Country of Origin: United States
Availability: Winter seasonal.
Price comparison: About $1 more per twelve ounces than nationally-branded beer.
Alcohol percentage by volume: 9.1%
Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; black with a purple and gold owl face on the front. Bottled date is listed as January of 2005.
Appearance: Opaque black with a lingering cocoa-colored head.
Scent: Deeply roasted (almost burnt) malt but also a surprisingly prominent characteristic of pinelike hops. A burgundy-like alcohol aroma was also present.
Flavor: Coffee-like malt but very well balanced by some brown sugar and citrus undertones from the hops. The contrast between the bitterness, sweetness, and tang, coupled with a light, natural-feeling carbonation, softened any boozy harshness and made this very smooth and drinkable.
Impressions: A nicely unusual approach to imperial stout. It's definitely got the right characteristics but the hoppiness makes it all-American. Absolutely delicious. A great pairing with rare beef or bitter greens, but I wouldn't say no to it with a strongly-flavored dessert, such as dark chocolate or black cherries.
Definitely drinkable enough to be enjoyed on its own, but prudence would dictate limiting onesself, as its easiness camouflages its high alcohol content.
Will I buy this beer again? Individual bottles, as they are available. I wouldn't want a six-pack of this around; I'd be too tempted to overindulge. This is definitely a dark beer lover's dark beer, so don't try to use Storm King to change the minds of any anti-stout-heads.
Rating:
4 out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: April 16, 2006
