Ska Brewing Company - Decadent Imperial IPA

Pours really much redder than expected, deep amber/copper color with ample tan head. Smell alcohol as really the first aroma, followed by malts, very sweet smelling. Taste again has alcohol up front, followed by malts and sweetness, some hoppy bitterness on the end. Nice feel, very oily with ample carbonation. Not as drinkable as some of the same style, enjoyable, though quite sweet and the abv does not lend to extreme drinkability.

Rating: Good

ABV: 10.0%

Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery - Ten FIDY

First of all this is one of my favorite beers of all time. I love canned beer, especially canned beer that pours as deep, dark brownish black with a slight amount of dark caramel/golden color head as this does. The smell has aromas of cocoa, coffee, and alcohol with some sweetness evident. The taste is sweet cocoa, with some bitterness on the tail end, alcohol is fairly well masked. Feel is crisp with some carbonation, nice alcohol warming and a great smoothness. Overall this beer is a great version of an American Imperial/Double Stout, and the presentation just seals the deal for me.

Rating: Best

ABV: 10.5%

Unibroue - La Terrible

Pours a very dark (black) with no clarity. Head is off white and approx 1 finger. Laces minimally. Smell has initial cakey banana aromas with some maltiness. Cakiness comes through in the taste as well, alcohol comes around on the end. Some malty notes but overall very balanced and enjoyable. Nice carbonation with a tight feel. Drinkable, enjoyable, however the alcohol content hinders this a little.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.5%

Avery Brewing Company - The Reverend

Pours a very reddish amber color, with a lightly tan one finger head that dissipated quickly. Smell of cake and some fruitiness, lightly like bananas. Taste is gently spicy with some malts and fruitiness on the tail. Light tight carbonation with an easy feel. Enjoyable beer, ABV to high to enjoy too many...

Rating: Good

ABV: 10.0%

Boulder Beer Company - Mojo Risin' Double IPA

Pours a slightly hazy yellow with a white head that dissipates quickly. Smell of piney hops with slight citrus notes. Smell is not super strong. Good IPA taste, piney notes, some citrus notes, overall a good beer just not my favorite in the style. Feel some oilyness, good carbonation, tickles the tongue. Drinkable,again not my favorite but sessionable if necessary.

Rating: Good

ABV: 10.5%

Great Divide Brewing - Hercules Double IPA

Pours a deep dark golden brown, slightly darker than honey with an off-white almost tan head that dissipates quickly to cap the beer. Wonderful smell of hops with very piney notes. Not very much citrus on the nose. Taste is very similar to the smell, with piney hops being the primary flavor, and some faint malt flavors on the finish and aftertaste.Good feel, light carbonation, not huge alcohol flavors or warming. Some oily feel.Overall very good clean crisp flavors and really a good drinking beer.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.00%

Boulevard Brewing Co. - The Sixth Glass

Pours a deep ruby with ample off white head into my snifter. Nice smell of spice, bananas, and alcohol, some maltiness. Taste has a very nice balance with malts up front and finishes with spicy aftertaste and alcohol. Feel has a very tight carbonation that tickles, and some alcohol warming. Overall a good, enjoyable beer. The alcohol hinders drinkability some but not because of taste.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.5%

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Burton Baton

Very enjoyable beer, I always enjoy when brewers try to enhance a style and I enjoy trying the different concotions, however I will always go back to the basics.

Poured into a standard pint glass a deep, dark mahogany, with a small tan head. Smell is very citrusy grapefruit aroma. Taste had a nice hops flavor up front with some oaky tones later, closer to the 120 than the 90 in my opinion. Not quite the alcohol (given with the ABV) that the 120 had though. Feel is very good, with ample carbonation and oiliness. Overall good, I could enjoy several of these before calling it quits.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.0%

Avery Brewing Company - Maharaja

From cask at Falling Rock Tap House in Denver, looked very much like a double/imperial IPA should almost copper in color, clear, with a thick, two fingered almost off white head. Aroma was very appropriate, citrus notes, hoppy bitterness, though alcohol was very muted given the ABV. Taste was good, citrus, hops, much the way it smelled. Mouthfeel was nice, light carbonation, some oilyness and aftertaste. Overall very drinkable, dangerous given the ABV, could have easily had a few more

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.3%

Russian River Brewing Company - Consecration

Pours into the snfter a deep mahogany with a surprisingly bright head for the color. Smells very much similar to a merlot, a very interesting floral and fruity smell. Taste is much like the aroma, and very much like some merlots, sweet, with a tartness. Feel is nice, carbonation seems just right, with an aftertaste that lingers. Overall rating is good, the bomber was ok, but more would be tough given the sweetness (personal preference) and the alcohol.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.0%

