Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout

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

Bottle: Black with a tan head. Aroma was roasty with some chocolate and coffee. Flavor, roasty, some coffee, a hint of dark fruits, some alcohol comes through. Mouthfeel is way too thin, but other than that it isn’t bad.

(07.18.06) One liter Brewmaster special reserve cobalt blue bottle from DiCarlo’s, Mundelein, IL.7.9% ABV. No freshness date. Roasted malt and prunes aroma. Poured opaque black with giant tan head. No discernable carbonation. Medium bodied stout that starts with light malt sweetness and licorice, expresso and vegetal flavors. Finished with smokey flavors and light bitterness. Bad bottle? Watery, thin and having an off-flavor of raw string beans or snow peas, this stout is mediocre at best.

12OZ bottle via degarth(thanks). Pours midnight black with a large dense tan head. Nose is sweet with some fruity esters, plum, vanilla and some roasted chocolate and alcohol. Taste is the same with a slight bit of sourness and some hops underneath. A bit overcarbonated and thinner than expected. Light/medium body. Very drinkable.

1 L blue flip-top bottle (fresh 2006 version): jet black and fairly thick pour with a dark garnet hue (golden transparent edges as the glass empties) ...very generous, fluffy, light brown foam. The head dies and becomes a thin film, but clings to the inside of my glass. Deep chocolaty-alcohol aroma with strong oak and charred nut aromatics. Raisins and plums offer a nice supporting role. Cherries, dark chocolate, a bit of honey, and charred wood make up a nice flavour profile...stickiness ensues and the chocolate lingers on the lips. Very tasty on a cold, raining fall night...7/4/8/4/15: 3.8

16 oz bottle [fresh sampling: Deliah’s Chicago (vintage beer tasting, Feb ‘04)]: A dark malty imperial stout, no real viscous qualities, dark fruity complexities or even hop bitterness. This wasn’t what I felt was a ‘normal’ imperial, but it had some interesting qualities no less: malty whisky wort, brown sugar and gooey Baker’s chocolate. A good but very different version - 7/4/6/3/13: 3.3

16oz bottle via trade with milwcu29 - Thanks Chris! - Pours black with a big creamy mocha head that stayed very well and laced the sides of the glass. Aromas of light coffee and vinous notes. Flavor is quite smoky with notes of coffee, and roasted malts, some black currant there too and maybe a little plum. Definite vinous qualities throughout. Creamy palate with full body but quite drinkable and the alcohol is covered well..

After their black lager I had high expectations for this one. Black pour with a moderate sized tan head. Head retention was solid as was the lacing, but by the end this was oil. Aroma is coffee, chocolate, very vinous. Lesser notes of darker fruits and roast. Flavor is the same with quite a bit of carbonation. Lacks the complexity of the better imperials, but has some similar attributes to the black lager. I liked the smaller one better.. damn.

Taste of Strong candy, with a shot of espresso. its got an oily sensation that overlaps the tounge. The taste of coffee is apperant.

The aroma has licorice, dark fruit, toasted malt, oak, mineral water, and sugar. The appearance is black with a nice brown head. The flavor is like the aroma but with an astringent bitterness. The palate is ok for the style but bordering on thin. This beer would rate higher but the aftertaste has burnt malt and rubbing alcohol.