Avery Brewing Company The Czar
What the brewers say
“Behold the stunning crimson hues through the inky blackness. Inhale the noble Hallertau hops, spicy and floral. Savor the flavors redolent of English toffee, rich mocha, sweet molasses, candied currants, and a hint of anise.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Very floral (jasmine, honeysuckle) with a bit of caramel in the background. Big chocolate, touch of coffee, moderate vanilla, light roast, touch of toast, light umami. Very estery, banana, alcohol, dark fruit, and alcohol akin to a Belgian quadrupel. This is abbey manager Father Mathis Vandeputte’s best attempt at an imperial stout on his yearly sabbatical.”
Flavor: “Moderate chocolate, moderate toast, moderate base malt, moderate earthy hops bitterness, full body, good carbonation. Aftertaste: dark chocolate, light hops, touch of sweetness, light toasty, moderate starchy malt, touch of ethanol. Some sour notes. Sweetness comes off as candy—Hershey’s syrup in sweetened coffee.”
Overall: “Full-bodied imperial stout with enough hops bitterness to not be cloying. It does have a slightly under-attenuated malt characteristic. This is not a subtle beer; the alcohol will bowl you over and the roast/mocha thing is heavy. But for all that, it's a nice thing to curl up with and call it a night. This will satisfy most people’s expectations even though it lacks some complexity.”
