The one time I’ve had this beer prior to this tasting was at Capital Ale House in Richmond, VA. It was on tap as a cask conditioned beer. From what I remember of that glass, was that it was super smooth and one of the better stouts I have had. With that memory in mind at the store the other day, I picked up a bottle of this Imperial Stout. I was hoping that it lived up to its draft brethren.
Aroma
The beers smells of a roasted coffee and malt with a nice hoppy finish.
Appearance
I absolutely love the look of a freshly poured stout and Storm King did not disappoint. The beer poured a fantastic motor oil black. The head was small in size, but a rich, dark toffee in color. It faded to a nice lacing.
Taste
Immediately, you are hit with the astringent taste of a roasted, dark coffee. There is a mild chocolate richness in the finish as well as the hoppiness from the aroma. While the bottle version wasn’t quite as smooth as the cask version, I loved the whole glass just the same.
Overall
I think I prefer the cask version better, but then again, who wouldn’t. Still, this stout is amazing. It’s got a nice complexity of roasted coffee bean, with a slight sweetness. I would enjoy this one on any occasion, even with the 9% ABV. Rating: 4.5/5
