Drake’s Brewing Co ‘Drakonic’ Imperial Stout

Rating:

27971850_814728222044658_2449728514515034882_n“A big, malty beast of a beer that exemplifies the way we roll here at Drake’s. Two-row malt is blended with Chocolate malt, roasted barley and dark Crystal malts to make up the grist. Only one hop addition, Columbus, is added for bittering, allowing the abundance of malt in this beer to shine through. Drakonic is smooth and dense with flavors of licorice, coffee and chocolate and a slightly dry finish. Enjoy.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Predictably black as midnight with a big and well retained three finger head perched on top. Thick, blotchy lace is sticking to the glass as we indulge.

Aroma: Big, rich and muscly with this subtle emphasis on bourbon whisky. Huge presence of licorice, dark chocolate, roasted malts, molasses, charcoal, glazed cherries and coffee in support. A soft vanilla bean and plummy accent to it as well, has a bit of sweet and sour to it. Good depth and complexity going on.

Flavour: It has the roasty/toasty notes dialled in. It’s getting a fair bit of help from this mostly sweet but ever so soft tart cherry character. Licorice, coffee, powdered cocoa and what seems to be a herbal hop flows through the mid and lands on a dry finish which provides charred wood and light chocolate in the tail.

Mouthfeel: Chalky, rather dry and direct. Medium body, mild-moderate co2. An assertive 40 IBU and a punchy 8.7% ABV.

Overall: Not completely sold but it’s a decent imperial stout. Lovely aroma, good follow through in flavour, good body. It just seemed to lack that knockout blow. We were hoping for a bit more to be honest.