February 19, 2011
B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher Oatmeal Imperial Stout
Okay, it’s been a long, long time since I’ve done a review. I kind of got burned out so I took a break from reviewing… not drinking beer, just reviewing them. During that time I cleaned out a surplus of beer before it went bad. Of course, I also went on a rampage finding other beers I really wanted to try and kept buying them. I also hit a couple of breweries and brew pubs. I’ve expanded my tastes during my hiatus, even found a couple of IPAs that I like. Yea, that’s right, I found some IPAs I actually like. You’ll also notice that I’m changing my reviewing style a little bit. As I’ve reflected and read some of my past reviews, I decided to go into a little bit a different direction, this includes not describing the container the beer came in… for Pete’s sake, I attach a picture, why am I describing it? Now let’s get down to business. My grand return is with B.O.R.I.S. The crusher Oatmeal-Imperial stout by Hoppin'Frog brewing company in Akron, Ohio.
Appearance: It poured a dark black, with a touch of brown. There was no sign of light passing through at all, even around the edges. With an aggressive pour I was able to get a good half inch head to form. It was dark tan in color, and consisted mainly of large bubbles. It faded to a ring around the edge of the mug. There was some nice lacing on the glass.
Smell: The first thing I noticed was a strong dark roasted coffee and chocolate malt scent. I could detect a touch of molasses. As it warms more of a smoky scent was in the background. A touch of citrusy hops was detectable as well. As the beer warmed up you could also start to get an alcohol smell from it.
Taste: The tongue is treated to a rich dark roasted malts, mostly coffee with a touch of chocolate. Dark fruit and molasses flavors help to enhance the flavors tremendously. There is a good hop finish to it that helps bring all the flavors together. The aftertaste is a lingering mild bitterness on the back of the tongue that fades slowly. The beer has a slight alcohol taste, which isn’t surprising based on the 9.4% ABV.
Body: This is a medium bodied beer, which I did find a little disappointing because I personally would like a more full bodied beer for an imperial stout. I personally would have liked a bit more of a creaminess that coats the mouth. It has a mild carbonation that is barely noticeable.
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