Old Chimneys Good King Henry

Cask: Occasional. Also available bottle conditioned.

"The colour and deep luscious flavour derive largely from roasted barley."

Bottled by hand.
Cask version 9.0%

215 reviews

Diss, England

Community reviews

3.7 Earlier Rating: 5/12/2016 Total Score: 5

4.0 Keg at HL1, 29/11/19. Black with a well presented tan cap that dissipates to a swirl over time. Nose is roast malts, dried fruits, liquorice, chocolate, treacle toffee, toasted brown sugars. Taste comprises liquid fruit cake, light smoke, dates, cocoa powder, toasted brown sugar, charr, prunes. Medium plus bodied, fine carbonation, balanced warming alcohol in the close. Solid easy drinking old skool leaning impy. Earlier Rating: 12/9/2012 Total Score: 4.2 Bottle at home (thanks to Craig Garvie for the trade) Lot No. 514. 09/12/12. Pours mid black with a dirty tan head that soon dissipates to the edge of the glass and leaves a small film in the centre. Nose is big on roast malts, molasses, touch of chocolate, some coffee. Taste comprises roast malts, dark sugars, touch of booze. chocolate, light mineral tones, rich and complex. Excellent on the palate, full bodied, minimal carbonation, smooth as. Top imperial stout, alcohol is well disguised and it makes love to your larynx on its final journey!

4.2 Massive chocolate, malt complexity, berries throughout aroma and taste, creamy, thick, very smooth, slightly warming.

4.0 Keg at montys. Pours black, nose is blackcurrant, chocolate, marzipan, liquorice, taste is sweet, fruity, toffee, chocolate, oatmeal. Earlier Rating: 8/2/2014 Total Score: 4 Bottle at Craig’s. Pours black, nose is chocolate, liquorice, taste is fruity, roast chocolate.

4.1 Bottle from EEBRIA. Pours black with a brown head. A delicious, full-flavoured beer with notes of chocolate, coffee and liquorice. Excellent blend of flavours with a rich sweetness and well-balanced bitterness. A first-class Russian Imperial Stout.

4.3 Keg at Montys. Pours almost black, no head. Nose is sweetish fruits, roast, liquorice, cola, caramel. Would be interesting to nose this blind and guess colour. Tastes spft roast, very very fruity for such beer, red fruits, blackcurrants, velvety, still getting cola and liquorice. Sweet but still good balance. Different, interesting, superb.

