The Duck-Rabbit Rabid Duck Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Farmville, North Carolina USA

Dark Brown Color with Dark Tan Head. Tart Fruit/Chocolate Aroma. Heavy Coffee Roasts..Sweet Chocolate Flavor...Balances Well with Bitterness of Roasts.. Bitter Coffee Aftertaste. Overall Slightly More Raw Than the Baltic Porter, Nice Warming and Still Very Smooth Overall. Solid Brew.

Bottle sampled with Mad_indian, thanks to DrBayern for sending this to me. Pours Dark ith a tan head. Aroma of Roast, fruit, slight chocolate, and alcohol. The flavor is mild sweetness upfront, Roast, dark fruit, and finishes with a moderate bitterness.

acquired in trade from ucusty...pours nearly black with a crimson head. big charcoal aroma with some roasted coffee and red apple. body is surprisingly crisp. flavors start with char and mild coffee when cold. as it warms leather, chocolate and roasted malt flavors come out. there’s a strange aspirin character that really keeps this one from being great...

Bottle sampled with stegosaurus, care of trade with drbayern. Black pour with brown head. heavy roast aroma and mild hop. Over the top roast with the taste. Should have been blended better. Its ok.

12 oz bottle

This was sent in a trade. Thanks to the person who sent it; once again I lost track of who deserves it. I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. Duck Rabbit has a nice thing going in North Carolina. If they ever expand to Wisconsin I’ll be the first in line to pick up a sixer. This particular release was good but a little unusual for an imperial stout. Despite that I found it good. It’s not quite on par with the baltic porter in my opinion but it is pretty close.

Aroma / Appearance - As befits an imperial stout it was dark. This one was more on the fluid side than most; unlike some which spin like molasses this one moves freely. The pour started with a one finger mocha colored head and dense creamy lacing. Cocoa, expresso, raisins and figs are the first scents to greet the senses. Next come anise, smoke and plum. The finale is vanilla and pecan pie. It’s not the most complex imperial stout but it is very satisfying.

Flavor / Palate - The first sip was smoke, vanilla and chocolate dipped coffee beans. A mild bitterness balances everything out. Caramel dipped fruits, anise and then hoppiness create a nice second wave of flavors. It lingers on the palate for a long time with a split personality - dry in the back and moist towards the front of the mouth. For an imperial it was very easy to drink. The finish reminded me of oats, coffee and cocoa as it finally faded.

Picked up a single 12-oz bottle via trade with Frumpy. Last one of the Duck Rabbits. Pours a motor oil dark brown brew, thick and chewy with a creamy tan head. Aroma of dark pitted fruit, chocolate syrup, some flowery hops and an alcohol scent that reminds me of all the sales reps’ breath after they took a two-hour lunch and complaining about something off the wall. Taste is thick, heavy/full bodied with light carbonation. Flavors of burnt dark molasses, milk chocolate and fresh brewed coffee. Finish is dry with a coffee/molasses aftertaste. A terrific sipping imperial stout.

12 oz. bottle. Pours opaque black with a large fizzy tan head that is mostly lasting. The aroma is milk chocolate, dark fruits, and alcohol. I had this once before and didn’t rate it because the initial temperature wasn’t right and I thought some of the beers qualities were hidden. This time I made sure everything was right: temperature, setting, and glassware. The flavor was more complex the second time around. I get dark chocolate, molasses, and cocoa. The flavor continues to develop into the finish with a dry roasted malt lingering for some time. The 10% ABV is well hidden. Medium-full mouthfeel. This is a good RIS, but falls short of being elite.

Bottled. Beer is very dark warm brown, nearly opaque with a small, white, frothy, mostly and rapidly diminishing head.<P>The aroma is ballsy but balanced. Malty with moderate-to-heavy notes of roasted grain, coffee, chocolate; Hoppy with moderate notes of herbal resinous pine; Yeasty with a light note of basement; Moderate miscellaneous notes of spicy, boozy alcohol, trace note of toasted coconut.<P>The flavor is moderately/heavily sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter with a long, warm, lightly acidic, moderately bitter, light/moderately sweet finish.<P>The body is medium, the texture is velvety and the carbonation is lively.<P>Complex and engaging.