Stone Imperial Russian Stout

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

This brew pours a midnight black color with a nice tan head. This brew is the monster from little childrens nightmares. Strong roasted coffee aroma that just attacks the nose. Very thick body with an amazing roasted coffee and chocolate flavor that leaves your temperature rising. Amazing brew, i would call it a magician.

Beige, foamy head. Complex aroma. SWEET taste with plenty of alcohol present. It’s a truly odd flavor - this beer. Reminds me a bit of Dogfish WWStout. Alcohol should be better hidden.

Aroma is extremely pleasant. Notes of coffee, chocolate, some roasty nuttiness, and some obvious alcohol. This is very layered. The beer pours a dark brown/black with a brown head that does not leave at any time during the drink. The flavor is intense mocha, lots of coffee, even some dried fruit. Many layers of malt make this beer very full bodied, but it was still drinkable enough for my girlfriend to take one sip, then proceed to take a few gulps. So I guess that makes this an extremely palatable Imperial Stout. Damn was this good. I am sometimes a Stone hater and think that they are alot of hype, but this really is a fine beer.

Verre de dégustation, provenant d’une bouteille de 22 oz, dégusté lors de la soirée "La croisée des chemins" chez Cathshlag. Arôme: Odeur de chocolat et de torréfaction avec une pointe de caramel. Apparence: La couleur est noire opaque. Présence d’un mince col beige mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de chocolat, de petits fruits et de café. Longue durée de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est plein avec une texture légèrement crémeuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence de café en arrière goût. (Rating #1028)

Bottle bought at the brewery. Oily black pour, slow-to-rise firm brown head. Burnt malt aroma, very roasty, pruney, molasses. Heavy dense mouthfeel of bitter coffee and roast with nuances of anise and dark fruits. Very bitter, very hoppy finish. Very big, very enjoyable, but not overly complex.

I'm really beginning to feel this beer with every sip. Motor-oil darkness with a little blood redness around the edges. Head is firm and lasting, yet subdued. Big, yeast-cake nose teases the olfactory senses. Mouthfeel is soft and gentle, with a light milkshake-like presence. My gums cringed with acidity though. Some roast; some coffee; some dark fruit; some of a lot of other things too. Oily flavors linger and dance and prance in the mouth, long after the music has stopped. Sweet and sour flavors swirl. Lasting and enjoyable. Re-rate, 2004: Smooth and rewarding palate. Very rich and chocolaty with dark-roasted malt flavors throughout. Acidity is not like it was last year -- much better. Warm alcohol. Quite a large hop presence, leaving behind a decent amount of bitterness. Really good stuff.

On tap at Capital Ale House - Downtown on 05/19/2009. Very dark body with a medium frothy light brown head. Rich chocolate, roast, some caramel and rum-soaked fruit. Sweet chocolate, faint coffee, some rum-soaked fruit and a big bitter finish. Medium full body with moderate carbonation. 8/5/8/4/16 - 4.1 Nov 28, 2005, Updated: Apr 11, 2006: Dark black color with a creamy black head. Malty toffee aroma with hints of caramel and molassas with some very light fruit in the end. Light chocolate and toffee flavor some light hints of caramel. 8/5/9/4/18 - 4.4

Spring 2008 release. Bottle at The Penguin in honour of Nuneaton Borough’s heroic 10 man comeback against Chesham Utd in tonight’s play off semi final. Just wait and see what’s coming out if we win in the final. Think this is one of the highest rated beers in my ’cellar’, and it’s a disappointment. Pours a light-swallowing pitch with a chunky, dissipating tan collar. Aroma chocolate ice cream, charcoal, margarine, oak and faint burnt toast drenched in harsh spiritous alcohol; blended whiskey and rum. Tiny hint of raisin after it’s been standing half an hour. Reminds me of some kind of ill- advised Kahlua, rum and ice cream cocktail sucked through a straw. Slick, woodsy, spiritous but oddly thin body exuding oaky booze and fumes; the deep bittering roast, espresso, faint yeast extract and lush oaky cocoa tones which are there struggling to make themselves heard over the FAT HUM of alcohol. Could really use an infusion of hops or fruit or.. anything to complement the really simple charred flavours, and distract from the ABV. It’s not even a very good stout, never mind a good 10.8% US imperial stout. Watery Marmite notes amongst the bonfire embers. Alcohol-sodden, charred impy without finesse or complexity- glad I didn’t save it for a big rating milestone. A typical 3.5% mild has got more going on than this.