Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - North Coast Brewing Co.

MJR

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours black with garnet highlights. It's mostly opaque, with a minimal amount of light getting through. What started as a 3/8" tan cap is now a small ring around the top of the glass. No lacing whatsoever...

Smell: Very basic aroma of bitter, roasted coffee with a hint of dark fruits. A small whiff of alcohol too...

Taste: Lots of roasted grain and coffee flavors take center stage is this brew. The dark fruits that are expected in this style are here, but they're much more subdued than in most other Imperials. I taste a touch of buttery rum, as well as some toffee. The hops are there, but they don't really draw any attention away from the malts. The alcohol is well hidden. Finishes with a touch of sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Round and smooth with a medium mouthfeel. It's too thin for the style...

Drinkability: Good for what it is...a nice, basic Imperial stout. There are much better examples to be had, but I wouldn't mind this on a cold winter night in front of the fireplace. I did expect this one to be better though...

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2003 22:03:47 | More by MJR

dwarbi

New York

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1/2 inch thick light brown head. Most of it goes a away rather quickly, but some remains to make me happy.
What a nose! Amazing. Very solid presence in the room. Malty, a little sweet, and when you get in there, you can detect the high alcohol content, but it does take away from the effect.
Chocolatey, roasted flavor. Again, the high alcohol content is evident but does not take away from the experience.
Feels good in the mouth, but the sweetness is a little too dominant in the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2003 15:05:18 | More by dwarbi

philipt

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My goodness, I really like all types of imperial stouts, and the more I sample, I develop a greater appreciation for the style.

Nearly black in color (really dark, dark, dark, dark amber) with a rather diminutive khaki color head. Sensational aroma that is noticeable from a relatively great distance as it is poured. Smells of roasted malt, and smells quite sweet. Taste is malty as first, followed by a bready and roasted malt flavor. Tastes somewhat sweet as well. The body is thinner than hoped for. The alcohol is evident but, by no means, is it a problem.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2003 14:36:53 | More by philipt

scottum

Vermont

4.2/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours out blackish black with a nice big tan head. A very nice Imperial Stout. Burnt malts rule this brew like a tzar. Hop bitter balances out the malts. This is a potent brew and complex beyond my taste. Not the best Imperial Stout out there, but a damn good one!

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2003 16:25:53 | More by scottum

kelticblood

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is my 100th review so I thought I'd choose something worth remembering.

The pour yielded a 1 inch off-white head that reduced to about a 1/2 inch and stayed.As It reduced it left a solid ban of sticky lace around my glass.The color is an opaque black.Alcohol is evident on the nose and in the taste almost right away.wheeew this is strong.Long very bitter finish.Full bodied with a thick mouthfeel.Alcohol makes the mouthfeel somewhat harsh..The alcohol and the strong hop bitterness seems to hide any real flavor here.Very creamy with a rolling texture.Hints of chocolate and coffee are noted on the taste.Very malty with a dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2003 23:22:24 | More by kelticblood

PhantomVodoo

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Black in color with a brown creamy head that leaves lace.
Aroma of bittersweet chocolate and alcohol.

Taste of bittersweet chocolate, alcohol, and a hint of coffee. Hops there to balance.

Creamy and full-bodied.
Drinkability: This is a big beer to be savored in the proper setting. Not something to look for after you've just mowed the lawn on a 90 degree day. The alcohol is pretty evident.

Overall, this beer is quite the treat on tap. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2003 21:41:30 | More by PhantomVodoo

Jarod

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12 oz bottle, Russian writing encircling the image of Rasputin on the label.

This beer poured a dark brown black color that when held to the light, some penetrated casting a ruby glow on the edges. The head was thick, rich and creamy resembling in all aspects, even the color of the inside of a Milky Way candy bar. It left a lace behind that was sheety and lacey in different spots of the inside of the glass. The aromas that came from the glass were fairly complex, changing with each degree of temperature. I nosed coffee, dark and roasted malts, caramel, chocolates, slight fruits, some burnt chocolate, wood ash and alcohol. All smells seemed to couple up with each other and accent each other very well. The tastes were just as complex as the aromas and seemed to get only better as it warmed. I tasted bitter hops, burnt and regular coffees, roasted malts, caramel (slight), chocolates, alcohols, flowers, wood ash and some slight dark fruits. The first sip had some bitter hops to it, then an explosion of flavors all through the middle and then ended the same way it started. This is one complex beer. Big, full, creamy, lovely, luxurious and fabulous. Lives up to its name and its history behind it. The Czars would be proud.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2003 07:40:32 | More by Jarod

goz

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pour is a super dark black with slight hints of ruby at the edges, thick tan head that fades and leaves good lacing. Aroma is chocolate, roasted malts, and some hops (flowery, light perfume) in the end. Flavor starts with chocolate, middle the roasted malts show through, some hops towards the end. Alcohol barely shows through at the very end when it reaches it's warmest temp. Full bodied, long lasting taste. Truly outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2003 09:50:32 | More by goz

goindownsouth

South Carolina

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

North Coast brings out yet another winner. A very good brew. It almost appears, to me, to be a porter-like brew. But this beer is so much more. It offers a porter-type body and consistency complete with malted aroma and flavor. There are hints of chocolate-like sweetness, but not too overbearing. If you can find it, please seek this one out. It is well worth it. Prost!

