Top 12 Imperial Stouts you must try

Are you a fan of the dark side? Ever get the urge for a beer with something extra? Do you want something thick and creamy and loaded with flavor? Then you are probably a fan of Imperial Stouts. Imperial Stouts come in an assortment of style variations, are in general black as night, have at least an 8.0% ABV and are loaded with calories and flavor.

During the Fall, Winter and early Spring months when there is a cold wind blowing, there's nothing better than cuddling up with a significant other and sharing a bottle of a dark, roasted Imperial Stout. The list below shares some of the best available imperial stouts in the Rocky Mountain region.

The following list, in alphabetical order, is just a sampling of 12 of the best Imperial Stouts to be found in stores around Colorado. Not all of these Imperial Stouts come from from the region (to be fair) and at least 1 of them are from overseas.

Click on the links below to read a review of each of these outstanding representations of the Imperial Stout style. You too might just fall in love with one of them.

The Top 12 Imperial Stouts List

1. Avery The Czar Imperial Stout - Avery Brewing Co. (CO)

2. Deschutes The Abyss - Deschutes Brewery (OR)

3.Dogfish Head World Wide Stout - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (DE)

4. Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout - Great Divide Brewing Co. (CO)

5. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout - Goose Island Beer Co. (IL)

6. Left Hand Oak Aged Imperial Stout - Left Hand Brewing Co. (CO)

7. Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout - Nøgne Ø (Norway)

8. North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - North Coast Brewing Co. (CA)

9. Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout - Oskar Blues (CO)

10. Samuel Adams Imperial Stout - Boston Beer Co. (MA)

11. Stone Imperial Russian Stout - Stone Brewing Co. (CA)

12. Victory Storm King Imperial Stout - Victory Brewing Co. (PA)

According to the BJCP Style Guidelines, they describe this style as follows:

"An intensely flavored, big, dark ale. Roasty, fruity, and bittersweet, with a noticeable alcohol presence. Dark fruit flavors meld with roasty, burnt, or almost tar-like sensations. Like a black barleywine with every dimension of flavor coming into play. Variations exist, with English and American interpretations (predictably, the American versions have more bitterness, roasted character, and finishing hops, while the English varieties reflect a more complex specialty malt character and a more forward ester profile)."

Don't see your favorite Imperial Stout listed here? There are a lot of good ones available across the USA. Let us know which ones you like and post it in a comment below. Look for more lists of the Top beers by style in future posts.

You may also wish to try:

- Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout - Great Divide Brewing Co. (CO)

- Avery Mephistopheles' Stout. (CO)

- Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout - The Lost Abbey (CA)

- Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout - Full Sail Brewing (OR)

- Great Divide Belgian-style Yeti Imperial Stout - Great Divide Brewing (CO)

- Odell Bourbon Barrel Stout - Odell Brewing Company (CO)


Related articles:
- Sinfully delicious list of Colorado winter seasonals.
- Beer style reference guide.
- Colorado Breweries and Brewpubs list.
- More beer reviews sorted by style.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com
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