Brooklyn Brewery - Black Chocolate Stout

Poured from the bottle a blackish brown with a slight tannish head. Smells of bitter chocolates and roasted/burnt malts. Taste is similar with slightly more chocolate flavors. Good feel with light carbonation, very smooth and thick body. A food drinking Imperial Stout.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.1%

Shmaltz Brewing Company (He'Brew) - Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA

Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass. Great color of a golden orange, with a white-ish head. Pretty balanced aroma with the spicyness of the rye balancing the bitterness and sweetness of the hops. Hops were piney in nature. Taste was similar with just a good balanced flavor. Excellent feel with just enough carbonation and a medium bodied feel. Very drinkable, alcohol was not overly noticable given the ABV, so it was extremely drinkable.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.0%

Oskar Blues Brewing Company - GUBNA Imperial IPA

I love a canned beer, and this one is very nice. Poured from the can into a snifter, beautiful copper/orange color with an off-white head that laced well and stuck around a good bit before dissipating to a cap and crown. Quite complex aroma with a bitter pine note prevailing slightly over the rye. Taste is nicely balanced with the rye being maybe just a slight bit more prevalent than the hops. Feel is very smooth with a medium body and slightly less than average carbonation. Great drinking beer even for the ABV.

Rating: Best

ABV: 10.0%

The Lost Abbey - Serpent's Stout

On tap during "Stout Month" at the Vine Street Pub. Poured a dark brown almost black with a yellowish-tan head of about a half finger. Alcohol noticeable with some coffee malts and dark fruit. Fruity complex taste with the malts contributing significant flavors of coffee and chocolate. Smooth feel with great tight carbonation and a full bodied feel. Interesting flavors, complex, with drinkability on par with other Imperial Stouts.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.5%

Port Brewing Company/Pizza Port - Old Viscosity

Pours a deep dark brown almost black with a slight golden tan head that just lightly caps the beer and dissipates to crown. Smell is initially of alcohol with lots of dark fruits. Tastes of the same dark fruits and malts with alcohol not quite as present as in the smell. Feel is smooth and chewey with a very light carbonation. A good beverage with a complex smell and taste. Definitely drinkable and enjoyable.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.00%

Great Divide Brewing Company - Old Ruffian Barley Wine

Poured an amber-brown almost copper color with ample tan head that dissipated quickly to a crown. Very balanced aromas with the malts and alcohol leading the way and a bit of a hoppy citrus following. Malty backbone in the flavor that follows with the piney hops and alcohol. Chewey medium bodied feel with a bit of crispness and definite alcohol warming. Everything is as it should be with a great balance, relatively smooth feel and a nice warm finish.

Rating: Best

ABV: 10.2%

Stone Brewing Company - Imperial Russian Stout

Poured very dark black, opaque no light passing through. Golden brown head that hangs around nicely. Aromas of Coffee, malts, chocolate. Taste of coffee and chocolate is what hits first, sweetness comes later. Feel is excellent, good carbonation, lingers just long enough. I found it to be quite drinkable. One of the better RIS I have had, a great example of the style. This one begs me to keep several in the cellar...

Rating: Best

ABV: 10.5%

Stone Brewing Company - Double Bastard Ale

Poured into a standard pint glass a deep ruby red with one finger of tan head. Aroma was malty with some chocolate hints. Tasted of chocolates, malty sweetness very well balanced with hoppy bitterness. Nice tight carbonation, some thickness to the feel. Very drinkable despite alcohol, almost dangerous.

Rating: Best

ABV: 10.5%

Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV - St. Bernardus Abt 12

Poured from the bottle into standard pint glass very dark brown and murky, pours one finger of head that dissipates quickly. Medium size bubbles, no apparent lacing. Balanced smells, with just a hint of sweetness (berries?). Noticable sweetness to taste with hints of blackberries and chocolate. Alcohol not as noticable as expected given the ABV. Feel is very carbonated, some thickness. Drinkable but would probably be tough to drink more than the bottle.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.5%

Erie Brewing Company - Ol' Red Cease and Desist

Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass. Pours a deep garnet red with little head that dissipates quickly. Aromas are sweet with a hint of peat smoked malt trailing in. Taste is similar with a very sweet initial flavoring of malts but the slight oddity of the peat trailing in at the end. Feel is full bodied with an oiliness that lingers. Drinkable for the style as the ABV limits intake.

Rating: Good

ABV: 10.10%