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2003 18:48:12 | More by goindownsouth

nomad

Kansas

3.53/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours out just about black with light tan head that doesn't amount to much. Real rocky and frothy lace that dies fairly fast and eventually turns into a nothing of a lace. For the nosey stuff, it had an interesting turn on the common imperial stout nut scent, a lighter but more complex type of nut. Real bright fruitiness to the nose, has a citrusy kind zing to it from the very high level of hops.

As for taste, there was an almost salty type of hop bitterness with a long and multi-leveled finish: started with a quick bitterness, then turned to a fruity hoppiness which then mixed with the roasted malt flavor, and lastly it all evened out and washed over the majority of my palate. Fairly thin mouthfeel.

Overall, an overly hoppy version of the Imperial Stout. The more it opened the more malt attempted to balance the strong hops, but in the end the sharp onslaught of hoppy bitter, fruit, and salt won out. I love me a hoppy IPA, but in my opinion an Imperial should not stray too far from its malty base.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2003 15:21:01 | More by nomad

Reidrover

Oregon

4.58/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought in the 12 oz brown botle with a great lithograph of old Grigory on the label!!
Well this beer darn well looks perfect dark, dark almost pitch black beer topped by a medium tan colour heead that sinks into a large amount of lace.
The aroma of this brew is wonderful to behold..i smell vast amounts of roasted grain..some malt and a viscous alcohol aroma.
Taste is how can I say it?..out of this world
..first malt then hops..but theres great chunks of black coffee..unsweetened dark chocolate..a great but not overwhelming stuff.
Mouthfeel? how can i describe it other than to says ts almost perfect.
For such a robust beer its actually quite alright for a quiet night in by the fire..

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2003 01:30:15 | More by Reidrover

Bang34

California

4.65/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Wow, I tried this brew after seeing it on the "Top Brews" list on this site. I have always been a fan of Stouts and being from Mendocino County, CA just one hour's drive from the birthplace of this beer, it seemed like a match made in heaven. If I could find it. A while back I remembered seeing this brew on the rack at my local Safeway. But when I finally decided to try it, guess what, it was nowhere to be found. After about a month of absence from the shelf, it was finally there. I bought 2 four-packs, just in case it disappeared again.

Now, the rating. Appearance, black, dark, stout-like, with a tanish brown head that sticks around and gives a nice creamyness and lace. The aroma, malty coffeeness comes to mind with a hint of Chocolate. Taste, creamy, chocolaty , coffee like with an after warmth of the alcohol. Even so, this is so smooth, you woul not believe that it is 8.9%.

Brewed in the historic logging and fishing town of Fort Bragg Califonia. Part of the Karate Kid III was filmed there as was the Kurt and Goldie Flick "Overboard" but it is probably most famous for being the final stop of the Skunk Train. I only whis I had found this beer sooner. Along with Anderson Valley's Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, it is one of my favorites. Available in four packs, and with the alcohol content and thickness, believe me, that is all you will need.

I moved to Missouri about 2 1/2 years ago and really miss this beer. It is availsble in my hometown, the small Hamlet of Gualala at the local Supers and I buy it whenever I get back there. On one of my last trips home I was able to get my Mom and Step Dad to take me to lunch at the brewery and they were impressed with this brew as well.

Missouri Import laws don't let any craft Cali brews in, save Pyramid and Sierra Nevada thanks to St. Louis based AB. Man, I miss this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2003 00:09:15 | More by Bang34

ElGuapo

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Black with a big brown head that leaves its trail all over the glass. Chocolate hits your nose, and then comes a big blast of hops. Raosty malts also find there way into this fine aroma. Very spicy and roasty at the same time.

This brew is loaded with flavor. It is rich and full-bodied. Chocolate and roasty malts start you out. Then, spicy hops come in like crazy to make this one complex brew. It is very creamy in the finish. The flavors are intense and could wake you up in the morning. This is simply a near perfect brew.

