UPDATED: MAR 23, 2021 Opaque black with a medium tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Roasty, chocolate, anise, but overly lactic, and sour cherry.

UPDATED: MAR 5, 2019 Wanted more out of this after sampling the regular Russian Imperial which is one of my top rated beers here. This lost some points cause of flavor and mouthfeel. The anise wasn't working for me...like a good-and-plenty stout. Not overwhelming which made it drinkable, but prefer the straight coffee, toffee, etc. additives. Interesting to try, just not an IPS that I would prefer in the future.

bottle 2011. chocolate, coffee, leather, alcohol, anise is nice and smooth comparing to when it was fresh. well balanced. heavy sweet but the anise makes it well balanced. special, nice

2011 bottle. Pours black. Aroma and taste are largely licorice with some roasted malts and chocolate,

So this is like the 3rd time I’ve had this. Dark chocolate and licorice dominate this profile and I’m glad I waited to rate this. Better as it ages. This is 2011 version.

Much anise. Didn’t lose anything by ageing.above average mouthfeel. Dark as night. Has to be shared.

Bomber bottle at Staffan47, vintage 2011. Thanks dude! Near black with thin brown head. Aroma has lots of liquorice, anise, milk chocolate, alcohol and slight dark fruits along with roasted notes. Taste is also heavy on the liquorice, both milk- and darker chocolate, roasted malt, alcohol. A bit too much liquorice for me. Solid beer anyhow

Crowler to glass. Deep brown with a light tan head. Roasted malts, anise. Not my thing.

Aroma brings notes of tartness, funk, Brett-like funk, complex malts, sweet and sour sauce, molasses, vanilla, caramel and honey. Pours dark with receding foam. Tastes of sweet and sour sauce, honey, BBQ sauce, burnt sugar, tangy malts, toffee, roasted malts and some herbs. Belgian yeast lingers on the palate and finishes dry with black licorice, raisins and slight oak. Overall, very good. Aged very nicely, developing some unique funky traits.

UPDATED: MAR 3, 2018 April 9th, 2015 - A twist on the Imperial Russian Stout, the 2011 version of the Belgo Anise starts with a huge black licorice smell. It is by far the most licorice I have ever smelled on a brew, all the way down. This matches the appearance, with a deep, lacquerware black body and a cinnamon colored head. The flavor is also rich in licorice, but it's not like getting whipped with a licorice stick like in the nose. Sweet and sticky, it is quite strong, and maybe too burly, but at 4 oz., that strength is acceptable. It starts with licorice and ends with licorice, and I find that even at the end of the taster line-up for the day I get another. A good, deep, powerful beer from Stone, best served in small doses. 7/4/8/3/16 - Here too, the date of my notes are unknown and unrecorded. But the color of the brew deeply impressed me, summoning Japanese vocabulary like "makkuro" - deep, deep black and abysmal. And the smell is a bouquet of black licorice, sweet vermouth, sweet raisins and tempura sauce - a frenzied blend of deep, roasted Japanese flavors and English candies. While cold, this brew supplies a mild carbonation and a timid flavor, like a bold Pepsi, but as it warms the flavor quickly begins to explode with flavor, especially on the back end. The front gets more of that tempura-laden umami, but the anise remains strong and on point. Whatever the temperature, the booziness never quits, and yet the sharp alcoholic nature of this brew plays well with the other flavors. This is a heavyweight, swinging it’s limbs without a care for the damage it cause, but the taste is fine, and well worth the exploratory pour at Stone.