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Appearance is a picture perfect pour of dark molasses brown settling to matte black with a waffer thin super dark brown cap, a cocoa dusting remains intact on top throughout the glass along with a fluffier collar; lacing is minimal.

Aroma is faint of soft and dry bakers chocolate with some notes of coffee roast and a touch of alcoholic heat. Some vinous character grows as it warms but stays mostly sweet and chocolatey.

Taste is robustly roasty with a black malt tangy edge dripped upon by some dry sweet chocolate powdering. Dry finish ensues with some coffee bean bitterness and burntness with a chocolatey touch which lingers well onto the'n palate.

Feel is about medium with a smoother fullness upon some sips but has a certain intensity missing within its character that I can't quite put my finger on, but it is quite good and quite drinkable. A fine example but lacking some depth and heft.

Served In: Pint Glass

Bottles have a spot to take out a notch to show the bottling date yet they don't bother using it. Huh.

Pours a jet black with a very small dark brown bit of foam that only appears in the final couple seconds of a hard pour. This foam disappears and leaves just a small ring around the edge of the glass.

Lots of roasty malt and plenty of chocolate. Nice dry sweetness in the nose. Note of light coffee and a touch of bourbon and charred bitterness.

Very smooth malty goodness slides across the tongue. Lots of roasted malt flavor followed by milk chocolate. Light note of cocoa powder and oak. Light note of charred bitterness up first on the aftertaste and then a nice chocolate flavor that sticks to the tongue for a bit.

Aging gave this brew some time to let the flavors mingle together more and mellow a bit. No sign of the ABV in the aroma or flavor.

Served In: Snifter

Color is black. Period. No light, nadda. Aroma is muted, oddly. Slight hint of semi-sweetness. Not much else. First taste is unspectacular. Not bad, mind you. Just a bit toned down for the style. You certainly do get more than the aroma though. Finally, some roasted grains. A decent edge from the alcohol. Unsweetened dark chocolate. Feel is almost flat, virtually no carbonation.

Overall, not a bad bottle. Just a bit more muted for the style.

Served In: Pint Glass

Originally reviewed 1-4-2007

Appearance: Black with a very thin tan head that dissipated quickly.

Smell: Nothing noteworthy. Not bad, but not what I would expect with an Imperial.

Taste: Again, this is not something that I will remember tomorrow. It tastes like a decent "regular" stout, not very Imperial. It doesn't have a crazy-high ABV, and that seems to be the direction that most brewers take their Imperials these days. Decent, but not memorable.

Drinkability: This is a very drinkable beer, just not as an Imperial Stout. If it were marketed as a regular stout it would hold up rather well.

Served In: Pint Glass

A - Pours a dark brown, nearly black opaque body. One finger head is dark brown. Head stays for a minute, then recedes to a ring around the glass with some whisps on the surface.

S - Big toffee scents wafting to my nose. Molasses, touch of anise, cocoa. Toasted malt.

T - Rich sweetness of toffee starts this one off. Toasted dark malt provides a coffee-like bitterness. Dark caramel and light chocolate. Aftertaste provides a bit of warming alcohol.

M - Medium full bodied. Smooth carbonation.

D - This beer is still a bit "hot". Could use 6 months in the cellar. Nice Imperial Stout from lesser known MI brewery.

Served In: Pint Glass

Pours black and fizzy. Head fades real quick. Smell is strong, sweet chocolates. Alcoholy, malty, chocolatie taste. Good flavor, but a little too sweet still. Solid brew overall.

Served In: Pint Glass