North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

12oz bottle from grape & gourmet. pours a slightly thick jet black with a tall, light beige head and thick lacing. aroma is delicious and unique for an impy stout. scents of dark roast malt, black coffee, and chocolate dominate but a slightly tart, vinous, red fruit note wafts from the glass giving the distinct aroma of chocolate covered cherries. flavor is outstanding with big roasty malts, expresso, and dark chocolate balanced again by a slight tart flavor of dark cherry and raspberry and just a pinch of hops. finish is an excellent balance of oak, roasty malt, and burnt sugar. palate is extremely smooth, medium bodied for an impy, with good carbonation, and just a touch of alcohol warmth. overall, a great impy stout that i waited entirely to long to try.

From bomber pours opaque and thick black with a finger of compact brown bubbles. Profuse aroma of chocolate, licorice and malt. Body is velvety rich and licorice rides to the top of the complex flavors. Residual sugars smooth out the alcohol warmth. Long lasting flavor sweetens then dries out.

12 oz bottle served at charlestons (new lenox, Il). Pours a nearly pitch black hue, big brown head that dissipates to a moderate amount and laces well. Aromas are very nice with roasted malts blending with creamy chocolate, bitter coffee, light booziness, and light darker fruits. Initial is similar, pushing coffee and chocolate with lighter roasted notes, vanilla, and no real dark fruits. A medium body, a little underwhelming for the style, decent bitterness. Roast comes in heavier farther in. Not as big of a palate sticker as I may have hoped for. Still, tasty.

POURS ALMOST JET BLACK WITH WITH VIRTUALLY NO HEAD. CHOCOLATE MALTS IS THE PREDOMINATE TASTE SLIGHT CARAMEL AND MOLASSES. EXCELLENT BEER ONE OF THE WORLDS BEST.

Definitely some plum and sour grapes scents, but the coffee still rules the aroma. Opaque appearance, head went away quickly. Flavor certainly full of coffee and chocolate with some dark sugars. Also some sort of fruit present, maybe some sour apple? Alcohol tinge present near the end. Palate is pretty lively and very creamy and smooth. Yummy. A definite value at the price.

Pours black with a small dark tan head. Taste is heavy on roasted malts and coffee, coffee, coffee. There’s also a slight alcohol warmth - just enough to remind you this is an Imperial. Smooth palate. Very enjoyable. This is a great beer.

Bottle. I love this brewery and this beer is a good example of why. Poured motor oil black with a dark brown head. Very pleasent aromatic aroma of sweet roasted malt and coffee. The flavor starts sweet quickly revealing underlying roasted malt, chocolate, and bitter hops. Dry finish with hints of coffee. Great beer.

very strong stout flavour throughout.. pours solid black no head..coffee flavour is nice..bottle