Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - North Coast Brewing Co.

mikechance

California

4.29/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A --- deep rich blackness and a nice head

S --- roasted malts, chocolate

T --- chocolate, dark malts, slight bitterness

M --- full-bodied, but not heavy smooth, oily, creamy, perfect carbonation

O --- An excellent RIS

At $6.99/four pack at Total Wines this beer is a steal. An excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 05:47:29 | More by mikechance

spoony

Colorado

3.85/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A-A normal pour produces a one-plus-finger head of dirty, mocha-colored foam. The foam hangs around for a bit before settling into a ring. The beer is pitch-black. No light gets through this stuff.

S-The smell is a relatively simple, but pleasing, mixture of dark chocolatey roasted malt scents with a lightly bitter coffee component. There is a touch of caramel in there, too.

T-Taste is dark, roasted malts with a semi-sweet chocolate flavor being the most identifiable for me. There is a touch of cold coffee, as well. The finish is lightly bitter (a touch of hops) but sweetens as it fades. I thought the flavor was a touch simple and metallic for an RIS.

M-A little light for the style with some prickly, fine carbonation. The feel works against this beer, I think.

O-It has been a year or two since my last Raspy, and the beer is mostly as I remember it: a decent, widely available RIS, but nothing I would seek out. This beer doesn't have the same complexities as Ten Fidy or Narwhal, but if you are fan of the classic, roasted, mildly bitter malt flavor, look no further. I suppose this brew earns points for being true to the classic style. This is not a bad beer, but it has been out-paced by the competition.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 05:01:48 | More by spoony

SlothB77

Virginia

4.73/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter

Has the standard coffee, chocolate, creamy flavor of a Russian Imperial Stout. Here's the kicker: the distinctive flavor that sets it apart from other RIS'? A mix of a flavor of cherries. Chocolate, coffee, cream and cherries.

A distinctive RIS. Excellent.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

01-12-2013 04:21:24 | More by SlothB77

Luminol

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12 oz bottle poured into a Stout glass.

A: Pitch black with four fingers of brownish-white head. Head retention is fairly decent.

S: Smells of roasted coffee and mild hops. Maybe a bit of fruit.

T: Tastes of burned/roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and grapes. The grape flavor is similar to a red wine type of flavor. The beer has a nice malt that connects all the flavors together. It maybe has a touch of hops but not too much. It's also not too bitter and not very dry. Pretty sweet overall especially since it has a 9% ABV

M: This is pretty thick. It also has a smooth mouth-feel and has little to no carbonation.

O: Amazing! Easily one of the best beers I've ever tasted. It's a very flavorful and complex beer. It is also very balanced with the flavors yet still allowing for the distinct flavors to come out with the taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 08:28:33 | More by Luminol

WSGosset

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep black, nearly opaque with a finger-and-a-half of light tan head which recedes fairly quickly. Nice lacing around the edges.

S: Dark roasted malt with more than a hint of booze.

T: Imperial indeed! While not totally out of control, this beer's gravity is readily apparent, giving it a little bit of a cough syrup-like quality. Surprisingly bitter, though, as with many imperial stouts, I suspect this beer isn't short on hops. The bite of the alcohol and the hops begin to mellow out as the beer warms a bit.

M: Very smooth, almost slippery. Not too heavy.

O: Though this really is a very solid beer, the taste is a little on the boozy side compared to, say, Narwhal which I tend to like a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:32:32 | More by WSGosset

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.24/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a very dark brown/black color with a half finger head and some lacing.

S: Very sweet smelling roasted malts, espresso, dark chocolate, and some fruit as well.

T: Lots of roasted malts, espresso, dark chocolate, and some hops. Nice bitterness for a stout. The alcohol is well hidden.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation.

O: This is a very solid RIS. I'll gladly drink it anytime.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 23:44:11 | More by nUgZ

DilisioYCBC

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- poured out black with a think tan head . No haziness. The head retained itself throughout staying tight with a layer of foam all the way down, little lacing.

S- a bunch of roasted malt, chocolate, toffee, and chocolate chip cookies. A touch of alcohol and fruitiness.

T- a lot of roasted flavors up front that seemed to mellow after it warmed a bit. Chocolate, dark dried fruit like plum, toffee, a bit of malty sweetness balancing out the bitterness of the roast. No hop bitterness. The rated bitterness sticks around for a while, then the warming comes down the esophagus bout 15 seconds after the first swallow.

M- Appropriate carbonation that makes it drink smoothly. Not as viscous as I would expect. Dry felling on the finish.

