Hales Pikop Andropovs Rushin Imperial Stout

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

Pitch black with dark brown head.Aroma is alcohol and apple. Taste is an off chocolate flavor, rich and oily with some dry bitterness.

Thanks to argo0 for this one! Pitch black body. Small tan head. Nose is coffee and alcohol, but there's enough hops to make their presence known. The taste is also more coffee and alcohol. Some sweetened malt hints as well. The carbonation bite is alive and well with this beer but it does not detract from it. Light bitterness during the finish with some hop chracter remaining. Damn good beer, though!

4 years later and I still like it. Sample at Hales. Black with a thin light brown skim. Charcoal and roasted malt aroma. Tasty and sweet with a strong sour note. Flavours include charcoal, molasses, alcohol and a gritty dark malt. May 2005.7/3/8/4/16 3.8 Black. Moderate foam ring around the glass. Nice roasted malt aroma. Noticeable alcohol. Carbon roast flavour with a burgundy finish. Delicious.

Bottle: Black in color, foamy dark brown head that dies down quickly, spotty lacing.   Heavily roasted malts, apple skin, dark chocolate, and bright coffee beans on the nose.   Sharp fruity sourness immediately up front, followed by heavily roasted/burnt malts.   However, a lactic like sourness takes charge and makes this beer hard to finish.   Moderate body and mouthfeel.   Sour finish, immature fruity aspect.   Overall I feel as if this one is a bit too sour.

Draft at the brewery. Pours deep black with a thick, diminishing brown head. Beautiful roast and sweet malt nose, with both of those announcing themselves distinctly on the attack and standing up throughout. The usual coffee, char, and sweet-enough-to-balance on the palate, with a beautiful rich, crisp hop finish. Big creamy rich body with enough carb to keep the goop from overwhelming. All that said, this is not an exceptional RIS, just a very, very good one. Tough category to stand out in.

From the bottle this pours pitch black with a thin tan head. Very nice blend of roasty coffee and chocolate with lots of acidity in the finish and a thinner body. The acidity emphasized the fruitiness in the finish and finished with a bit of saltiness and smoke.

Inky black brew with a nice tan head. Aromas of big coffee and roast, with a little fruity sweetness, and a bit of alcohol. Flavors are similar with nice dominant roast and coffee. Sweetness is minimal, but is there in small amounts. Pretty creamy and smoothly drinkable.

Dark black body with a small light tan head. Sweet molassas aroma and lots of rum soaked fruit. Sweet rum soaked fruit flavor, some light roasted malts and a hint of coffee bitter.