Victory Brewing Company Storm King Imperial Stout
What the brewers say
“The hoppy appeal of Storm King subsides into the mellow subtleties of roasted malt, exhibiting an espresso-like depth of character in its finish. A blend of imported malts and whole-flower American hops merge in this complex ale.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Well-balanced hops and malt characters. Hops are slightly citrus and dank while aroma is fairly subtle until you taste it, then the hops really stick out. Caramel and coffee kick in shortly after.”
Flavor: “Strong roasted malt blended with dank hops—a roiling mix of sweet and bitter. The full-bodied malt sweetness competes with the aggressive hops, both in flavor and bitterness. The way the brewer juggles the hops character and malt character is creative and deft.”
Overall: “Hoppy. Holy hoppy. A very American take on the style. Hops dominate, but roast comes through at the end and pulls it back into the stout category. This would be a great aging beer as the hops mellow out over time. A well-balanced, but very American imperial stout—aggressive yet very enjoyable and drinkable.”
