In a few days, Four String will be celebrating their third anniversary, and to help commemorate the day, they’ve brewed up something special, and oh so fancy. No, not Iggy Azalea fancy. Real, worthy-of-being-called-fancy fancy. It’s an Imperial Stout, brewed last December and aged since February, just so all of those delectable stoutly flavors can mingle and get to know each other, and then become best friends with each other in order to provide an awesome drinking experience. But be warned, this stout is no slouch. You’d best duct tape your socks to your ankles before drinking this one – it’ll knock them right off.

The aroma of this beastly stout arrives as sticky chocolate. A touch of smoke slides in underneath to give the chocolate a boost, as well as contributing even more heaviness on the nose. Dark, roasty malts work their way in from the bottom, bringing a bit of char alongside notes of Grape Nuts and a faint whisper of earthiness. Near the end of each breath, gentle notes of cherries, blackberries, and black licorice throw some herbal qualities into the mix before finishing with a mild sweetness.

This beer flows thick and smooth over the tongue, arriving as a tide of dark and milk chocolates. The chocolate is actually huge, but it doesn’t run amok. It just sits there on your tongue, flexing its muscles like a bro. But an awesome bro, made out of chocolate. Immediately following, a massive alcohol kick will literally smack you right in the mouth. The beer was labeled as 10.8%. I would guess this particular bottle really fell somewhere nearer to the 12-13% range, possibly higher. After two drinks, my tongue had begun to tingle. After five, it’d gone numb. But, like a true professional, I soldiered on. Despite the crazy alcohol vibe, it remained deliciously pleasant, in a gentle set your mouth ‘atingle kind of way. During this time, raisins and cherries work their way in from the sides, as rich and roasty malts form the base, adding notes of burnt caramel and toffee to help out the chocolates. A touch of smoke and char counter the sweet vibes, as well as delivering a hint of bitterness. Each taste ends with a hint of earth and herbalness, with just a breath of black licorice grazing your taste buds. Now, if you’re feeling some trepidation over the alcohol strength, rest easy. Perhaps my bottle had experienced some jacked up internal chemistry during its aging process. And, even if the rest of the brew is a bit more potent than advertised, there’s no actual alcohol flavor, just the burn. You’ll only taste massive stout, not a shot of cognac.

Four String chose a wonderful means to celebrate their birthday. Their first foray into the land of the Imperials was, in my mind, a smash hit, delivering on all fronts. At their anniversary shindig this Saturday, they’ll be offering their Imperial Stout as is, plus mixing things up with six different infusions and aging techniques, including a firkin! If you don’t go to the event, this stout will grow even more powerful, become slightly sentient, and then proceed to take over the world. Do you want to be that person? You know, the one who unleashed the killer beer? I didn’t think so.