McNeill's Imperial Stout

3.9

202 reviews

Brattleboro, United States

Community reviews

4.0 Total blackness in the pour with a frothy brown head. Pungent hoppy acrid burnt aroma with coffee, chocolate and leather. Big hoppy flavor supported by sweet burnt malt. Rich body. Long oily bitter hoppy finish. Very nice.

3.8 A good RIS other than it was berift of a head and was a bit sour. That sourness I have had before and was integrated into the taste experience, hardly noticeable later in the bottle as roasted barley and chocolate ruled. However it could also be indicative of some infection. Good mouthfeel, and damn drinkable. Serving type: bottle

3.5 Shared by kmweaver. Black body with a large tan head. The nose is vinous with bakers chocolate, molasses and light coffee. The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter with lots of roast, chocolate and molasses. Full body is sticky and soft with high carbonation.

3.7 Bottle from 46er3498. Black with milk chocolate head. Wonderful aroma of deep roasted malt coffee, and bitter hops. The taste was the same with bitter finish. Not bad but I like my Imperial stouts with a little bit more sweetness. Thanks, Tom.

3.7 Black colour with a small brown head. Roasted, light coffee bitter aroma with a fruity and chocolate sweet note. Roasted, quite coffee bitter flavor with a light sweet note. Roasted bitter finish with a light acidic note.

4.2 Absolutely incredible. One of the best beers that I’ve ever had, anywhere. All of McNeills brews are great but this is the one that prompts me to drive the 3 1/2 hours to Brattleboro from Rhode Island a few times every winter. Get some!

3.6 oil black. small tan head. rich roasted malt with a nice peppery and spicy component. finishes very roasty and dry.

3.9 bottle. it has a black color with a medium head. the aroma is nice with roasty dark fruits. the taste has sligth hops and good roastyness.

3.1 Poured from a 22 oz. Thick black with a head of root beer float. Cranberry and acrid cold press aroma; milk chocolate, sugarless caramel. Understated and underwhelming. Bitter diet cola, mint and french roast define a flavor typical of stout crushed under black malt; it presents more than its share of soapy astringency. The roasted grains don’t impart much warmth or rich smoky tones to provide any counterpoint; rather, it contents itself with the ashen impression of a dusty cigar on its last dregs. Dirty, and mild. Palate is overstretched and licks with synthetics and plastics, dry and bitter in that falsified sense. More unattractiveness and off putting soap in the finish. Boring and underdone. Thanks for sharing, Ken!

3.3 22oz bottle, courtesy of eclectic. Thanks, Kevin!! Pours a very dark, brownish-black color; fizzy, medium tan head with good retention and medium-bubbled lacing. Plenty of dark chocolate and bittering citrus in the aroma; baker’s chocolate and some roasted malts. Fizzy, medium-to-full mouthfeel: milk and bitter chocolate upfront, with some roasted malts and light toasty grains coming through; way too much carbonation at this point, with a roasted / charred malt character that takes over at mid-palate and doesn’t add much to the mouthfeel; scattered and unimpressive imperial stout. More like an overcarbonated oatmeal stout. Lengthy, sugary and dark chocolate finish.

4.1 In short: Creamy round stout with assertive free green piney hops. Excellent. How: Mtl-crew Halloween-tasting session. Bottle from Rastacouere. The look: Black body with a medium tan head In long: Usual assortment of dark chocolate, coffee beans, thick caramel and some dark fruits. Not a lot of roastiness, more on the smooth and round side of things. But what really makes this one stand out to me is the hopping. Generous amount of fresh green leafy hops with a assertive pine-tree flavour that works very well with the rich and round malt profile. Must be very good because I don’t remember having the previous beer at the tasting session and I clearly remember this one. One should not drink (even great beer) passed a certain limit. Take my advice, I’m not using it.

4.2 Bottle. A black beer with a dense brown head. Very handsome beer and a super aroma. Kinda soft and dry with notes of tobaco, roasted and bitter chocolate, coffee and hops. Very nice.

3.4 Thanks to notalush for bringing this one out. Black beer with a brown head. Aroma is of licorice and a very herbal character. A bit overcarbonated. Herbal and dusty smelling. Moderate bitterness, thin body. Black licorice and light coffee and dark chocolate. Fairly bitter. Not the greatest. 6 3 6 4 11 I found the dregs of this in my fridge the day following the tasting... it was much improved. Dark chocolate has come forward quite a bit and the lowered carbonation increases the perception of the body. Herbal bitterness is still very prominent, but there is also a coffeeish component that works pretty well. If you’ve got a bottle of this, open it and leave it open for an hour or two before drinking... I think it will be improved. 7 3 7 4 13

3.3 @ blind tasting - Black body, light brown lasting head; Quite big very fruity nose with overpowering prune aromas; Fruity sour, very hoppy bitter, a little thin; Very fruity prune finish, very acidy, lots of bitter burnt coffee bean, late dusty earth aromas.

3.3 Bottle. [#25 Blind tasting session @ Sk8viking] Small fizzy light brown head that mostly diminished. Spare lacework. Black color. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, coffee, toasted malt, molasses, wood, licorice, vanilla and port wine like notes over the palate. Medium bodied with a light alcoholic texture and flat carbonation. Moderated sweet flavor with light bitter notes. Bitter and somewhat sour??? Finish. 07-09-2007

3.7 Blind tasting at sk8vikings porter / stout tasting, beer no 25. Pours dark brown to black with a brown head. Sweet raisin and chocolate aroma. Chocolate and subdued liqourice flavour. Cheesy flavour with a slight malty note, roasted. Dry blended chocolate and malt flavour finish.

