Annex Ale Project Ego Death – American Double / Imperial Stout at 8.9% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Nov-2025, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 3-Dec-2025)
Appearance: clear deep cola red with a short fine beige head diminishing gradually to nothing, no lacing. (4/5) Aroma: coffee, cacao, anise, ash. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full slick body, moderate-soft carbonation, sticky sweet lingering warming bitter finish. (4/5)
Collective Advent #1. Starts off with a big, boozy, bombastic bang. And, it’s fine, y’know? I’ve had my share – fine, more than my share – of Imperial Stouts, and it’s a style that’s easy to rate fairly highly: after all, who doesn’t like boozy chocolate? Problem is, I’ve had enough exposure to the style that shock and awe doesn’t work on me. And behind the shock and awe, this one has a few (admittedly minor) defects: primarily the excessively roasty character, giving a burnt, ashy note on the nose and a lingering sharpness through the finish that one might normally associate with a lighter gravity beer punching above its weight. Don’t get me wrong, this is good – but it’s not great. (15/20)
This will be my 6,276th unique Untappd check-in.
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
