Samuel Smith's is a great English brewery, known for brewing some very flavorful beers. This beer, Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout, is yet another tasty offering from this brewery, and it's one of two stouts that the brewery produces.

Russian Imperial stouts are hearty, full- bodied stouts. Originally, this style was created in England to satisfy the royal court in St. Petersburg who preferred their beer to be a little richer and stronger. Hence the name, Imperial Stout. This type of beer is known for its higher alcohol content and its lengthy aging time of 6 months or longer.

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is dark brown in color with an aroma of malt syrup and a hint of licorice. The taste is very malty and rich, with a roasted flavor and slight smokiness. The finish is alcoholic, dry, and slightly bitter. It almost tastes like someone took a dark, dry beer and added a small amount of vodka. The flavor of imperial stout is best if the beer is served a little warmer, around 55 degrees, to bring out more of the flavor. If you serve it too cold, you will miss out on some of the full- bodied taste. This beer doesn't produce much foam. And what little it does produce is gone in a very short time. There is an aftertaste, of rich malt and alcohol, that lasts for a while after drinking.

The alcohol level in this beer is higher than others. It is 7 percent by volume and it can knock you out in a short time without you ever realizing what happened.

With this much fullness in flavor, Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is not a beer that I would recommend for the beer drinking novice. If you're the type who thinks Coors Light is a fine pilsner, then you should probably pass on this beer. Your taste buds will be in a state of shock.

There are only a few foods I can think of that would match up with this beer. It would go well with a good steak or any smoked and/or barbecued meat. And, it might even be a good match for a piece of bittersweet chocolate cake. But that's about it. Personally, I think it's best as an after- dinner drink, enjoyed one sip at a time.

We can add this to the list of fine beers produced by our friends at the Samuel Smith Brewery in England. It's expensive; it's a little stronger than the others; and it might be a little too much for some people to handle. But, for the lover of real beer, it's a tasty treat.



Recommended: Yes