Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout

12oz bottle, courtesy of artusory. Thanks, Ryan! Pours a very dark cherry-cola color; thin medium tan head with patchy lacing. Creamy nougat and leather in the aroma; slightly metallic at first. Fluffy, medium mouthfeel: caramel, nougat; similar to the aroma, but with a metallic presence that doesn’t leave here; slightly dry chocolate and caramel in the finish; some cocoa.

Sprecher is a great lager brewery. This, tragically, is an ale. Little head. Dark. Thin malts, a muddy melange of generic imperial stout flavors, not much flavor in general.

Dark beer with a big foamy brown head. Nose of roasted Cocao Puffs cereal. Flavor is initially dominated by the burnt, roast grains. Ash, molassess, licorice, chocolate and sweetened coffee are also in there. The coffee bitterness lingers the longest in the finish. The alcohol is well integrated. Gets more burnt as it warms.

Aroma is heavy with dark fruits, a hint of chocolate, and a bit of alcohol hiding behind it. It pours an opaque black, with about half a finger of tan head. Interesting roasty flavor, hints of coffee and chocolate, with both wrapped around your standard dark fruits. Fairly long sweetish finish. Not bad, but not something I’m going to run after again.

16 oz Bottle; nose of chocolate, raisins, and coffee; opaque black, brown edges, with a big rusty brown, that earns it a five; prettiest beer I’ve had in a while; flavor of chocolate, fig newtons, and a lot of raostiness, and fruitiness; finish is like figs covered with chocolate and a hint of bitterness in the back end. I liked it! Underrated!

Black, brown head. Aroma is kind of like blackberries covered in dark chocolate. Really smooth and creamy. Really appealing flavors of coffee, tobacco, prune, plus some chocolate and other mild fruity flavors. Very little alcohol noticed. Very satisfying.

Purchased in a variety pack at Beverage Castle in Tampa. Dark black pour with deep light brown head. The aroma is burnt malts followed quickly by fruity sweet Concord jelly, dates, fudge brownies and coffee. The taste begins like the aroma with mild roasted to burnt malts that quickly turn sweeter with the aid of dark fruitiness and hints of molasses. Toward the finish the burnt malts are joined by coffee, sweet caramel candy and dark chocolate. Very nice.

Bottle. Pours very deep dark brown with a thick light brown head. Aroma of coffee, but not all that strong of aroma. The flavor is coffee-like with some cocoa flavor that you expect from the style. Over all though this beer is lacking a little for an Imperial Stout. It just isn’t big enough, but it is solid.