Stone Imperial Russian Stout

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

black. small brown head. roasty chocolate, coffee aroma. flavor is roasty, smoky, meaty, salty, coffee, dark chocolate and hoppy while still well balanced. a bit hot on the tail end but great things are in store for this beer brewed in spring 08. full bodied. smooth palate already with a dry finish.

11/5/08 notes: popped this bomber in celebration of Obama’s victory. Pours deep brown with a medium-sized tan head. Lacing is creamy, but curiously does not “stick” to glass. Aroma is rich of coffee, chocolate malt, dark chocolate, and roasts. Classic R.I.S. Upon first sip, I notice that this brew is not as viscous as I expected. But the flavors are as rich as ever. There is, firstly the crisp notes of roasts and dark chocolate. This is followed by the introduction of a coffee-bitterness that will remain throughout the tasting experience. In the mid-palate I thought some more milky chocolates as well as hops are revealed. This imperial stout finishes on the bold note of espresso, wood, roasts and alcohol. Great, but I just didn’t get the distinctive character that I ascribe to DDC’s Peche Mortel, ST’s Oat, or GD’s Yeti.

22oz poured into a glass. Like the commercial description says, this brew is as dark as russian crude! Dark tannish colored head. Smell of deep fruit, hint of caramel malts. Very intense flavor, keeps growing on me as I take another sip. Roasted malt would definitely be the strongest flavor, good finish with a hoppy taste. I started out with this beer too cold, as it warms up the flavor improves. Very smooth on the palate, but certainly nothing you could chug. Overall a masterpiece by Stone, which will open your eyes to the possibilities of stouts.

Spring 2008 bottle, rating #350. Pitch black pour with a thin dark tan head that settles to only a messy ring around the edge of the snifter. Nose is dark molasses, dark fruits, nuttiness, light alcohol, and roasted coffee. Smooth body, not very heavy. Tastes of bitter roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate with some off putting brine, soy sauce, or astringent type flavors with a light hop bittering finish. Re-rate Spring 2009 bottle. Pours a dark black with a creamy milk chocolate head slowly settles leaving a thin sheet of lacing. The nose is nutty, full of dark fruits, prunes, roasted malt, bitter chocolate, roasted coffee, light soy. Taste is roughly the same, prunes, plums, currants, mixed berry fruitiness, anise, licorice, soy sauce, brine, then smoothing chocolate, coffee and malty roastiness. Very reminiscent of the last bottle I had and I just don’t like this beer THAT much. It is still a fine beer, but seems just a touch overrated. Original score: 8:4:8:4:16

Bottle purchased at Crown Liquors #15 in Fishers, IN. Pours as black as outer space with a finger of creamy tan head that diminishes to a thin skin of bubbles at the surface. The nose is of sweet, dark roasted malt, carob, alcohol and a touch of light ash. Medium to full-bodied, it features fine tongue-prickling carbonation but mellows to a slicker mouthfeel with time. The finish is roasty and ’warm’. Sweet, roasty and lightly bitter dark roasted malt front light hoppy bitterness and alcohol at the finish. This is an amazingly satisfying brew. I wouldn’t hesitate to snag another bottle of this one.

This beer kicks you in the balls and then comes back screaming for more. It really does pour the color of motor oil too, which is just lovely. Heavy alcohol flavor here as well as a big coffee taste. So good it’ll make you slap yo mama!

Getting notebook online. Bottle, 2005 (sampled 2/17/08). Wow!! Intense sweet roasted malt, chocolate, raisin, coffee flavors. Superb brew!! One of my all time favorites!. Also had some 2007, 2008, both wonderful, I am aging more right now!) Growler, 2007 (11/30/08): Chocolate flavors great, slight burnt malt, black currants, slight cigar smoke. Still delicious! Growler, 2003 (01/18/09) Free flowing jet black beer with a quickly vanishing tan lacing as you sip. Chocolate, prunes and raisins pour into the nose. Nice hints of black currants and a faint touch of coffee. Amazing chocolate flavors with a nice kick from the currant and raisin sweetness. A wonderful roasted espresso flavor comes in a little later. Mouthing is incredibly smooth and very full. Has a nice sweet and stick finish that keeps going. Bottle 2001 (01/25/09 at Stone Winter Storm!) Poured opaque black and flowed like fine scotch! Chocolate a bit fuller as well. A little smokier then others. The mouth has become even smoother but a little on the flat side. I think this one has aged as mush as it can and is on its downward slop but FABULOUS!! 2004 Draft (01/25/09 at Stone Winter Storm!) Nose is more chocolaty. On the taste the black current pokes out even more then the younger vintages. 2006 Draft (01/25/09 at Stone Winter Storm!) Alcohol more prevalent, flavors more bitter. 2006 Bottle (3/31/09 at Beer U Stouts) Alchol is not as present as my last tasting. Prunes and rasin flavors are predominate. Real nice milk chocolate too. Very smooth. 2009 Cask (5/17/09 at The Neighborhood) Nice roasted coffee, oak, and chocolate flavors. A little hot. First time I had from a cask. Different and still really good! AMAZING BEER!!!

Bottle thanks to Gabe. Poured Blsck beauty in color with small tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, chocolate. Taste was roasted malts and chocolate with vanilla. Finished nice simple to drink.