De Molen Rasputin

Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen
Style: Imperial Stout
Bodegraven, Netherlands

bottle. Large brown thick head that mostly lasted. Good display of lacework. Hazy mahogany color. Aroma of dried fruit, yeast, roasted malt, chocolate. Very full and vinous aroma. Full bodied, acerage carbonation, light alcoholic thich texture. Heavy sweet and bitter flavor. Lingering fruity and roated malty finish.

Bottle: Poured a deep black color ale with a super huge foamy dirty brown head with great retention and very good lacing. Aroma is nice mix of lightly sweet black chocolate with some hints of fry coffee and well balance roasted malt. Taste is also a very well balance mix between some black chocolate, dry coffee and lightly bitter roasted malt with a good dose of sweetness. Hops don’t play a huge role here and it is just perfect the way it is. Body is not totally full for the style with some great carbonation and no sign of the alcohol. Very well done and I still don’t understand what this is not rated higher.

Bottled 750ml. 2008 Vintage. Bottle number 550. Thanks Bierkoning! Appearance: It pours a dark brown beer with ruby reflects. Fizzy beige head. Poor retention. Fair lacework. Aroma: Very pleasant and inviting. Candy sugar, molasses, licorice, strong coffee and rose petals showing up. Very rich and buttery with hints of strawberries and vanilla. Flavor and palate: Sweet and full bodied. A lot of licorice, vanilla, strong coffee, candy sugar, burnt caramel, plums, cherries and molasses in the taste. Smooth. Faintly salty. Strawberries and marshmallows sneaking in. The alcohol is very nicely hidden. Surprisingly dry finish which is reminiscent of hops, vanilla, strawberries and coffee. Overall impression: Flawless, deeply pleasant, rich, complex and really true to the style of Imperial Russian Stout. I was struck by the dissapointing appearance though. I love the burnt caramel characteristics. Another great beer from De Molen. Thanks a lot bierkoning!

75cl Bottle bought at the brewery, from 2008. Deep dark brown colour, big light beige head. Aroma of roasted malts, coffee and hops. Flavour is sweet at first, sugar and chocolate, then roasted malts, a hint of coffee, some earthy bitter hops. Combined roasted and hoppy bitter finish. Almost fullbodied. Lacks a bit of edge, maybe a bit too sweet, but that’s just being picky. Really good beer.

Bottle. Dark brown colour with a pale brown head. Aroma: Only a light rostiness, more of dark fruit, belgian yeast, barn yard, hops and a bit of alcohol. Taste: Initially sweet, then more roasted. Dark fruit, yeast, cocoa, earth, hops, saltiness/licorice and alcohol.

Corked, caged and waxed (!) bottle. #403 of 428
Pours dark brown (almost black) with a fine head. Sweet liquorice and hop aroma. Flavour starts really roasty and ends really hoppy. An Imperial Stout for hop-heads.

bottle at the Pre-ZBF pours black with a tan head. Roasted dark malt aroma. Flavors are smokey and dark fruit with a earthy wood kind of finish. Nice and enjoyable stout.

Bottle at PreZBF at Alvinne. Black coloured with a mediuum sized beige head. Light roasted aroma of caramel, dried fruits and liquorice. Light roasted flavour of caramel, liquorice, chocolate and dried fruits. Roasted finish.