Looks:
Smell:
Taste:
Overall:
Description:
Emerging from the deepest shades of darkness, a rolling crescendo of flavors burst forth from this robust stout. The thundering, hoppy appeal of Storm King subsides into the mellow subtleties of roasted malt, exhibiting an espresso-like depth of character in its finish. An exquisite blend of imported malts and whole flower American hops merge harmoniously in this complex ale. Discover the dark intrigue of Storm King, as it reveals the rich, substantial flavors that it holds within. (Description provided by company)
Brewer:
Beer Style:
ABV:
9.10% ABV
Availability Frequency:
year-round
Containers Available:
bottle
draft
Locations Where Available:
Northeast
Southeast
Great Lakes
Southwest
West Coast
Colorado
Alaska
Store/Serve Temperature:
close to 60 degrees F
Comments
Russian Imperial Stout for Hop Lovers
Storm King Stout poured out dark with a thick tan head and slowly shrank, but never disappeared. I got a whiff of chocolate as I poured the beer into the glass, but I'm not getting much aroma from this stout otherwise. With my nose tucked into the glass, I get coffee and a hoppy citrus. As for the taste, I get dark roast coffee and some chocolate at first blush and then the hop bitterness takes over. I've had some stouts that had a hop appearance that was then hushed on the finish, but once the hop comes in on Storm King, it is there to stay. That's a bit to much for me, especially in a RIS. Mouthfeel was fine. Felt a bit oddly slick at times.
A Storm's A'Brewin
Pours out a pitch black, with a very tan and thick foamy and bubbly head. Head texture is very Coke like, with moderate retention.
Lots of dark roasted coffee and espresso aromas, as well as a dark chocolate and a more subtle earthy hoppiness. A little bit of fruity alcohol aroma as well.
Dark, bitter coffee and espresso flavors are very prominent, as is a subtle ethanol fruitiness. While I know that there are hops present, the overwhelmingly dark malts and the alcohol really take away a lot of the subtlety of the nose. A very long and fairly bitter aftertaste.
The body is nice and full - creamy is a good word, and a good texture for this beer (although that likely contributes to the lingering aftertaste) . Carbonation seems to be moderate to low.
Imperial Stouts are, by nature, not generally subtle or 'balanced', and while this may not be my favorite style, Victory's Imperial Stout does deliver on the strong roasted and burnt malt flavors along with not-so-subtle alcohol flavors.