4.3 Keg at MONTIES... Dark black.. Thin tan lacing... Soft dark dry chocolate roast malts nose... Dry chocolate roast malts nose... Dark chocolate roast malts.. Light licorice.. Dark fruity.. Soft roast Keg 1day later... Dark black... Thin tan lacing.. Soft sweet dry chocolate roast malts nose.. Soft dark chocolate.. Light roast.. Dry blackcurrant.. Soft fruity chocolate roast 4.3 Keg at monties... Dark black.. Thin tan lacing.. Soft sweets chocolate roast malts nose... Soft sweet caramel toffee fruit.. Soft woody cherry chocolates roast malts.. Big sweeting up ... Big sweet fruit... Soft sweet caramel toffee malts... Soft sweet chocolate.. Ohh man so fruity Keg at monties a week and a day later from when it went on... Dark black... Thin tan lacing.. Soft sweet berries chocolate roast malts.. Soft dark sweet chocolate roast malts... Dark sweet big fruity malts.. Bih soft raspberry Keg at monties... Dark black.. Thin tan lacing... Soft sweet caramel... Soft sweet chocolate roast malts nose.. Dark roast chocolate malts.. Very sweet chocolate roast malts.. Big fruit 4.3 Keg at monties day later... Dark black.. Thin tan... Soft sweet blackcurrant chocolate roast malts nose... Dark sweet chocolate.. Dark malts.. Dry fruity chocolate roast malts... Heavy malts... Dark rich roast... Dark chocolate roast malts 4.3 keg at monties... (twice) in the same day... Dark black... soft sweet woody chocolate roast malts nose.. soft chocolate... oddly woidy for no barrel... dark chocolate figs.. Light roast.. little thin (watery) this time.. bit flavour is perfect 4.2 Earlier Rating: 10/10/2007 Total Score: 4.6 Bottle at home 08/13...deep black... Deep fruits ... Dark Roast... Soft chocolate... Soft. Chocolate roast... Dark malrs.. Roch sweet malts 4.4Bottle at toms 10/07 ... THANKS ronnie ... Deep black ... sweet fruit toasted malts ... lots of chocolate ... good body ... sweet fruity chocolate malts ... lots of chocolate character and great depth. Great beer. TK 2 Early 09 Bottle at home ... Deep black ... light roast little smoke ... light sweet nutty molasis... Wonderfully complex but at the same time subtle and not as in your face as other Imperial Stouts In what was meant to be my Christams day GKH - GKHR taste off but i was feeling so terrible its was postponed till today (080110) ... So here we go ... lot 205 ... deep black ... thin lacing ... soft chocolate nose ... roast malt ... big chocolate ... light coffee ... very soft but very deep little bitter in the roast ... not thin but lighter than the GKHR and smother than the 2007 version ... some cherry ... todays score 4.5 bottle at home ... 29-05-11 bbf 01.09.11 lot number 265... deep dark roast ... loads of blackcurrant ... big chocolate ... dark roast malts nose... soft light carbonation ... soft sweet malts toffee ... big chocolate ... cherry and plums ... nice roast... 4.3 bottle at home lot 265 bbb 09/2011 vintage ... drunk 09/2011 ... deep black ... thin tan lacing ... sweet chocolate ... plum roast malt nose ... light fizz ... youd swear this had some oak aging ... dark roast ... big big chocolate ... dark vine fruits ... some pigs ... hint of red grape ... warming ... lovely 4.5bottles at home bbf 032014 and 022011... new ... deep black .. thin tan head ... old ... deep black no head ... new ... soft chocolate malt nose ...old ... much more berry fruits ... juicy fruits ... new ... light malt nose .. soft chocolate ... meaty malts ... soft choclate ... rich malts ... big big chocolate ... big full body ... oiult roast body ... wow ... old ... almost oaky ... woody malts ... soft roast ... ligth fruits ... ligth alcohol ... soft roast ... lacks some of the body ... nice roast ... new 4.7 ... old ...4.4bottle at home ... deep brown .. thin tan head ... soft dark roast malt ... soft roast ... light alcohol ... quite oaky and this is not reserve ... soft toffee roast ... light malts ... Christmas day 2012 Bottle at home 2012 i think bbf 2014 ... dark black ... nice soft tan head ... mellow chocolate roast ...soft light meatyness nose...sweet roast .... big meaty malts ... dark chocolate .. light bitterness ... sweet dark fruits ... plums and cherries ... mellow carbonations ... oh this is tip top delightfull ... full rounded body ... mellow silky smooth ... this is the perfect palate for me ... this is the beer at its best 4.6 Christmas day 2012 bottle at home bbf 09 2012, think 2010 vintage ... Dark black ... fizzy pour with lovly dark tan head that vanishes ... nothing left where as 2012 vintage(above) still has a small tan head and it was poured 10 minutes ago ... deep vine fruits ... soft dark roast nose ... fizzy thinner body ... very fruity .. much more fruity than 2012 ... very cherry and soft roast malts ... no real sign of chocolate ... maybe a little alcohol showing ... nice but not stunning 4.1------------------------bottle at home ... deep black ...thin tan lacing ... soft sweet blackcurrant sweet roast nose ... light fizz ... soft sweet malt ... light juicy malts ...light bettery fruits ...l soft roast ... 4.4----------Deep black... Small tan head... Batch 514 bbe 0314 drunk oct 13...deep meaty chocolate roast malt... Big chocolate node... Soft silky roast... Dark chocolate... Heavy sweet malts... Massive chocolate... Deep plums... Dark berried... Cherry chocolate... Mrllow roast... Tiny coffee hints... Superb 4.6Bottle at home... Drunk march 2014...bbf 2012... Deep black... Thin tan head...Soft sweet chocolate roast malt nose... Soft chocolate roast... Dark roast big berryfruits... Plums... Light bitterness... Mellow chocolate roast 4.3bottle at home... Drunk oct 14...bbf 05m2015...deep black... Small tan head... Very blackberry fruits... Soft chocolate malts nose... Little fizzy... Dark malts... Dark chocolate... Light ovaltine... Dark fruits ok 3.9

