Your first *Aha* Imperial Sout

Sil · Post by **Sil** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:34 pm

Old Rasputin

I don't always drinks stouts, but when I do they're Russian Imperial.

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:11 pm

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout from the downtown Binny's in Chicago.

First exposure to the style and it broadened my idea of what stout could be. Came to appreciate it even more when it arrived at the 'BO a couple years later.

iguenard · Post by **iguenard** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:06 pm

Young's Double Chocolate Stout, sadly.

mintjellie · Post by **mintjellie** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:31 pm

Middle Ages Dragonslayer

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:30 pm

Early John by. I previously avoided stouts.

jmcnally · Post by **jmcnally** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:10 pm

Wellington for me, too. Can't remember if it was tap or bottle but it was at Volo several years back.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:37 pm

iguenard wrote:Young's Double Chocolate Stout, sadly.

You were probably disappointed due to it not actually being an Imperial Stout, as the OP asked.

Think my first imperial stout was Sam Smith's. This style was scarce in the UK back in the day. First American Imperial Stout was either Oak Aged Yeti or Port Brewing's Older Viscosity.

KwaiLo · Post by **KwaiLo** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:29 pm

Tsarina Katarina. In the same way Sgt. Major was my first great IPA experience, Katarina was my imperial stout.

It disappoints me what happened with the brewery.

StevenThrasher · Post by **StevenThrasher** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 3:53 pm

Victory Storm King
and Yeti / Oak aged Yeti
Can't remember which one I had first but those are still my two favourites, with Storm King getting the edge for my purchases based on its low price. The best value beer out there in my opinion.

Also St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout on draught at Volo was my first AHH moment with a stout and gateway to the imperials.

iguenard · Post by **iguenard** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:34 pm

Torontoblue wrote:
iguenard wrote:Young's Double Chocolate Stout, sadly.
You were probably disappointed due to it not actually being an Imperial Stout, as the OP asked.

Think my first imperial stout was Sam Smith's. This style was scarce in the UK back in the day. First American Imperial Stout was either Oak Aged Yeti or Port Brewing's Older Viscosity.

Noted.

But then again, Older Viscosity is a "Bourbon Barrel-Aged American Dark Strong Ale" according to Port Brewing. so there

Imperial Stout, AH-HA moment... I'll have to go with Yeti also. I had had imperial stouts before, but this one really made me stand up and say Ah-ha.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:37 pm

"First" is tough, as there were many 'firsts' for different reasons!

Frst-time 'wow' moments? -- Stone RIS, Bierefolie, Goose Bourbon, Mikkeller Weasel and Nøgne Ø. Péche Mortél was up there too - and Black Albert is insanely good. Tempest is shocking too.

In the 'Near Stouts' I have ölfabrikken Porter, Thisted Limfjords, and Beer Here Mörke.

^ Note how few American ones for my taste!

S. St. Jeb · Post by **S. St. Jeb** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:41 pm

KwaiLo wrote:Tsarina Katarina. In the same way Sgt. Major was my first great IPA experience, Katarina was my imperial stout.

It disappoints me what happened with the brewery.

You and me both. I really enjoyed several of their beers.

John By, about 4 years ago, is my answer to the question.

A more general introduction to stout that made me say "hey, this stuff is good" would be Connors Stout. That was many years ago, perhaps the mid-nineties (around the time when some on this board were in kindergarten

)

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:56 pm

Wellington was probably my first, and I do really like it. It's too bad they stopped bottling it.

It was more like an awesome, big, Wellington brew than a real 'aha' moment though.

matt7215 · Post by **matt7215** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:50 am

Derek wrote:Wellington was probably my first, and I do really like it. It's too bad they stopped bottling it.

It was more like an awesome, big, Wellington brew than a real 'aha' moment though.

i actually prefer the canned version to any bottle i ever had, and its availible at the brewery all the time

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:11 pm

Gotta go with the Yeti as well. Great beer.

The Bar Towel

Your first Aha Imperial Sout