Flavor & balance:

Intense roasted flavors of coffee and chocolate with medium to high hop bitterness. Dark and dried fruit notes are common.
The additional alcohol may impart a warming quality to the mouthfeel.

History:

Originally born from the British porter tradition, this high alcohol dark ale was very popular with the Russian Imperial Court in the early 1800s. Today, Imperial Stout is most commonly produced by American craft breweries.

Related Styles:

American Stout, Baltic Porter, Foreign Extra Stout,
Irish Stout