Courage Russian Imperial Stout (2011+)

Brewed by Wells & Youngs
Style: Imperial Stout
Bedford, England

Serve in Snifter

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Via trade with Ernesto987. The aroma is chocolate, molasses, light fruit. The appearance is a deep black color, fluffy light tan head. The flavor is chocolate, fruity, brown sugar, light pine hops. The finish is dark chocolate, brown sugar, fruit, pine hops. Medium/thick in body, creamy mouthfeel. I assumed that this was a modern beer relatively close to that brewed for Catherine II of Russia, and thus this beer is a long time want. Glad I got to try this. Thanks, Ernesto.

Bottle from Beverages 4 Less in Santee, CA. Pours really dark black with a 3 finger creamy beige/tan head. Aroma is like dark grape/pear/apple or something of that sort. Flavor is very fruity. There is a smokey burnt malt flavor, with pear skin. I’m not getting coffee, let alone espresso. But the pear is like astringent skin. The head is going heavily into ring lacing. How did they get a fruity IS? Our cousins are very experienced? Anyway, really good ale.

Dark brown pour. Beige head. Aroma of roast, ash, bitter chocolate and green coffee beans. Flavor is very roasty, bitter, cocoa, molasses, ash.

330 ml bottle thanks to Santa. This is supposed to be based on the Barclay Perkins, Courage recipe which is pretty cool. Pours a totally black color with a large beige head. A sweet metallic roasted malt nose, some bitter chocolates and nuts, vanilla. The flavor is a very nice robust stout with metal, caramel, molasses, a really heavy roast, cocoa beans, sweet toffee and vanilla, lingering bitterness that I attribute to roast. Very good. Fresh, brewing in May 2011 drank December 2011.

Bottle. Near black brew with a nice tan head. Aromas of chocolate, roasted malt, and a bit of smoke. Slightly bitter with lots of chocolate and a bit of coffee. Not a bad Impy Stout but way too expensive.

Bottle. Pours a deep black with a large tan head. Big sweet roast and malt, toast and a bit of sweetness, hoppy fuzzy malt. Medium bodied, plum and prune, roast and malt, chocolate, toast, roast. Soft bitter roast, chocolate, toast. Long roasty bitterness, smooth and drinkable for the 10% ABV that it carries.

9.3 ounce bottle - $6.29 at Hop City in Atlanta, Georgia. Brewed in May 2011. "Best before see neck of bottle." 19/09/24.

Appearance: Pours a black body with a quickly growing, durable, dark tan head. Meager lacing.

Smell: Tar-scented roasted malts, spritzed with booze, dusted liberally with powdered licorice and sprinkled with dark fruit skins soothed and smoothed with mellowing notes of chocolate and mocha.

Taste: Well-roasted malts lending bold coffee, dark chocolate, fire-pit smoked plums, with some alcoholic heat wrapped within the malty flavors. Slight creosote taste, some licorice whip. Slightly tart fruitiness, helping a bit to cut through the hard roast overtones. Herbal, spicy hops, moderately bitter. Picking up some mineral-laden aspects in-between the firmer tastes. More creosote and licorice on the rear, with the bitterness and peppered alcohol accents lasting into the dry, warming, roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Fairly smooth mouthfeel overall.

Overall: Courage, indeed.

Black body with lasting light tan head. Rich dark chocolate in the taste and the aroma, notice the alcohol but also enjoy it, some dark fruit and also some liquorice. Drank very well.

Bottle (brewed May 2011). Head is initially huge, creamy, brown, fully lasting. Body is opaque black (flashlight tested). Aroma is moderately malty (roasted grain, bitter cocoa), lightly yeasty (dough), with light notes of alcohol, metal, paper, plastic, vanilla. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, creamy texture, soft carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Well, it looks fantastic, that’s by far the best thing about it...huge and FULLY lasting head, and thanks to quite a bit of sediment and a small bottle, the first pour is effectively opaque. Alas, the aroma is very phenolic (not in a good way) and clunky. It’s just not enticing at all. Rather sour in the mouth, and the initial sweetness rapidly disappears. Creamy texture but less body than expected for being 10%. Not terrible but certainly disappointing.

Dark black, light tan head, but thick. Hops and chocolate in the nose. Burnt malt and coffee in the taste - bitter from the malt. Chocolate in the finish.