4.0 330ml bottle [courtesy of Grumbo - thanks a lot for this renowned gem]. Jet black colour with small to average, thick, creamy, moderately lasting and lacing, tan head. Chocolately and spicy, roasty, dark malty aroma, notes of dark chocolate, treacle, dark caramel, herbal and floral overtones, a touch of liquorice and soy sauce. Taste is sweet-ish and minimally bitter, roasty and chocolately dark malty, notes of dark chocolate, Belgian chocolate, treacle, caramel, floral and minimally fruity, hoppy overtones, a touch of blueberry, honey, cautious malty and yeasty spiciness with a minimally bready effect; well hidden alcohol. Oily to viscous texture, smooth and soft palate, fine and gentle, but efficacious carbonation. Not as brute as some US Impy Stouts, but equally rich and deep, very balanced, harmonious. Very good.

4.0 (Bag-in-box at De Drie Dorstige Herten, Utrecht, 14 Feb 2019) Black colour with brief bubbly head. Malty, roasted, slightly vinous nose with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, liquorice and a touch of soy sauce. Malty, roasted, vinous taste with dark chocolate, cacao, liquorice, soy sauce, oak wood, hints of red wine and a balanced cacao bitterness in the finish. Full body, with a certain sweetness. Really tasty and well balanced. Suspect that this was aged in wine barrels (possibly a separate entry, but I'll leave it here for now). Excellent stuff.

3.9 Bag in box @ In De Wildeman. Oily black colour. Soapy beige head with no retention. Aroma's: tar-ish, sweetish, roasted. Retronasal: roasted, sweetish, a bit red fruit, woody. Flavour: light moderate sweet with some tarry bitterness. Medium bodied. Low & soft carbonation. Long finish. Not as stellar as the Reserve, but pretty good anyway.

4.0 Bottled. Pours black with a small tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, chocolate and licorice notes. Sweet taste that ends up dry and somewhat bitter. Medium bodied, oily texture and soft carbonated. Am excellent Impy. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

3.9 330ml bottle just over a year old (lot 179, BBE 07/2019). Pours black with a big tan head settling nicely with good retention. Aroma of roast malts, burnt cocoa, dark fruits. Taste of roast malts, burnt cocoa, dark fruits, liquorice, toffee, burnt bitterness, alcohol. Medium bodied, moderate-high carbonation. Lovely stout, the SR version really does elevate this beer to great heights. I did feel this particular bottle was over-carbed, rather fizzy even after allowing it to sit for a while.

4.0 Pitch black with no head. Strong roasty malt aroma. Molasses and tar flavor. Brown sugar and rum. Sweetish.

4.4 Thanka to Craig dor sharingthia beer in Edinburgh. Heavy toast bit also some sugar. Red wine. Heqvy palate. Excellent.

3.7 Bottle shared by John - thanks! Dark dense oily pour. This has a bit of age on it, but it’s still super rich. Very cool to try.

3.6 Bottle (thanks cgarvieuk). Pitch black color. Small size, brown head, stays. Roast, sweet, berries, vanilla, oak in aroma and in taste. Nice mellow with some character bite. Very solid brew.

