North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Fort Bragg, California USA

12oz bottle. Pours black, nice and thick, but somehow more elegantly than other RIS’s (less oily, and more like black gold). Smells like dark chocolate & espresso moreso than a wimpy cup of coffee. Spotty lacing, and a rim of head that resides on the edge of the snifter, furthering the beautiful appearance of the beer. Tastes of espresso, dark chocolate; little to no fruit flavors (which is nice). Minimal alcohol burn on the finish (the beer is warming), but very easy to drink for 9% ABV. Dry finish. Outstanding, gorgeous, sumptuous- all these words describe OR-RIS.

Pours black with a good tan head, nice lacing. Coffee, chocolate, and malts/hops. Alcohol there but not overpowering, dry finish. After Alesmith my second favorite.

12oz bottle from Fresh Market, Raleigh. Funny, but in all the mad rush for the next new thing, I think folks tend to sleep on Old Raspy, one of the best and most reliable of American RIS. I know I overlook it, but that’s a shame since it’s got all the virtues one wants from the style: thick dark pour with a hefty cafe au lait head, full roasted aroma, and a deep, complex flavor that gives off bits of bakers chocolate, milk, and strong espresso as the brew warms. Excellent all the way.

12 oz bottle. Deep black beer with a healthy one finger, two tone, lasting head with excellent lacing. Aroma is roasty malts with hops, alcohol and a surprising fourth component that I don’t have a word for (something of a mix of concentrated, raw juice and clove oil...). Full bodied. Complex: first with a very low sweetness and then the stout flavors of roast, bitter chocolate. The flavours of medium dark chocolate layer with the alcohol content quite well so the 9% doesn’t overpower the experience. This is a visually attractive brew. In flavour it lacks the deep range of fruits that other imperials bring out. Still it’s a nice, balanced IS that I look forward to sharing for many winter occasions.

Draught pours black with tall tan lacing head. Aroma consists of roasted malt and coffee. Taste is coffee, bitter chocolate, and malts. Good milky palate that is semi-sweet. Had a bottle the night before that was pure alcohol probably a storage/shipping issue.

This is a good beer to compare all others. The appearance is a black hole from which no light can escape. The aroma is like sticking your head in a coffee roaster that is in the middle of a chocolate factory. The flavor is smokey, leathery, nicely bitter, cocoa, coffee, allspice, with hint of sweetness. I love the not too sweet aftertaste, and the dry finish. The ABV is well hidden. gooooood stuff

Black in color with a small light brown with minimal lacing. The aroma is of coffee and caramel with a strong alcohol backbone. The flavor is of coffee grounds with a sweet start and a bitter finish. Very mellow. The texture is creamy. A bit timid for an imperial stout, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Pours black with ruby edges when held to the light. 1-inch mocha head that lasts a bit. Coffee, chocolate, burnt/roasted malts and earthy hops on the nose. Taste is a lot of the same with lots of coffee and chocolate and bitter roast/hopped finish. A little on the high side of carbonation and medium bodied. A good, year round RIS.