Nashoba Valley Brewery's Imperial Stout

I feel fairly fortunate to have received a sample of this small brewery's seasonal Imperial Stout. I've never heard of this brewery, but the label is interesting and I love trying new obscure breweries.

This one pours the standard inky black with a great deep tan head that thins, but not completely.

Uh-oh. Has a Belgian dubbel smell to it, so I let it warm. As it opened up a bit it smelled more like a solid, malty RIS. Deep bread, slight roasted coffee.

Interesting. Carbonation shows up in the feel to make is seem on the lighter side of imperial. At 70 IBU's it's surprisingly mellow, and same goes for the 8.2% ABV--both are well balanced and subdued. Very vinous--like Nashoba uses the same yeast for their beer as their wine. Compared to most impy stouts, this one is a bit lighter. All of the malt, roasted, and coffee flavors are there, just not as strong. Hints of Belgian beers pop up from time to time in the smell again, and in the taste. More like a Belgian strong ale than a dubbel now though.

Interesting take on an RIS. I don't like the phenols that show through from time to time, but they're very subdued. Overall this has the look and feel of an RIS, but it's more mellow than most. Good beer. Glad I had it.