Samuel Smith Imperial Stout

Today's beer: Imperial Stout by Samuel Smith

I picked this beer up not too long ago, but was torn between reviewing this beer and a different stout. I figured since the other stout may be harder to get for some people, since it's a Vancouver Island brewing company, I'd review this one first. Hopefully I'll be able to do at least a beer a month this year. Imperial stout was first brewed in England for export to the Russia court under Catherine the Great. Imperial stouts also generally have a higher than average alcohol content. Imperial Stout has 7% so it's definitely a strong beer.

Imperial Stout pours into the glass black and develops a thick brown head. In the glass it is black. It is hard to express how black it really is. I shone a flashlight on one side of my glass and there was no light coming through on the other. My first sniff gave me smells of alcohol and, ironically, hops. My second sniff (after the head died down) revealed the smells of toasted malt and the faint smell of caramel. The first mouthful gave the taste of toasted malt and a very faint taste of caramel. Through out the drinking I kept tasting something else and it took almost the entire bottle to figure out what it was. Alcohol. There is also the taste of alcohol, but it's not over powering and it's not a bad thing. Unlike most other stouts, there is no chocolate or coffee taste or smell. Imperial Stout is a very smooth drink

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May your glass always be full of good beer!

Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard Ale

Today's beer: Arrogant Bastard Ale by Stone Brewing

Well, I had intended to do two (or more) posts in January, but that soon turned into "I'll do it in February." February went by too quickly. Hopefully I'll be able to do more than just this blog this month. I went to the doctor with my mom and while waiting for the doctors to open from lunch, we went into the liquor store. She needed some special wine she likes to cook mushrooms with and I like to look at the beer. I was just about to go when I saw this. My dad has been raving about this beer for years, but until now we've never seen it in Canada. I immediately snagged a few bottles for me and a bottle for him. The Arrogant Bastard bottle says: "This is an aggressive beer. Yo probably won't like it. It is quite doubtful you have the taste or sophistication to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth." I've never had it, but after hearing so much about it, I can't wait to try it!

Arrogant Bastard pours out of the bottle a rich brown and I can smell the hops just off the pour. A tan head quickly develops and though it thins a bit, it persists a fair while. On my first smell I detected hops and a very faint citrus or flower note. Upon further sniffing, I figure it's probably citrus. My first sip hits me with massive hops. There is a very faint aftertaste of malt. Subsequent drinks reveal a slight pepper taste. This beer is all about the hops, but it's not overwhelming like some IPA's can be. There is a lot of carbonation in Arrogant Bastard, but it's not too apparent while drinking it, but it does make it's self known. Arrogant Bastard is fairly strong at 7.2%.


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May your glass always be full of good beer!