A Beer that sedates me with drowsiness, and then shouts “Wake Up!”
Written: Aug 22 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Intense flavor, an imperial stout for hop lovers
Cons: I prefer my imperials with less hop. Seasonal and Limited distribution.
The Bottom Line: A first class imperial stout, full of character, but also twisted with a higher than average hop bitterness. Certainly an experience, but more for hop heads than novices
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| andaryl's Full Review: Victory Storm King Imperial Stout |
A couple of weeks ago I was in my local gourmet food store, which I only usually visit for the better than average beer selection. I was in the mood for a decent 6-pack for a ball game that night, which I chose, but could not leave without a full scan to see what else was new.
That’s how I came across three choices from a brewery that until now had only existed in rumors and folklore. We might have some excellent breweries in California and elsewhere on the left of the country, but I read many reviews here from folk such as beerfly, beerlover and bruguru teasing me over some of the east coast brews not available in this area. It certainly appears to me that the expansion of these beers into California is something of a recent phenomenon as the website only lists a few distribution states concentrated in the northeast (DE, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA, and VA).
The Brewery
Of course, if you read the product heading, you know I’m talking about the Victory Brewing Company, located one hour west of Philadelphia in Downingtown. The brewery is said to have been started in 1973, on a school bus by two 5th graders, but it wasn’t actually until the late 1980’s that the lifelong friends, Bill and Ron, started looking seriously into craft brewing. After several years spent gaining experience and education in the brewing industry, they opened the Victory brewpub in 1996.
I was going to start out with the Prima Pils, but as I procrastinated and the day drew on eventually turning into night, I decided that the mood was better suited to an Imperial Stout. So I opted for Storm King instead, lifted it out of the fridge to get it a little closer to the desired 60 degrees, and returned to my computer to read a few facts from their website while I waited.
Official Introduction
The label seems like an attempt at reviewing their own beer, but I will offer the quote anyway:
“Emerging from the deepest shades of darkness, a rolling crescendo of flavors burst forth from this robust stout. The thundering hoppy appeal of Storm King subsides into the mellow subtleties of roasted malt, exhibiting an espresso-like depth of character in its finish. An exquisite of imported malts and all flower American hops merge harmoniously in this complex ale. Discover the dark intrigue Of Storm King, as it reveals the rich substantial flavors that it holds within.”
Imperial Stouts are one of the strongest ales you will find, and this one is pretty typical of the style at 9.1% ABV (the best known, and probably most acclaimed version of this style, Samuel Smith’s, is something of a relative lightweight at 7%). They were originally conceived and brewed to combat freezing Baltic conditions and offer a little alcohol warmth to those who drank them. It therefore came as no surprise to me that this beer is seasonal, but it did come as a complete surprise when I noticed the season was August through October. I’m not sure about the logic in this, although personally I don’t mind drinking heavier ales in summer (note I don’t like to reverse and drink light lagers in winter). Furthermore Imperial Stouts are especially suited to storage and the fact that this bottle conditioned encourages aging, so do your Christmas shopping now.
Tasting Notes
Beer at the appropriate temperature, I am now ready to sit back and indulge. Within seconds I just know that this is going to be an enjoyably relaxing brew. As I pop the cap, I get a quick whiff of malt eager to escape. I pour carefully at first to get an idea of foaminess, then encourage it a little more as I reach halfway up my Hogshead tumbler. To my eye, the body is pitch black, even holding up against the light it’s hard to get any suggestions of red or brown. The foam that resulted is very dense, a burnt-caramel colored foam that is dark enough alone to frighten many a lighter bodied beer. The foam endurance is adequate; it sits around for a few seconds before thinning down to more of a murmur, which given the style is not a disappointment.
I only fill the glass about 2/3rds so that I can swill it around a little without throwing beer up my nostrils. My initial impressions are that this is not a particularly strong aroma for an imperial stout. There’s a little subdued liquor in the nose that if you unleash and inhale relaxes the mind a little even before the first sip. What I really get from the aroma is a burnt roasted malt and chocolate, more so at the start than later on, while also showing some dark fruity notes maybe blackcurrant and plums, and a little creaminess. The hops do have a slight influence here but really needed some persuasion before I got faint signs of lemon fruitiness and the slightest hint of spice and herbs. Of course at the same time in the aroma, I often think I may have a tendency to get the beer to say what I want it to say, and may be a little over-suggestive. Still, that’s always a good excuse to try the same beer twice and see if we were right the first time.
While firm and fairly heavy on the palate, this beer is not too rugged and is surprisingly drinkable. There’s a slight carbonation that sort of tingles the middle of the tongue briefly, but this is an extremely smooth ale with a wonderful silkiness to it.
Upon tasting I soon realize that this is an imperial with a difference, to be more precise a hoppy difference. The malt makes the first notes with a mild butterscotch and a vaguely noticeable chocolate and espresso presence. The fuller flavors are reinforced mid-palate by a slightly sour creaminess, brief hints of port and something mildly fruity, estery. The hop presence, however, somewhat tempers the maltiness throughout and I do feel that it kind of prevents the chocolaty and roasty flavors fully establishing themselves. The hops are especially prevalent in the finish adding a citric bite and bitterness that makes me feel less surprised that they decided to ship some of this over to the west coast. What seemed like a mild alcohol presence in the nose was certainly much more pronounced in the finish with an extremely pleasing alcohol warmth. The alcohol is slightly vinuous in the finish, while the citric bitterness lingers long and the creamy butterscotch makes a fair attempt at reestablishing itself.
Verdict
I have to admit to drinking this one with slight mixed feelings. First things first, this is an excellently crafted imperial stout and the hop presence does add another dimension. It’s definitely one to recommend to beer drinking veterans, and certainly something I would drink again myself at the right time. However I did feel that for the purpose of a nightcap, which is what I usually want my imperials to be, the hops did not lend themselves to mind-numbing relaxation. I’m a hop lover when it comes to IPA’s, and also enjoy the hoppy stouts and porters that we get here on the west coast. But for an imperial stout I prefer something a little less assertive and challenging.
It gets a whole-hearted recommendation from me as an excellent ale, and I’d drink it again as part of a social gathering or in a bar. If I’m ever in the neighborhood I’ll be sure to try this on draft. However for the purpose I usually choose imperials, I’ll go for something a little closer to Samuel Smith’s. Hop lovers will probably love it, (see the 5-star ratings of this beer), novices probably won’t.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
andaryl
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Member: Andrew Smith
Location: California via Yorkshire
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