The Duck-Rabbit Rabid Duck Russian Imperial Stout

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

Bottle. Maybe it’s just me but I never seem to enjoy this beer. I find it bitter as in on the border of being sour, Theres an alcohol burn along with burnt molasses. Thin bodied and not much head retention.

Pours dark brown, but appears black in the glass. A firm, gorgeous dark brown head resides atop the nearly opaque liquid. An interesting nose of the attributes of dark malts and yeast (chocolate, and dark, sweet sugary fruits). It’s fairly powerful and complex. I tasted this as soon as it was released, and wow, has this changed since I tried it iabout 3-4 months ago. I remember a meek, uncomplex, fresh Imperial Stout and already, this has transitioned into a fairly good, moderately complex Imperial Stout, with great potential. The finish is particularly impressive, showing it’s futuristic glory. As most know, the best Imperial Stouts don’t peek until at least the 1 year mark and I have a feeling this will be really great at that point. I’m glad I have a number of bottles..

Poured a jet black with brown head. Aroma of coffee and roasted malt with hints of chocolate and hops. Flavor was about the same. Strong coffee taste followed by malt and alcohol.

Bottle; poured a dark black, with a medium brown head. Aroma of chocolate, caramel, vanilla, oak/wood, and hints of caramel/hops. Flavor was all of the above; but was a little different than others of the style. Alcohol was present and the body was too thin for my liking. Dry finish. Too much sweet and sour as well as roasted malt.

Bottle...you can tell this one is rich when you smell the maple-like aroma, emanating from the thick, dark-caramel color head, atop the deep dark stout, opaque in its bitter complexity, with flavors of hops, coffee, molasses, and a slight alcohol burn on the finish. One of Duck-Rabbit’s finest.

Bottle courtesy of OldGrowth. Abyss black. Tan brown head. Aroma is molasses, vanilla, some chocolate and a veggie-type note. Maybe some alcohol as well (gin, perhaps?). Taste is chocolaty, vegetal, roasty and dark fruits. Some soy or Worcestershire sauce too. Body is thinner than expected and mildly carbonated. Finishes with more roasted malts, coffee, veggie notes and soy/Worcestershire sauce. Different take on an IS.

Thanks be to OldGrowth. Very deep sanguine black body with a ruddy tan head. Aroma suggests chocolate-covered caramel, vanilla, and sweet, rummy alcohol. Flavor has a subtle raspberry quality and develops some nice port wine characters as it warms. Like a sweet charred marinade with burnt raisin notes. Finishes with an aggressive blend of hop and roast bitterness. Great underlying aspects--this might benefit from scaling down the bitterness. A hell of a nice sipper, regardless.

Bottle. Strong aroma, deep roast, chocolate, and malt. Notes of blueberry definitely shining through! A sweet touch of alcohol. Pitch pour with a gorgeous, cream, medium-dark brown head. Extremely robust flavor, huge sweet-n-sour roast with blueberries, chocolate, slight toffee, brown sugar, sticky malt. Body medium-full and warming. Alcoholic. Acidity doesn’t seem to fit here. Yes, definite mismatch of flavors. Bitter, very dry, and slightly burned aftertaste. Coffee and a bit of booziness linger as well. Not really top-notch for style, but still pretty good. Thanks, Jason! [3.5]

Same batch, about 8 months later. A little rubbing alcohol in the nose, but also a big bit of chewy cigar. Malt seems a bit thicker. Booziness is again the knock, and the flavors are just all over the place. Hard to console myself, the disappointment is just too great, especially with HOTD’s Adam and several beastly European stouts in recent memory. [3.3]