Imperial Stouts are one of the biggest beers made. They have a huge amount of specialty grains , are usually very high alchohol, and have that distinctive Roasted Barley smell and aftertaste.

My favorite store bought is Sam Smiths. Its just right in the taste department although unusually low (7 percent) in the Ach category for this style.

Roasted barley is a specialty grain that must be used intelligently. Too little and you miss the "Imperial" style. Too much and its like chewing charcoal.

CBC (Cambridge Brewing) makes some very good porters & stouts. Use to work right next door in the Kendall Sq complex, got to sample them frequently.

I didn't know that's what makes it Imperial. Going to try to brew my own this winter. As for store bought.
When you can find it (though seems bandwagonie now since there is an infomercial on discovery) Dog Fish Head is great.. Only every now and again though since a 4 pack costs upwards of 15 bucks. That is the one killer with that label. I know you get what you pay for but that is alot for 4 beers. It will get you shmackered though.

An imperial stout has high alchohol. To get there the starting gravity is usually much higher and to balance the fermentable malt , more specialty grains are used (unfermentables) so the finishing gravity is also higher. that all means a stout has more alc and is more full bodied.

Although stouts and porters names have been used interchangeably for a long time , today most people distinguish a stout from a porter by the presence of roasted barley which has a very distinct flavor. Souts have roasted barley , porters not by todays style descriptions.

$15 for a 4 pack would keep me away too! :)

man you sure talk pretty :) :cheers:

I've learned more about beer from reading Saltheart's posts on this site than I have from all other resources combined.:grins:

I don't drink a lot of Imperial stouts, but I do like the Samuel Smith and if I remember correctly, the Sam Adams is pretty good too.

the good thing is...the tide has turned on how small amounts of Alcohol preferably drank at home by a cozy fire isn't that bad for the old ticker.

That doesn't account for the weight gain factor so lets dump all this expensive $4 dollars a bottle beer down the drain and drink coors light.

:grins: jes funnin


my favorite one is the one that lives in my fridge hidden for awhile and then in astonishment it is discovered. :uhuh:

As for draught stout ill take a Murphy's over Guiness any day of the week. That being said my vote goes for the Sammy Smiths Oatmeal Stout for anything out of a bottle. I'm not a big fan of the draught cans tho.
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founders makes some good stuff ive had the breakfeast stoudt still waiting on the KBS

Founder's Breakfast,Goose Island Bourbon County and Peche Mortel. In that order. The Goose Island is 13% ABV and is aged in a bourbon barrel..

how was the drinkabilty of the bouborn stout, better warm or chilled?

how was the drinkabilty of the bouborn stout, better warm or chilled?

Smooth as can be. It was in my basement, which is about 50 degrees. Poured it into a chilled glass. As it warmed the flavors really came through. Definitely hid the 13% ABV. Great sipper. I'm going to get a couple more and try to age them.Highly recommend it if you can find it..

good to hear picked up a 4pack from my local bd trying to decide what to do with it.....he also has the rare but its real pricey $60 for a bomber

Drink one and maybe age a couple. I had a chance to pick up the rare as well,but passed. For that kind of $$ I'd rather get a nice single malt.

Lately my son and I have been partial to Victory Storm King, but have also found most of the bourbon casked stouts to very good.

As of today, the Southampton Russian Imperial Stout. Gonna have to change my day off next week to make the release party :uhuh:.
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Bud Light is my favorite Stout....it's 18.99 a case and you never have to worry about taste it's great....HAHAHA

Does Shipyard's bluefin stout count cause that beer is outa this world good

Sure , why not Goose. I asked about Imperials but so far many other stouts have been mentioned.

Wolavers Organic Oatmeal Stout


SO money. suprisingly nice hoppiness to it. 5.9 abv. delicious. get some

also Old Rasputin

I like Guiness Stout

I don't really drink stouts often but when I do Rogue XS Imperial Stout or Old Rasputin get my vote

Wolavers Imperial series rocks.

Rose Ally in New Bedford has a Yeti Imp. Stout that is incrediable. Smooth as velvet and kicks like a mule

Stone's Imperial Russian

And on rare occasion i will, if available get Rogues Imperial Stout which is hard to get.

my 2 fav. at this point, but I am wearing out a bit on imperials

stone and vic. storm king that is. Vics my favorite

Had a Smutty 2010 this weekend and it weighs in at 10.3%. Very good. Had to go the Charleston SC to find it. Worth the trip.

Did you know today (Nov 3) is International Stout Day?

Best glass is Guinness, St James Gate, Dublin, but Cambridge Brewing makes a really good Russian Stout, when available.

Had me a couple of Smutty 2010 imperial stouts and they were absolutely fantastic. Probably my new numbero uno.

Had some Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout last night, very good! (available Stoneforge) Looks like the other reviewers agree.

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - North Coast Brewing Co. - Fort Bragg, CA - BeerAdvocate (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/112/412)

founders makes some good stuff ive had the breakfeast stoudt still waiting on the KBS

John, Breakfast Stout just put on tap at Croxley's Farmingdale :drool:.
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Yeah... Founders b-fast stout is tasty
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I don't always drink stout, but when I do, I drink Wolavers (at the Mews) or Bluefin. Guinness gets a bad rap as the common stout, but it is always consistent...

Trinity in Providence made a Russian imperial stout that would knock you on your ass, but went down smooth..... not sure if they still do...

John, Breakfast Stout just put on tap at Croxley's Farmingdale :drool:.
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thnx harry it seems to be popular around here last month or so whole foods had it and st james bevy is on there 2nd keg,whole foods had smutty stout on tap which was really really good find it if u can

Dogfish head chicory stout I a good one. Not imperial though. I'm not a big imperial stout guy.
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ale smith speedway imperial stout is very good. supposed to get better with age. i just bought it and drank it. if i put it away for a year as recommended i'd just forget about it.

Does a nice Imperial. Not sure if you can find in on the shelves or if it is just on tap. Sometimes they mix it up a bit and include oyster, pumpkin or coffee.

Just picked up two bombers of Lawson's Maple Imperical Stout at the Warren Store up in VT. Was trying to finally find some Heady topper (Sold out) and the guy said that Lawsons was making some outstanding beers. Will be breaking them out this weekend and will keep you posted. Any of you VT guys tried the Lawson's yet? It was a little pricey for a bomber, $15 or $16, but it was flying out the door. I've got high hopes.

Old Rasputin and Ten Fidy are at the top of my list (have been for 5 years or so) but I just had the goose island coffee bourbon county stout. Wow.... super smooth, plenty of bourbon flavor... really a top notch stout.
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funny this bumped to the top, just grabbed some Old Rasputin "storm beer" on the way home last night. Promptly dropped them on the tile floor when the bottom of the pack let loose, so I had to let them sit until tonight. Just glad nothing broke!

green flash is my new favorite

green flash is my new favorite

silva stout?

silva stout?

double stout
http://www.greenflashbrew.com/images/promotional_timeline/promotional-DS.pdf
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Southampton Russian Imperial Stout dinner as I type this :hee:.
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Founders Imperial Stout is really good, might like that more than the bfast. I have a Ballast Point Sea Monster IS bomber in my fridge right now. Haven't had it yet, just waiting for the right time to crack it open because I know that bomber will give me a nice buzz. 10% :)

Great divide yeti is nice.
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