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Love Lane Imperial Stout

Love Lane Brewery
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🌍 United Kingdom · Imperial Stout · One of 96 Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

"This is a really good beer especially for the price — ticks all the strong stout boxes with no silly additions like lactose or coffee. Just a good strong dark beer." Love Lane's showpiece dark beer. Featured in the brewery's famous Steak & Cheddar Pie recipe by Masterchef finalist Christian Day.

ABV
8.5%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark45
See all Imperial Stout alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Full body.

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Imperial Stout.
Malt character
roasted
chocolate
malty
Distinctive notes
dark fruit
Compare with another beer →

FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best British Stouts

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Love Lane Imperial Stout

Appearance

Deep black to opaque brown, with a dense tan head that settles into a persistent collar around the glass rim. Excellent head retention and lacing, showing the beer's structure and weight. No cloudiness; the beer presents with a polished, clean appearance despite its dark intensity.

deep blackdense tan headexcellent lacingopaque

Aroma

Roasted malt dominates the nose—burnt grain and charred wood are immediately present. Beneath lies a layer of dark stone fruit: plum and raisin notes add depth and slight sweetness. A faint cocoa undertone emerges on longer exposure, grounded by the beer's substantial alcohol warmth without any sharp ethanol burn.

roasted graindark fruitcocoa hintswarming alcohol

Taste

The palate opens with rich roasted character—coffee grounds and cocoa powder coat the mouth. Dark fruit flavors (plum, blackberry) sit in the mid-palate, balancing a moderate bitterness that builds gradually. The body is full and smooth, with enough alcohol presence (8.5%) to add weight and warming spice, finishing with gentle dryness rather than harshness.

roasted maltdark fruitsmooth bodymoderate bitter finish

Finish

A long, warming finish that fades slowly into dry cocoa and char. The aftertaste settles toward subtle roasted grain and a faint peppery bite from the alcohol.

long finishdry cocoawarming fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
85
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Love Lane Imperial Stout

Serve at 13–16°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Love Lane Imperial Stout

About Imperial Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Imperial Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Imperial Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, dark fruit, chocolate character as Love Lane Imperial Stout will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Explore all Imperial Stout beers in hopIQ →Browse United Kingdom beers →