Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Sprecher Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Glendale, Wisconsin USA

From a wax-dipped bomber. Pours with a nice brown head that is a little too cola-fizzy for me. The palate in general is quite the same. Not too heavy a drinker, but this doesn’t call you back for more, either. Also seems a little thin and unassertive for the style, seemingly bridging the gap between an RIS and a normal stout. The brits would probably call this a Double Stout, but I digress...

I’m not writing specific notes for this because it pretty much tastes like any other IS, just in lesser and less exciting quantities. I certainly wouldn’t use the words "tremendous," "profusion," "massive," "thick," and "rich" as they have in their description.

Pint bottle courtesy of Degarth! Thanks! Pours pitch black with a nice looking creamy tan head. I smell chocholate, vanilla, coffee, caramel, and i maybe some oak, even though it appears it wasn’t barrtel aged. Taste is much more coffee than anything else. Seems like to much malt, not enough hops. Just not very well balanced.

Pours a jet black with a considerable dark brown head. Aromas of chocolate, caramel, figs, and raisens. The flavor shows a little extra coffee, but it carries the chocolate, smoke, and caramel as well. Also there is a nice almost oak presence to it. Nice hoppy finish to it as well. Almost like an oaked Siberian Night with a little more carbonation.

russian imp stout wax sealed bottle. fuel and bubble gum aroma and chalk not much good real roast going on in the nose. black thick ink fuel pour with partial brown bubble layer. fuel burnt roast ashy chalky yucky crap. burnt, too strong, sticky syrup, no thanks.

very deep roast. thick and dark. Not as full bodied as some but doesn’t disappoint with a rich, hearty, dry-ishstout with an ABV that won’t sink you.

Pours black w/ a medium sized, semi creamy, spattered froth that looks like chocolate ice cream. The froth recedes slowly to reveal lace. Reminds me of a woman lifting her skirt slowly to reveal her pretty little garter. Oh, how sweet! The aroma is unique for sure. It smells like a brandy/ port wine mixture w/ persimmons. Medium nectar w/ velvety residual effers. Up front I can taste the persimmons in the brew. I’m not a fan of this exotic fruit so it’s not sitting well with me right off the bat. It’s only 8% abv so going into it I knew it would be mellow. Flavors are charred w/ coffee bean, bakers cocoa, molasses, and black licorice. The sweetness factor is mild to moderate. The finish is long and charred w/ a better than moderate bittering componant. I am not a fan of this brew but I am going to score it due to it’s uniqueness.

Bottle... Pitch black ale with a mid-sized, creamy, light brown head. Terrific retention. Chocolate and vanilla constitute the aroma. The flavor is perfectly balanced with more chocolate and vanilla. Mild oxidation. Full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and lively carbonation. Medium length, bitter, slightly tangy finish. A big SHOUT goes out to OhioDad for shipping this bottle my way!

Bottle once again shared by sliffy. Black pour with alight tan head. Not a whole lot going on in the aroma...some roasted malt and a bit of bakers chocolate. Glavor of roasted malt, coffee, light chocolate. Overcarbonated thin body with a sort of bitter /sour finish. Meh.