Goose Island Night Stalker

4.3/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 17/20

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled 3/6/10(about 1.5 years old now!). Pours black as night with a very dense 1 finger tan head with great retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. A small amount of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of huge roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee, molasses, vanilla, and caramel; with a bit of dark fruits and booze. Some pretty nice and strong aromas here. Taste of HUGE dark chocolate, caramel, coffee, molasses, vanilla, and charred malt; with a bit of pine, citrus, and spicy bitterness. Bitterness doesn’t last so long, but there are huge lingering notes of dark chocolate, molasses, caramel, and vanilla that last. Huge full body with medium carbonation; very creamy and slick mouthfeel that goes down fairly smooth. A bit of alcohol noticed in the back of the tongue, with a decent sized warming on the finish. This is definitely a sipper, this needs to be enjoyed over an hour or more. Overall, an outstanding Imperial Stout with some age on it. The hops definitely mellowed out and it is smoother than the last time I had it.

Re-reviewing this one. It is very possible that this bottle was the same age as the last one I tried. It definitely smoothed out, and is thick as hell. Delicious.