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Appearance
I pulled this straight out of the cellar, which is a bit warmer than optimal with as hot as it’s been (probably high 50s), which is what I blame for the slow gush I got when I cracked the bottle open. Chilling it down a little bit would have remedied this I’m sure, so I’m not blaming the beer at all for it, though a gushing imperial stout always catches me a bit off guard (especially after I realized just how BIG this beer is). I like parenthesis by the way. :)

Black Tuesday lives up to its name, pouring absolutely pitch black. The dark tan head disappears fairly quickly, and leaves just a bit of lacing around the glass.

Smell

There’s a whole lot of yumminess going on when I put the glass to my nose. Dark fruits, raisins and dates I would say, along with a massive molasses presence take the forefront. There are also hints of oak and bourbon present, but are much more subdued. There is also a hint to the gravity of this beer, giving my nostrils a very slight burn. There is a noticeable absence of any real roastiness, which I’m really digging.

Taste

Up front there is a graininess, that almost reminds me of Everclear, but it isn’t nearly as offensive, it's actually pleasant. The sweetness really picks up as it moves across my tongue, though the molasses and dark fruit from the aroma are barely perceivable. It finishes with a slight warmth from the alcohol. The crystal malts, along with the dark fruit and graininess are still a bit muddled, but I’d really like to see how this beer comes together in a couple years.

Feel

I was a little worried after this bottle gushed like a mofo that it would be way over-carbonated, but surprisingly the carbonation is perfect. It’s very smooth on the palate, and is chewy, but not too much so.

Overall

Wow, I’m not used to feeling a little tipsy after one bottle of beer, but this one definitely did it to me! I really enjoyed this beer overall, though it still has a good amount of room to improve with some age.

Served In: Snifter

An intolerable SWEET and ALCOHOLIC mess. The beer is uber thick and viscous, combined with the sweetness of 10 Southern Tier Imperial Stouts. And there is no relief from the sweetness in the form of carbonation or hops. Just so sweet, first time I have had a non-adjunct sweetness that was too hard to put down. Had this in lineup with Dark Lord, Darkness, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Victory @ Sea, and Foot Sex and this was sweeter and hotter than any of those. I am shocked how the Impy Stouts keep heading in the wrong direction. 10 guys could not put down a bottle, I did not even finish my sample.

Served In: Pint Glass

A: Pitch black, very thick but not quite motor oil or Dark Lord. Moderate head on the pour with just a bit of retention. Some wispy lacing.

S: Deep, rich fucking malts. Not burnt but very roasty with loads of deep sugary molasses. You can definitely tell that it's a huge beer bu the alcohol only comes out a bit and is already melding well.

T/M: I want to hate this beer but I can't. This is very good. Deep, rich malts, but again, not burnt. Deeply sweet molasses and caramel. Some muted hops but not huge like Expo. Damn fine alcohol line, not much heat but plenty of flavor that melds nicely. Light, flavorful wood with some vanilla but not tons of bourbon. Body is full but not heavy and very very creamy.

D: 19.5? I would never guess this past 12 or so but still incredibly drinkable. Like I said.... I want to hate this beer because of the hype but damn.... This is an incredible beer.

EDIT: Just split a bottle with my Kels and the bourbon is much more pronounced in this bottle. Still not massive on the bourbon but definitely a step up and a nice improvement. Gonna bump the aroma up to a 5. Fantastic.

Price: $30.00 Served In: Pint Glass