Beer Review – Victory Storm King Imperial Stout

I didn’t plan on having a beer last Tuesday night, or even writing up a review, but the smell of freshly baked chocolate cake (none for me sadly) was so overwhelming, that I suddenly craved an uber-dark beer. Luckily, I had recently picked up a mixed six pack from The Foodery that just happened to contain a bottle of Victory Brewing Company’s Storm King Imperial Stout.

Here is what Victory Brewing Company has to say about this beer:

And now for my take on this beer…

• Appearance: Deep, walnut brown color. The head tops out at about one inch of tan foam, but then settles down to a thin layer that eventually disappears completely. Just a hint of lacing.
• Aroma: Big hit of dark chocolate when you take that first sniff. This is exactly what I was looking for to keep me away from that cake! Some piney hop aroma creeps up, but that dark chocolate scent never goes away.
• Taste: Medium mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Bittersweet chocolate and espresso at the onset. Coats your mouth with rich, roasted malt flavors. Piney hops show up at mid palate. So as not to let you forget that this beer is quite potent, the booziness kicks in and leads you to a somewhat astringent and bitter finish.
• ABV: 9.1%

I’m not sure if this beer has more or less calories than a slice of chocolate cake, but I will tell you this, the next time I am in a restaurant and am asked what I would like for dessert, I may seriously consider having a Victory Storm King (or something along these lines) in lieu of dessert. I really enjoy the balance of rich roasted malt and bitter hops, as well as how the booziness creeps up on you at the finish. This is a bold and delicious beer that I look forward to having again.