3.7 Date: 05/20/2006 Mode: Bottle Source: Tasting, Noog II black with ruby edges, thin fine brown head, sweet roasted licorish aroma, rich roasted flavor with a touch of chocolate and a bitter roasted malt finish -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 04/28/2007 Mode: growler Source: tasting Score: 2.7 to 3.6 much richer chocolate flavor, bitterness much more in line Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20 Rating: 3.7/5.0 Drinkability: 8/10 Score: ***/4

3.7 Rating 666 and this is a devilish a brew as I could come up with. Provided by notalush, thank you Brandon. Why is it devilish, well this brewery seems like they can just explode with wonderful beers but too often shows up infected and really disappointing. Pours black-hole black (as the pic shows) with a large dark, dark brown head. In general this is a quiet Imperial Stout with light mineral, some roast in the aroma. Taste is light roast, some chocolate milk, sweet dark bread and light roast in the aftertaste. Great palate though, very subtle carbonation and very velvet-y mouthfeel.

4.1 After all these years, I finally get to try this beer - does it live up to the hype? - well, about as much as any other Imperial Stout does, which is a nice way of saying, "no, but it still tastes pretty good" - very opaque pour, with a dark tan, no, brown head - thick aroma of figs, black cherry, espresso, burnt sugars, vinous notes - slick mouthfeel - heavy on the roasted/burnt qualities, with a sweetness that is very present, but never becomes dominant - lots of fig, plum, and strong coffee flavors - bakers chocolate and a hint of toffee - this is a nicely balanced imperial, but one that will probably be under-appreciated by someone that is used to the over-the-top booze bombs that are most current renditions of the style.

3.6 Sampled from a growler @ DLD 4/28. Pours black with the smallest tan head. The aroma is mainly hops with a slight hint of sweet malt. The hops continue in the flavor but are now joined by more dark chocolate and roasted coffee. this one has a fair amount of bitterness. Dry finish. Medium mouthfeel. I’m not sure this one belongs with the other Impys. Maybe I should try a fresh sample?

3.3 Pours a thick, deathly black with a thin, lacing brown head. Smells of alcohol and roasted malt. Taste is heavy on the roasted malt, with nice touches of plum and grapes. Finish is far too soapy, could be a product of the heavy alcohol. Not a bad Imperial Stout.

3.3 Opaque body with a thick foamy rocky beige head. Nose-chocolate, malts, dry tootsie rolls, chocolate. Taste-high CO2, metal, unsweet raisins, roast, burnt coffee, very sharp, medium sweet, acrid. Too sharp.

3.7 Date: 4/28/2007 Event: DarkLord Day 2007 Location: Three Floyds Brewing Co. Parking Lot Serving: Sampled from a growler. Tasting Notes Aroma: Hoppy (fresh hops). This one must be dry-hopped.. Appearance: Black with a thin brown head. Flavor: Dark chocolate flavors with some coffee/espresso around the edges. Moderate level of bitterness. Dry, ashy finish. Palate: Medium to medium-full body. Overall: I’d love to try this on draught at the brewpub or from a fresh bottle...

4.3 Bottle shared by frumpty at his place in Greenville. Thanks Ryan. Pours black with a tan head. Aromas of dark fruits, cocoa, coffee, and a little smoke. Flavor was similar to aroma with a nice roasty bitterness in the finish. Very smooth and yummy impy. Glad I finally go to try this one.

3.7 Poured black wth a tan brown head. Aroma of cocoa, berry, citrus, roast, and a slight astringency. Flavor of rum and licorice, some roast, chocolate and alcohol. Finishes with a dark and bitter flavor. Good, but slightly acidic.

3.7 Black pour, nice tan colored creamy head. Nose of coffee and chocolate, subdued notes of earthy fruit. Palate is a touch light for an impy stout, carbonation is a bit too much. Flavor is a bunch of coffee bitterness and roastiness with a little dark chocolate.

3.6 (Bottle) Pours an opaque black body with a large long-lasting brown head. Aroma of roastiness, toasted marshmallow, lactose, and chocolate. Flavor of roasted malt, coffee, and hops with lots of carbonation in the mouthfeel and a dry, bitter finish.

4.2 On tap at McNeill’s. Creamy chocolately malted milk and coffee, light smoke and broth, mild sour soy sauce. A bit of light smokiness. Pitch bkack clear with cocoa brown creamy lacing head. Heavy creamy body with mld carbonation. Starts with some broth and malted chocolate notes. Coffee and smoke, mild bitter finish and after. Meaty smoky finish, a beer with substance. Almost too much to bear as my lastbeer of the evening. Smooth chocolate smoky finish, with good smoky after. A very nice imp stout.

3.0 Pours a opaque black color with a light brown head. Aroma is of roasted malts, coffee, and some chocolate. Flavor is of roasted malts, and some chocolate.

2.3 sample from growler at DLD. pours black with small tan head. nose was very grassy and smokey. flavor was chcoolate, smoke, grainy, odd, metal, phenols, dear god! 2.9 4/5/08, sampled at P4. pours black with tan creamy head. soy sauce dominating the aroma. flavors of soy and coffee. blah.