Stone Imperial Russian Stout (Bourbon)

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Escondido, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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What a great looking beer which is a pleasure to watch settle. The taste of the wood and bourbon is a treat for people who like the flavor that a quality wooden barrel can add to beer. What a smooth finish. A great stout!

Regrettably, this review is from memory. Had a glass at Stone, and a taste from the growler Carlos was generous enough to share at the Isabelle release. All the great characteristics of aged Stone RIS with a strong, but very well integrated, bourbon component. Very smooth and deliciously decadent. The barrel aging took nothing away from the body, thankfully. Excellent beer.

Pours jet black with a thin tan head. The bourbon smells are amzing I had the 2008 vintage at Winter Storm. I lined up the IRS, BA IRS, and 12th Anniversary bitter chocolate oatmeal stout and could easily smell which was which. All were so distinct in aroma. The bourbon, vanilla, and oak was strong on the BA IRS and I loved it. The taste was what you’d expect. It was chocolate malts, vanilla, bourbon, oak. it was medium bodied and had more carbonation than i thought but it was delicious.

On tap @ Twisted Spoke. Pretty solid overall. Perhaps Stone’s best offering. Feels srtonger than its ABV. Creamy body with a smooth silky mouth feel. Full bodied. One of the best heads on a Barrel Aged Stout. Aroma wasnt as great as taste. One of those that surprise you by the taste not the aroma. Taste is of vanilla, chocolate, smoke, roasted malts, and bourbon finsh, smooth.

Growler from Stone. 2006 BBA version, filled May 2008. Wasn’t sure of what to expect with this brew. The age was very prominent; had a sort of musty flavor. But the bourbon was very strong and prominent. Taste had lots of chocolate, coffee, vanilla, molasses, hops with a creamy smooth texture that smacks the lucky taster in all areas of the mouth and tongue. Taste lingers and develops with time. This beer will make you think long and hard and ponder exactly just what you’re drinking. Alcohol is still prominent but not as much as when freshly brewed. Make sure to consume this at a warmer temperature than other beers. Also, the beer seemed to mellow out the day after the growler was first opened. And even moreso the third day. Different flavors came out during those second and third tastings. Overall quite good. I wish I could have this more often!

Sampled the 2008 vintage at the "Stoned for Six Days" event in Houston, TX. Smells of sticky sweet raisin and coffee, leaving the suggestion of oils in the nostril. Tastes dark, thick and oily, though much softer and rounded in flavor than the non-bourbon aged ’08 IRS vintage. Hints of hops on the finish and a long lingering aftertaste of malt and bourbon make this a delight. Awesome.

MAN! Talk about an awesome beer! I had this on tap from the world bistro. It was a 2003 bourbon. This beer was super complex with a definite wood flavor. Everyone who loves beer should try this one... maybe even wine drinkers! The palate was just right and was actually a bit lighter than I would have thought. This is a super black beer with a FANTASTIC overall impression.

Pours dark black with small tan head. Bourbon, sweet malt and wood on the thick palate. This is a very smooth beer and well balanced for the complexity of its flavors of chocolate vanilla and very sublte bourbon.

I look forward to the release of this every year, it is as always a favorite of mine. I enjoy the thickness of the beer and the finish is delightful.