Cigar City Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout - Brandy Barrel Aged

Brewed by Cigar City Brewing
Style: Imperial Stout
Tampa, Florida USA

Serve in Snifter

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From notes. First reviewed 3/30/2011. Poured from a 32 oz. growler into a tulip. From the 2011 Hunahpu’s release. Thanks to Dunt for bringing this over. This pours black with cherry mahogany edges. A small foamy tan head fades to a ring. Pretty standard for an 11.5% stout. Sweet apple brandy jumps into the nose; roast malt, some coffee, and chocolate provide support. The smoothness in the brandy is quite noticeable, as is the flavor. Dark, chewy, roasted malt gives a base to the malt character, with touches of roast coffee and chocolate adding more character, and the oak and vanilla contributing even further depth. Still fairly boozy, but the brandy is pleasant so I do not feel compelled to knock it down for that. As with the other Zhukov-based beers I have had, I found this to be incredibly creamy and smooth. Cigar City knows how to put this in my wheelhouse when it comes to the mouthfeel. This was overall just a solidly enjoyable beer. Somewhat dominated by the brandy, but that is not a bad thing. When available, this is definitely worth seeking out for me.

Thick and very sweet. Light, caramelly apple, tar, and dark chocolate. Quite intensely flavored.

Entering old rates. 75cl bottle courtesy of degarth. Similaire à sa version normale, le Brandy donne une dimension autre que le bourbon, peut-être plus boozy et alcoolisé qui a tendance à un peu empiéter sur le reste de la bière. Au nez, je note ce bouquet fruité de pomme et grains avec le malt épais de ce stout; chocolat, caramel, grillé et café. Cette dernière reste néanmoins une belle réussite, complexe avec un gros taux de malts chocolaté, soyeux et caramélisé et une fine note de feuille de tabac. Brandy donne cet arôme plus frais alcoolisé voire de pomme caramélisée qui prend un peu le dessus sur le malt. Reste néanmoins une bière solide et complexe. Digne d’un produit de qualité.

Had on draft at hunnapuh day. I like the regular zhukov, and for most part looked and smeeled like it, a nice dark sludge with an amazing aroma and at the tail end of thhe wiff youu get a hint of apple brandy. Tastes of the reguular zhukov but with a shot of brandy in it kicking up the alcohol flavor. really good but would of got a better score if it was winter time and not in March.

Growler DLD11. I enjoyed many aspects of this one. The brandy aroma was fantastic. The flavor didn’t quite meld for me as it should, but I’m not always a fan of the hard roast, chocolate cookie thing especially with some apple notes.

From old tasting notes. Tap at first Hunahpu release. Mainly just have scores for all of these bourbon/brandy CC stout treatments. Actually tried to rate four at once if I remember correctly (which I’m sure I barely do). Like this one the best. - 8.4

Pours black just a little head. Smells of apples, chocolate, caramel and leather. Apples, chocolate, licorice, caramel, vinous and slightly sour. Mouthfeel is thick and oily and the finish is dark roasted, apple and sour.

Growler
Joining the glut of other Cigar City [insert barrel type here] aged beers is this version of Zhukov’s Imperial Stout. I can’t say that the result was bad. Other than a touch too much brandy on the nose and flavor profile this is another excellent release. I just wish that brewers could settle down and try new styles and recipes rather than just cranking out the same thing in twelve different containers.

Aroma / Appearance - The oily base retained little of the head. In fact the thick film was like a dirty window which someone had wiped clean with a sleeve. The nose was apple jacks, sweet fruits, chocolate, plum, and other occasional reminders that this is in fact an imperial stout at its core.

Flavor / Palate - The sharp apple taste takes center stage. Distracting momentarily it gives the imperial stout tastes time to settle on the tongue. Included are the usual suspects from the base Marshal Zhukov release such as smoke, anise, chocolate, and plums. Intense and direct it doesn’t even try to be subtle. It would be interesting to do a number of these side by side although after the third one your palate would be begging for mercy.

Pours black with a thin head. Apple cider in the nose, chocolate, coffee, sugar daddy and an apple caramel sucker. Absolutely phenomenal aroma. Strong bitter flavors with loads of choclate, tobacco, espresso, and leather. A long lingering finish. Wonderful!

Growler sample thanks to steelcitybrew at DLD11. Oily black with a tan head. Rich brandy and roasty malts. Awesome nose. Thick creamy syruppy sweet brandy malts. So much sweet syrup and apples. A little much. 8/4/7/3/14