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The last couple weeks have been insane – between buying a new house, trying to get ours ready to sell, and work being crazy busy. I haven’t had much time just to sit down and enjoy a beer. But now that it’s Friday night, I’ve got a chance to enjoy one. So, I thought I grabbed the best one I could see in the beer fridge. I picked up this brew at the liquor store probably about a year ago because I’m a big fan of big imperial stouts, especially when it’s cold outside and they’re predicting almost a foot of snow this weekend. The bottle says, “Bottled on 11/19/12. 1407”
Location: Poured into a curved pint glass at my home in Bloomington, IL.
Numbers: 11.5% ABV, 60 IBUs, 350 Calories
Appearance & Aroma: It’s jet black in color, and I couldn’t see any light through it when I held it up. There’s a very thin, tan colored head that’s a bit creamy around the edge of the glass. The aroma is light, but there’s some dark chocolate smells and hints of roastiness.
Taste & Feel: The body is very full and the mouthfeel is smooth and viscous. The flavor up front is a slightly sweet dark chocolate flavor. The flavor softens smoothly as it transitions to a roasty, dark chocolate sweetness in the finish. The aftertaste is dark chocolate with a smooth roastiness in the background and a smooth alcohol warmth.
Food Pairing: There’s a good amount of dark chocolate flavors and sweetness with some roastiness. I think this would pair incredibly well with some BBQ like ribs, brisket, or pulled pork.
Overall Impression: I really enjoyed the smooth flavors and mouthfeel of this beer. For such a big beer, it was very drinkable. I liked the semi-sweet dark chocolate flavors and I thought the malt roastiness was very smooth and not bitter at all. This must be the base beer for Goose Island BCBS. Overall, this was a very good beer that’s perfect at this age.
My Rating: 
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