Much like the India Pale Ale was brewed at higher strengths to make the long voyage from England to India, Russian Imperial Stouts were originally brewed to make the thousand mile journey from London to eastern Russia at the request of Empress Catherine the Great. The treacherous months long journey would spoil a lesser beer, so these stouts were brewed at 9% and allowed to mellow over time, leaving a velvety smooth texture with rich notes of cocoa and coffee. Roasted barley and chocolate malts meld perfectly, giving this big bodied brew its character. We allowed our Concrete Ship - named after the sunken SS Atlantus, a retired WW1 concrete ship famously visible from Cape May’s historic Sunset Beach - to mellow out for an extra month, letting the alcohol’s heat dissipate just enough while retaining a warming quality. Brewed at the request of taproom associate Quart, this voyage closes out our Employee Series in a fitting fashion by bringing us full circle to the our first employee series - the Bare Knuckle Imperial Stout. Concrete Ship fared far better then it’s namesake, so look for a return voyage this winter. On tap: 7.31