporting. The butterscotch continues into the flavor, but with an increase in complexity, from intense chocolate and roast. The warmth hits in the finish. And the beer finishes with some chewiness left on the tongue.” **Overall:** “Some nice chocolate and malt sweetness. This beer is pretty heavy through the finish. Not bad, just a little odd. Butterscotch or Butterfinger on the nose and more in the flavor. This beer is like drinking a liquified butterscotch chocolate malt ball.”

**Aroma:** “Vinous alcohol some smoky phenols. The required roast barley and coffee notes are present, but they take a background place to complex aged character. Sweet fruity notes up front. Light alcohol but not overpowering. No hops. Nutty, with coconut and chocolate support. Reminds me of chocolate macaroons. Plenty of old ale elements of dried fruit and caramel toast. Smells quite yummy.” **Flavor:** “Sweet chocolate and roast up front with a medium alcohol note. Roast toward the end of the sip with a slight cocoa nip popping out at the very end. Some tartness in the finish. Medium sweetness that lingers throughout. Flavor has the cocoa and coconut, but the proportions are different now. The alcohol that seemed friendly on the nose is a bit boozy now that it’s in my mouth.” **Overall:** “This seems to be aged, mostly in a good way. Some oxidized sherry notes in the aroma and flavor. Rich sweetness, chocolate, and a light roast. The alcohol is mellow and some of the nice roast character lingers on. Warming afterglow. Medium warming alcohol levels are nicely balanced. Good sipping imperial stout.”