I was shocked to find 2 of my friends that do not like a lot of hops, or stouts enjoy this brew. Who would have thought. You throw together 2 things people like and then they like it.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2003 05:23:54 | More by ElGuapo

beerluvr

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a massive tan colored head that slowly settles over just-short-of-opaque dark, dark ruby liquid. The nose is chock full of aromas of chocolate, malt, some coffee, and hoppy goodness. The taste is a mind-blowing blend of bitter and milk chocolates, roasted maltiness, espresso, tobacco and hop bitterness that just assaults your palate. Some alcohol is tasted in the fabulously long and satisfying finish, on par with the best Imperial Stouts & recommended to the extreme!

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2003 21:35:58 | More by beerluvr

BeerBuilder

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Deep, dark brown with ruby highlights. Has a light brown head that settles. The aroma that hits me first is a strong milk chocolatey aroma, followed by the roasted malt with hints of coffee. I detect alcohol at the end. The flavor is roasty, with hints of coffee. It has a very alcoholic flavor like that of rum. It is oily/buttery in texture. It finished very dry with a burnt malt and hop bitterness that stays with you. A very good warming beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2003 12:19:53 | More by BeerBuilder

49degrees

British Columbia (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I’ve never really fancied stout beers. I’ve tried a small handful over the years, but never found myself attracted to what the style had to offer. I could probably even count on my fingers the number of stouts that I’ve tried. Having become quite the hophead and Barley Wine fan in recent months, it was about time I started to take a real serious look at what stouts have to offer. Several weeks back I had the chance to split a bottle of Rogue’s Imperial Stout with a fellow Beerfly at the Rogue brewery in Issaquah, WA – at little more than a 1/4 bottle, it was little to truly test my taste buds with, but the initial impact was definitely applauded.

Having played with real Russian beer earlier in the evening, I thought I’d tackle a Russian Imperial Stout “Old Rasputin” to be specific. In a single word – IMPRESSIVE! Now I know the Old Rasputin is a highly regarded stout, but I’ll have to admit, my taste buds, palette, stomach and the rest of me was really ready for this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sold in traditional 12oz dark brown, stubby bottles, the label features a sketched image of Rasputin to help prepare the drinker for battle. This brew pours exceptionally dark black, not quite as heavy a pour as some stouts, but suitable characteristics nonetheless. The head is a thick dark creamy consistency that sticks around for a long period of time.

This beer has an incredible rich aroma packed full of robust hints of chocolate, coffee, plenty of hops, and even some subtle fruit essence in the bouquet. An extremely appetizing aroma that makes you want to dive right in.

Taste wise, it delivers everything that one would hope based on the initial inspection of sight and smell. Very rich, intense flavors of dark roasted coffee (very bitter like many of Starbucks blends), a strong but even chocolate flavor which works well with the nutty flavors that come through in the brew too. There’s an almost spicy hint that this beer leaves on the palette, something I’m thinking it a result of the roasted malts, 8.9% alcohol and bitter hops. Its an interesting flavor that works very very well.

This brew is a super drink that worked well tonight as an after dinner relaxer and would make for a perfect winter warmer. Kudos to North Coast Brewing Company for this stellar addition. I wasn’t a stout drinker before Rasputin, but if this is what the world of stout beer is all about, consider me converted.

[ STATS:>> 12 oz bottle / ABV: 8.9% abv / PRICE: $3.19 USD ]

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2003 22:14:35 | More by 49degrees

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12oz. amber bottle with Old Rasputin himself daring me to attempt to conquer the liquid contained within. Dare I venture further?

Appearance: If evil was a liquid, this would be it. Poured a insanely dark and dastardly color. When held up to the light, a wonderful ruby tint around the edges is revealed. Amazing.

Smell: Chocolate...coffee...and a little alcohol. Very, very nice.

Taste: Wow. Where to begin? Silky chocolate flavors mixed with a chewy malty sweetness. The flavor is large and in your face, asking what kind of a beer drinker you think you are to dance with this brew.

Mouthfeel: A lovely Swedish massage for the palate. The incredible smoothness of this beer make for a frothy, silky mouthfeel.

Drinkability: I was amazed at how much better this beer tasted as it warmed up. I lacked the willpower to just let it sit...I'm not worthy. The alcohol gives a great warming feeling and the smoooooooooth aftertaste make for one spectacular beer. Must get another one.

