Beer Review: Royal Impy Stout (2013 vintage)

Reviewing the Royal Impy Stout from the Portsmouth Brewery out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This beer replaces Kate The Great in the brewery's current lineup as a new winter stout that was released during Portsmouth Beer Week 2013. This beer is different from Kate, but is the name an allusion?

Score: 94

2013 vintage bottle served in a Doom teku-like glass and enjoyed on 06/27/13. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: Pours a chocolately brown color with no head. No lacing or retention to speak of. 3.5/5

Smell: Milk chocolate, dark chocolate and roast. Hint of fig. tons and tons of chocolate. 4.25

Taste: Nice mix of silky/creamy chocolate notes - cacao, dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Less roast on the palate than in the nose. Touch of boozy warmth in finish, but no boozy flavor. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Just shy of full bodied, low carbonation. Silky smooth mouthfeel. Quite dry on the finish. Nice bittersweet flavor balance, with more sweetness upfront and more bitterness towards the finish. 4.5/5

Overall: Delicious and well worth the retail cost. It is better than aged Kate The Great, but not quite as good as I recall Kate being fresh. Although not the most complex stout, this brew delivers in what dimensions its offers. I wish this were more readily accessible.

Cost: $8 for a 300 ml "stenie bottle."