Hales Pikop Andropovs Rushin Imperial Stout

Deep, dark, completely opaque, black color with a small brown head. This beer looks incredible pouring out of the bottle! The aroma was very rich and complex...coffee, chocolate (milk and dark), prunes, raisins, and licorice. The flavor was equally decadent...milk chocolate, lactic sourness, roasty coffee, slight smokiness, licorice, prunes, raisins, burnt bitter tones, and a little alcohol. The feel was extremely silky smooth, just a tad bit thin, with a surprisingly dry finish. This is an absolutely awesome imperial stout...one of my new favorites!

Black motor oil appearance with a small brown head. Nice rich chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, anise, and smoke. Very nice roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, creamy sour lactose, hops and a touch of alcohol as it warms. Very smooth texture with a dry finish. Very good!

sweet currant and milk chocolate aroma, red tinted blackness, sweet winey then dark chocolate and distinct black coffee and a roasted finish, fairly medium bodied however and in all aspects a wannabe Speedway Stout, it's on its way but not quite there yet

I had really low expectations for this. Carmely, malty, nice coffee finish. sweet. very nice. Dark with a dark head.

22 oz bottle: dark, syrupy blackness. Thick, rocky dark brown foam. Wonderful roasted nose with smooth vanilla, creamy chocolate covered bananas, lactic acid, and bittersweet toffee. Dark roasted coffee flavours and a burnt banana maltiness. Light lactic build-up on the palate, but this adds to the creaminess. The sweet fruity flavours come in during the finish – black cherries, sweet plums, raisins. Coffee bitterness lingers, along with some mint. Solid Imperial, complete with vinous qualities and a nice caramel coating of the glass.

Eclipse black color. Large tan foamy head. Aroma is roast malts, cheery and chocolate. A medium to full bodied Russian Imperial Stout. Malts are chocolate and roasty. Touches of coffee, chocolate and vanilla. Slightly bitter and spicy hops. Very smooth flavors. Creamy and full mouthfeel. Very fine carbonation. Flavors are a little on the mild side for an Imperial Stout, but it still has all the qualities of a good stout. Another of the “Brewers Choice” Series of beers from Hale’s, if this one and the Aftermath Imperial IPA are any indication, I can’t wait to see what’s next! Mouthfeel is creamy and full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

I wished I kept this for a horizontal tasting. Its an good Imp Stout. Chocolatey and somewhat fruity(maybe prunes or raisins?). Pretty sweet for an Imperial. Its got the burnt flavors too(coffee). A little less chewyness than the Imp. that I've had recently. Excellent brew! A

Tar black, oily with a thick brown head. This has the beef jerky meaty aroma, with some soy, salt, coffee and burnt wood. Flavour lives upto the aroma, with a meaty flavour, caramel and some wood. Tasty.