Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout

Poured dark with a thick creamy, but short lasting, tan head. There is a lot of lacing on the glass. Aroma is not so strong but has a bit of a burnt character to it. Taste has the same burnt/roasted flavor with a strong taste of smoke and a slight taste of dark fruit. Finishes pretty smooth and has an aftertaste of licorice. Might buy this one again because it was pretty tasty but I wouldn’t say anything too special.

Thanks Immy. Pours pitch black in color with brown head. Aroma of chocolate and coffee. Taste of dark chocolate and coffee with bitter finish.

(Bottle, tanks to Ughsmash I think..?) Pours black with red hints. Medium brown head. The aroma is of medium to heavy roasted malt, coffee beans, dark syrup/burned caramel and dark liquorice. The nose is quite sweet but also a bit meaty with some alcohol warmth. Hints of European hops. Dark fruits/berries are present both in the aroma and in the taste. The flavour is of medium to full roasted malt, dark chocolate in the beginning, coffee and some salt liquorice hints. The mouthfeel is quite soft and velvety. Medium sweet and medium bitter. Medium bodied. Nice.

22 oz. bottle sealed w/ gold wax via trade with AlexDeLarge - Pours a clear dark brown color with a one finger thick tan head. Light spotty lacing. Aroma is sweet toasted malt, light chocolate, and big dark esters. Vary similiar to Bells Expedition. Flavor is sweet roasted malt, light coffee and chocolate, faint licorice, and dark esters. Medium body. Soft mouthfeel. Needs a little more body and kick to be up there with some of the other big boys. Overall, a very good beer. Thanks Jason.

Pours midnight black with a minimal tan head that does not really stick around long. Nose is thick with molasses and malts. Flavor is thick as well. Loads of malt. High amount of molasses. Mild roasted aftertaste. Feel is a bit thin on the liquid, but the carbonation is decent. Overall very easy to drink, at first. Afte the first half it gets harder to drink as it seems to get unbalanced in it’s roasted edge. First half good, second half...not so good.

Czar Brew. Nothing truly impressive in the presentation but it is unique and the aroma hit me as quick as the appearance. Odd with roastiness, nuts, pitted fruits but also molasses, pencil eraser, black licorice and sassafrass. Broad and expansive especially as it warms. A distinct mineral quality maybe some sulfur. The body is a bit limp but overall a curious and unique, well done smart beer.

Slight toasted, yeasty aroma. Great look - nicely laced, coffee and cream head, over an opaque, deep chocolate body. Flavor - clean bittersweet dark chocolate, a whisper of hops and yes, the hint of licorice. Palate is less sumptuous then some other Imperials.- some would call it clean (personally I lean to the succulant). Overall, a very sound, satisfying brew.

Wax-capped bomber, 2006 issue, drunk on 11/8/07, at about 20 months of age or so.
Well if there’s ever a case been made for wax impeding oxidation this is it. Granted 20 months isn’t that great an age for an imperial stout, but A) this is a lower gravity version and B) it comes off as if it is brand-spanking-new!! Not tired, loose, flat in texture/mouthfeel, no soy or old, stale coffee notes in aroma or flavor. The beer even pours with a massive, well-retained head. The only thing old in this stuff is the ivory color of the head. Lacing is minimal, body is black and probably not opaque, with no sediment on the bottom.
What it has gained in absolute graceful aging, it somewhat loses in its sweetness, which is right away notably overdone. It’s not painful, and the beer never really cloys, but it could definitely benefit from convertin some of those fat toffee/molasses sugars in to some vinous, dry/tart fruits. Some coffee notes on the finish hold it together, while a reasonably roasty suggestion of burnt malts helps waylay some of the sweetness. Not to say there is no fruitiness/vinousness, as there are some light raisin/currant hints, but they are eventually re-swallowed up by the sweet malt sugars. Medium carbonation, with a very lush texture on account of all the sugars. For all that, it’s not thick or sluggish, and actually, the lower gravity gives it a more down-to-earth, unimperial feel, in that regard. Good stuff, as much as I’ve resented the past couple of Sprecher beers I’ve had, this one was shockingly nice.