Hales Pikop Andropovs Rushin Imperial Stout

Brewed by Hales Ales
Style: Imperial Stout
Seattle, Washington USA

22 oz bomber. This pours about as pitch black as one could ask for. There is a good looking dark tan head present that quickly fades out of existence leaving only a slight lacing about the glass. Overall one of the best looking stouts I have seen, now if only the head retention was better it would be perfect. A burnt chocolate and sugary sweet aroma dominates the smell, with the burnt scents standing out the most. This stout is about a medium body, much thinner than most Imperial stouts and is not so smooth going down. The flavor is an over roasted one that dominates the less apparent alcohol and chocolate. It is also quite sour, not something I would expect from a beer like this. Overall not a bad beer but defiantly nothing I would reach for first.

PITCH black, completely opaque-nice medium sized rich brown head. Aroma of cherries, coffee, prunes, roasted oatmeal and major chocolate (~50% cacao). Light to Medium-bodied; Thin acidic fruityness with a bitter coffee flavour throughout. Aftertaste of prunes & roasted malt-little else after the major bitterness! Overall, wierd for an Imperial Stout. Light-bodied, tart, fruity flavours-not usual, but not horrible! I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on 27-August-2004 at the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Head is initially small, frothy, brown, mostly lasting. Body is black. Aroma is moderately malty (chocolate, caramel), lightly hoppy (resin). Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, oily texture, lively carobnation. Particularly uninspiring.

Pours as black as anything, but even when trying, little head emerged. The aroma is full of roasted feeling, a bit of oatmeal, and a faint alcohol aroma. It’s flavor is roasted coffee and chocolate and fermented fruits. It’s dry and tangy and has a bit of a wine like feel and some noticable alcohol. If has a fairly full body and finishes slightly bitter. Thanks to HeRftYDrF for this.

Pours black with brown barely making it around the edges. First pour yielded a nice, very dark head. It fizzed on the second pour. Aroma primarily of sweet milk chocolate, a touch of liquor, and a note of cabbage?? The flavor tended to be sweet chocolate, with very little in the way of complexity, or even really anything of interest. Only when it hit room temperature did some chocolate liqour and coffee notes start to emerge. Just not that good.

Black opaque oily liquid topped with a few small light brown bubbles. Dry port-like aromas. HInts of cherries and nuts. Flavors again have a port quality with a touch of acidic fruit. Some sweetness but not a malty sweetness. m having a real hard time figuring out the grain bill on this one. I do detect a touch of roasted barley, but little else in malt complexity. Interesting but not my kind of imperial stout, I need some malt.

Listed as 8% alc? It seems to be lacking the usual alcoholic warmth found in most imperials. Marshmallow chocolate, lacto sour, and roasted coffee. Taste is about the same as aroma, but also has raisins and cherries. To much sour milk flavors for me. Thin and dry finish. This is ok, but there are much better imperial stouts to enjoy.

Poured a deep, dark black with an averaged sized dark brown head. Aromas of chocolate, soy sauce, and roasted malts. Tastes OK but not as good as the aroma was leading me to expect. Bitter finish and oily body.