I'm John LeMasney, and I love great beer. I'm always looking for co-commentary, guest reviews, and dissenting opinions, so feel free to comment or subscribe to my RSS feed. I love hops and Belgian styles, Rogue, Victory, Flying Fish, Flying Dog, Dogfish Head, Founders and other American Craft breweries. I like to photograph and broadcast my tastings, and I'm very interested in the calories in beer. I'm glad you stopped by, please add my site to del.icio.us, friendfeed, or your own favorite social site. I'm trying to spread the word about great beer, and I hope you join me. I'm on twitter, friendfeed, facebook, linkedin and lots of other places as lemasney.
Aroma is chocolate, coffee, and syrup. roasted malted barley, wood, and sweetness. Completely opaque, dark with a tan long lasting head. Crisp, very sour, syrup, striking flavor. Interesting and wonderful, very different. Alcohol is exquisitely hidden. Long sour finish, with a generally crisp and active palate. A very special brew.
16.9 fl oz x 10.5% ABV = 177.45 / 60 = 2.96 beers * 150 C = 444 calories (est.)
Available at: Canal’s, Lawrenceville, NJ for $5.80
sweet, syrupy aroma, deep brown body under a white head, quickly dissipating, cloying, syrupy, sugary, unbalanced, blunt mouthfeel, Slightly unrefined for the style. Blunt, dull, and hammering.
Visually stunning orange body, but less than stellar head dissipates too quickly. Aroma is as expected orange cloves, honey, and banana, and taste is much the same. Very well done version of the style. Very hoppy, mindful of Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen. Delicious. Points off for being a gusher and quick head, but otherwise, fantastic. Available at Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $10.00
A thick sticky tan head above an opaque black body, Aroma is coffee, nuts, caramel, and tea. Taste is sweet, tea, licorice, taffy, and pepper. Texture is smooth, with a nice rounded mouthfeel. A great session, even if not by definition. Very enjoyable, and extremely affordable, at $12 a case at Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ.
Glass: snifter
Purchased at: Joe Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ
Price: $6.49
Size: 22 fl oz
ABV: 11.26%
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories: 400C
RateBeer Rating: 97
Aural: uneventful opening, quiet carbonation, simple easy pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sharp (alcohol)
Impression: nice
Malt Aroma: bread sweet nut caramel roast coffee
Hops Aroma: mud mold clover rum rubber mango
Other Aroma: grapes arugula pepper
Notes: An amazingly deep set of aromas – very interesting.
Appearance 4 out of 5
Color: dark
Clarity: slightest cloudiness, almost clear
Head Retention: poor
Lace: poor
Notes: The color has great depth and character, but there is little head to speak of.
Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sweet start with bitter finish
Impression: amazing Malt Flavor: brown sugar rye walnut caramel dark chocolate liqueur roasted espresso
Hops Flavor: dirt grasses star anise smoke grapefruit
Other: mango, ashes
Notes: One of the best barley wines I’ve ever had, and no surprise from Stone.
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: drying warming
Body: full
Carbonation: average
Finish
Length: very long
Intensity: very strong
Balance: very bitter
Notes: A fantastic finish that leaves you looking forward to the next sip.
General Impression: 19 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: Except for the slight critique of the missing head, which is forgivable considering the alcohol content, which is well hidden, this is a nearly perfect BWSA. Great job, Stone, as per the usual. This brew was purchased to celebrate the finish of my summer 1 Mediation class at Rider University in the Graduate Program for Organizational Leadership. The review of this fantastic ale is dedicated to the efforts of Jon Millen and the COM 390 class. Collaboration, not litigation.
ABV: 10.8 %
RateBeer rating: 100/96
Calories: estimated at 600 C
Volume: 22 fl oz
Glass: Snifter
Purchased at: Super Saver, Pennington, NJ
Price: $5.99
Originally enjoyed on 5/9/2008
This is a one-year anniversary tasting, and by complete coincidence.
First Impression: Aroma is roasted, chocolate, nutty, and slightly metallic. Visuals are pitch dark body topped with a nice thick brown head, which dissipates in a few minutes but not completely. Lacing is nice. Taste does not disappoint. A deep, hoppy, roasted flavor. Some coffee, some dark chocolate, some smoke, but just a touch. Alcohol is very well hidden. Palate is back of tongue, spongey, yeasty, and blunt, long, very tasty finish. Nicely done. A grave presence. Second Impression: an impressive beer by any standard, but a great stout. Surprisingly drinkable, deep, delicious, and so very well balanced. Stone does amazing things.
Aroma: 9 out of 10
Visuals: 5 out of 5
Taste: 10 out of 10
Palate: 5 out of 5
Overall: 19 out of 20. This is one of the best beers I’ve ever had.
Style; glass: Imperial stout; snifter
22 fl oz x 10% ABV = 220 / 60 = 3.66 beers * 150 C = 549 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Canal’s Burlington, NJ for $6.99
A roasted malt taste explosion, supported with coffee, chocolate, grapes, sourness and a heap of bitterness. Delicious, with a beautiful opaque body and thick, long lasting tan head. Really great, as usual, from Moylan.
Style; glass: Imperial Stout; Snifter
22 fl oz x 8% ABV = 176 / 60 = 2.93 beers * 150 C = 439.50 calories (est.)
Purchased at:Canal’s Burlington, NJ for $3.50
A delicious, dark roasted coffee, cocoa, and espresso imperial stout with a deep opaque body topped with a dark tan head. Syrupy, sticky, and like dessert. A decadent treat.
Visuals: world class packaging, blackness, midnight, deep woods, solid, thick, viscous, staying tan head, intricate lace.
Taste: nicely balanced, off the charts in malt and hops, a new level of strength. Superb.
Palate: highest quality, syrupy texture, long dark finish.
Overall: The DFH 120 minute IPA of the world of imperial stouts. All others pale. It is without a doubt the best beer I have ever tasted in my life. I will go and clear the shelves of it, whatever the cost. It’s not only a favorite, it is my new superlative standard. Highest value for the highest craft. Mikkeller is only posing as a human.
A second tasting: I often say that this beer or that beer is ‘one of my favorites’ but this beer is, by far, my favorite brew. I forst had this in November of 2008, and wondered when I declared that it was my favorite how long it would hold the title. Many beers since have been very good, very complex, flavorful, and rewarding, but this one has all of that, plus personality, style, and an aroma, that is at once chocolatey, peppery, and full of booziness. The complex mixture in the flavor and texture includes maple syrup, alcohol, vodka, coffee, licorice, candy, dust, and chalk. The heft is intimidating, and the alcohol effects about halfway through makes you respect and quietly sip and contemplate it. This is an amazing brew, and would pair well with the most powerfully spicy or sweet dishes. It would overpower almost anything else, and for me, that’s right on. Play on, Mikkeller, you rock it hard.