3.8 330ml bottle. Big thanks, cgarvieuk! Dark brown colour. Moderate dark beige head. Chocolate, chocolste brownie, bready notes, cocoa in the aroma. Chocolate, notes of alcochol, prunus in the aroma. Chocolate, spices, salty caramel in the taste. Dark chocolate, cocoa and notes of alcochol in tge aftertaste. Silky texture.

4.4 Bottle (thanks cgravieuk). Pours black with beige head. Aroma is fruit, roast, booze. Flavor is sweet and bitter, roast, malt, chocolate, banana, booze. Feels very light. Very interesting palate. Overall: great.

4.2 Bottle at cgarvieuk's, vintage 2009. Pours black. Aroma is raisin, roasted malt, plum and fig. Body is heavy, light on sweetness but still sweet, roasted and coffee and vanilla, still intense on bitterness. Smooth. Great!

4.0 Bottle at Craigs, many thanks, small creamy head, opaque pitch black color, aroma of barnyard, animal feed, dark bread, coffee behind it all, some dark fruits creeping through, flavor of plums and damsons with sweet dark chocolate, pleasant light bitterness, mild mellow sweetness. Very good ans really enjoyable.

3.5 16/20 lovely mix of chocolate and coffee, very well balanced, smooth, long aftertaste

3.9 Bottle. Black pour. Aroma of creamy roasted malt, chocolate, licorice, mocha coffee and caramel. Taste has rich roasted malt, herbs, chocolate malt, licorice, caramel and mocha. Soft, somewhat lively mouthfeel. Nice classic ris.

4.0 330ml bottle via Eebria. Thick and black with a big tan head that foamed away quickly. Aroma is raspberries and dark chocolate. Flavour is more of the same, with fruit cake and big boizy notes. Excellent

4.2 Black beer, thick, light brown bubbly head.Aroma is toasty malt and light chocolate. Flavour is a big roasted malt hit, chocolate, molasses, dried fruit. The earthiness of the malt and molasses linger as you drink through this big, rich beast of a stout. Wonderful stuff.

4.0 Bottle. (thanks Nisse666) Black with a small tan head. Sweetish with roasted malt, some earth, coffee and dark fruit. Kind of smooth and with a medium body.

3.7 33 cl bottle. Pours black color with a small beige head. Aroma is ashy dry and malty, roasted notes, cocoa, dark chocolate, some licorice, the hop profile is a bit disappointing. Flavor is cocoa and sweet chocolate, syrupy sweetness too, some burnt notes, mild minty spicy notes too. Don't like the mintyness here at all, otherwise okay. 4424

3.7 330ml bottle from Beermoth, Manchester. Pours pitch black with a light brown head. Aroma of roasty malts, earthiness, hints of chocolate and syrup. Taste is roasty and chocolatey with massive amounts of malts, some earthiness, toffee and syrup. Finish is slightly sweetish and roasty with loads of malts, hints of medicine, toffee, earthiness, syrup and English hops. Quite English imperial stout.

3.4 33 cl bottle @ olio. Batch #226, BBE 12/2019. Thanks tiong! Aroma has British hops, some toffee and licorice. Flavour has toffee, licorice, British hops and mild spicy tones. Medicine-like stuf. IS in English way – not exactly my thing.

4.3 My goodness this was a pure pleasure to drink. So balanced and powerful. Pitch black with a creamy beige head. Nice mellow aroma. Full body and a smooth carbonation level. Creamy texture. Lovely lasting tail. Chocolate, fruity, vanilla and espresso in the flavor. Yummi. Lot #131 [Bottle from a trade with Nisse666] Brewery #1839

4.2 Bottle, 330 ml, courtesy of jjsint. Shared with Max and JFK10000. Pours black, medium light brownish head. Roasted malty, coffee, sweet, chocolate, licorice, some dried fruit, light bitterness in finish. Soft texture. Easy drinkable. Medium to full bodied.