Note: Finally found this on tap at Brew's Cafe in Granville, OH. Even better from the tap. I could even bump up the Taste and Mouthfeel. An excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2003 18:06:35 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

jeffboo

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I'm slowly coming to the end of my Imperial stout bottles available in MN. Old Rap is black with red streaks in the light, with a smallish tan head. The aroma is roasted malt first followed by cocoa and hints of dark fruits (raisins).Chocolate and roasted coffee flavors come forth with a little sweet malt and a touch of bitterness. The body is medium-full that is nice for the style and it finishes long and roasty.Not as complex as the best but a nice drink at the end of a long cold day.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2003 19:03:52 | More by jeffboo

paceyourself

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Holy smokes this is a great stout! Poured brownish-black in color with a small dark tan head. A mellow alcohol and fruity notes make a soft aroma. This is one full-bodied stout starting with roasted coffee and creamy malt flavors. Very smooth overall and the alcohol isn't as apparent in the taste as in the aroma. At 8.9% this is very drinkable on this cold rainy afternoon. Thanks Morris729 for the sample.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2003 14:23:50 | More by paceyourself

pezoids

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought A four pack at Canals in New Jersey for $8.99

Wow, what a beer! Poured a midnight black with an amazingly dense and creamy head. Fresh roasted coffee, dark chocolate and alcohol on the nose. The taste is of heavy hops, roasted barley and alcohol. An easy sippin' brew. I haven't tasted too many IS's, but this comes close to what I would call perfect.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2003 19:27:54 | More by pezoids

stoutman

Michigan

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Aroma is most interesting with notes of coffee, nuts and brandy. It pours thick and is darkest brown with garnet edges...beautiful canyoned mocha head...Lace like sea-foam...Rich roastiness and subtle candy sweetness that is tempered with that warm brandy-like kick. Awfully smooth gong down...amusing Blackstrap tang hovers behind wisps of hop essence as a last remark. This is simply a superior product.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2003 17:27:28 | More by stoutman

SamuraiJack

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An excellent American Stout. Perhaps not on par with either the Shakespeare or the Brooklyn Chocolate, but still a great beer.
On first pour we have a nearly completely opaque brew, deep, dark, black as black. The head isn't very strong or thick or creamy, but has tight and even sized bubbles. Nice cascade forms to introduce you to the pleasures to come. The aromas are nearly overwhelmingly alcoholic, but somehow balanced by the deep and rich roasted malt and dark roast espresso notes.
The first taste is oh so smooth. Flavours are dominated by coffee, charcoal, malt and bitter hops. The alcohol adds potency and spicey notes, but is still balanced. Aftertaste fades into impressive sweetness, still balanced by the ongoing espresso notes.
Mmmm.... this is a stout I could even session drink. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2003 20:24:41 | More by SamuraiJack

kbub6f

New York

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bought locally (Grapevine refrigerated shelves), 2-3 weeks in my fridge, sat 30 minutes before pouring (the longest 30 minutes of my life). I've got one in the cellar for next year, but if I ever run out upstairs, that baby's a goner.

This is my all-time favorite beer. It just makes me happy from first sip to last. I'm always nervous when I open a bottle that it can't live up to the impression the last one left on me. Ok, enough.

Rasputin pours with a coarse tan head that clings to the glass as it collapses. Pour it hard to get cascading, but then pay the price of having to wait or wade through the head to get to the prize. Once the head is gone, it's gone for good. All that's left is a black hole where your glass used to be. Speaking of black, you'd better drink this in a well-lit place so you don't lose it.

Roasted, sweetish, somewhat fruity nose. It doesn't smell that strong. The alcohol is hiding, but somehow you can sense the evil lurking.

It's a mistake to start this one cold, but it opens up surprisingly fast. The start is maltacular. The middle is strong and complex: is that coffee? chocolate you ask? Just as you think you've pinned the tail on the palate, the alcohol kicks you in the head for being such a pompous ass. "Here, have some hops and shut the f--- up! Pansy."

I'm giving this a 4.5 on drinkability because not only can you only drink one, you can't drink any other beer when you're done. That also saves the perfect 5/5 for the beer I'll never find.

I can die now.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2003 19:08:17 | More by kbub6f

Sixpack595

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Deep red, appearing black with a rapidly fading head of light brown. Aroma of dark roasted malt with undertones of chocolate. Strong flavor of burt coffee, and a bit of chocolate. Syrupy mouthfeel, and warming effect from a decent alcohol content mean this beer will leave its mark on you. Big, in your face kind of beer. Definitly worth trying a few. When I first tried it I was not as impressed, but it really grew on me.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2003 00:36:55 | More by Sixpack595

Morris729

Texas

4.72/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a black ruby color with a creamy tan colored head that fades into a nice full lace. Nose is sweet roasted malts and grains, dark fruit, licorice, and some noticeable alcohol. A thick and full-bodied brew with tastes of roasted malts, burnt coffee, sweet raisins, and bitter dark chocolate. Sweet aftertaste seems to last forever (or at least until the next sip). A very nice brew, especially in the wintertime.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2003 22:53:13 | More by Morris729