Monday, November 3, 2008

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter (Beer Review)

From Flying Dog’s website: "Like Hunter S. Thompson, Gonzo Imperial Porter is deep and complex. This turbo charged version of the Road Dog Porter is mysteriously dark with a rich malty body, intense roasted flavors, and a surprisingly unique hop kick. With Gonzo weighing in at 7.8% ABV, it will bit you in the ass if you don’t show it the proper respect."

I usually can’t tell the difference between a porter and a stout. As much as I like to call myself a beer snob, I’m still a relative novice when it comes to differentiating between similar styles and whatnot.

What hit me first about this brew is the licorice scent that you get right up front. I’m not a fan of licorice. Won’t eat it, and the smell makes me gag. But the way it’s infused as part of the overall aroma makes it rather appealing.

There is a strong alcohol taste on the front end, but a pleasant, smoky after-taste. I’m assuming since this is a porter rather than an ale, the extreme maltiness doesn’t make the beer as sweet as other high malt beers I’ve had. But the above description is correct, the alcohol will bite you in the ass if you’re not expecting it. I’d like to try this again and compare it to the Road Dog Porter.

Well, I’m done with the Flying Dogs for a while. With my next trip to my local libation provider, I think I’m going to pick up a Michelob variety pack. Their Amberbock is my #2 beer, and it looks as if they’ve branched out beyond typical American lagers. I’m interested to see how a big corporate beer maker can stack up to a smaller microbrew or specialty beer maker.

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Listening to: The Ataris - The Boys of Summer
via FoxyTunes

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey,my name is Neal and I work for Flying Dog. Thanks for trying our Gonzo Imperial Porter.

Road Dog is a interesting beer too. It has a bit of a cult following and less of the licorice flavor, so you might like it more.

Cheers!

Rob Rosenblatt said...

Hey Neal, thanks for viewing the blog. I'll definitely be trying additional Flying Dog products in the future.