O- a great Russian Imperial Stout that packs a ton of roasted flavors, but has some nice sweet malt and toffee to meld with the stronger flavors. At 9% this is a warmer, but the alcohol does not take away at all from the brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 01:29:12 | More by DilisioYCBC

scootny

New York

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

Probably the best looking no gimmick RIS i've seen. Dark dark brown with reddish highlights. Thick prominent head that fades very slowly and leaves a light covering and lots of lace. The nose is light coffee, bigger chocolate but not quite as big as I expected. Still this is one good smelling brew with the chocolate taking me to a shop that has just opened its wares. Taste is somewhat the reverse with more coffee than chocolate. Hops are a star in this show and they will not take a back seat to anyone. Rich and smooth latte flows into an herbal and dry citrusy bittering. Finish is rather clean and quite dry. Chocolate malt notes underpin the charcoal infused java flavors. While clean the finish leaves some grapefruit and bitter black coffee. Feel is somewhat crisp with a tingly carbonation and rather chewy construction and heft. A great brew period and always welcome.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 06:24:49 | More by scootny

Eeroomnhoj

Virginia

4.95/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

My friend gave me a few bottles of beer for Christmas and I started with the darkest first. Great tasting beer, one I would have again and again, just not on the same day. Maybe some people are different but one is enough for me. It poured jet black and had a fairly thick head. It tasted real heavy on the first sip so I knew I was in for a treat. The beer did leave a taste in my mouth but so does a good cigar. Definitely a winter sitting by the fire beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:18:46 | More by Eeroomnhoj

vickersspitfire

Texas

4.03/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Almost pitch black when held up to the light, its topped off with a thick light brown head and simply stays put and eventually develops into an even layer of bubbles surrounded by some really good lacing. Coffee, roasted malts, chocolate and brown sugar come through, caramel and butter aromas are hidden and the smell is masked by a general scent of mild sweetness. Crisp when it hits your tongue, it’s bitter over all and has a medium-to-heavy mouth feel. The roasted malts are well evident in the aftertaste and on the side of your mouth; mild chocolate flavors are present throughout, not a bad stout at all. The aftertaste lingers on for a while, this is when you can taste the alcohol, it’s not bad. More flavors start coming out as it warms up, mild prunes, raisins; the malts now take a back seat.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 07:42:50 | More by vickersspitfire

ckollias

Maryland

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

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a porter glass.

A: Pours a pitch black hue with a thick, brown, 3-finger head that slowly dissipates down the side glass leaving a nice trail and ending in a solid lace.

S: Great malty aroma with a solid chocolate and coffee overtones.

T: Dark rich ale with a generous sweetness and a roasted malt bitterness. Strong chocolate and coffee overtones, with a nice dark fruit background. Finishes on the dry side.

M: Very strong and boozy. Smooth and silky with a thick body and medium carbonation.

O: Excellent Imperial Stout. Doesn't get much better than this.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:48:21 | More by ckollias

AdamPenna

New York

3.15/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I'm a little disappointed actually. It's only slightly better than Guinness Extra Stout. I always catch a kind of eggy scent off stouts which I dislike. The head was impressive and the color pitch black--benighted, I would say. Others compliment the alcohol kick, but I didn't sense much of it. Malt is big but not much sweetness, which is good. Burnt. This is my first review of a stout so I may need to return and revise. Maybe my batch was old? Not unpleasant just not what I had hoped.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 19:28:14 | More by AdamPenna

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pitch black with a giant light tan, creamy and fizzy head that lasted many minutes. Crazy lacing.

S: Coffee. Mild.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and moderate bitterness. Nice bittersweet chocolate with a bitter finish. Not as complex as I was hoping for though.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Silky smooth and slightly warm going down.

O: A solid above average Russian Imperial. The look and mouthfeel stood out to me.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 03:45:41 | More by SolipsismalCat

Winston_Smith

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've been looking forward to this for a long time. I hoped it would live up to it's reputation, and wasn't disappointed.

Appearance: Black, rich, kinda creamy, with a tan head. Ridiculous lacing... thick and globular.

Smell: The chocolate hit me first, followed by a lot of malt.

Taste: Sweet, chocolatey, tons of malty awesomeness. The aftertaste is very bitter. Chocolate stays in my mouth the longest. The 9% isn't completely covered, but I enjoy tasting a bit of alcohol. Nicely balanced.

Mouthfeel: Thick and stout! It looks, for lack of a better word, velvety when you pour it, and it feels that way on the way down.

Overall: Killer. The price was very reasonable. A friend, who hasn't had a beer at all in a couple months, much less one of this stature, commented that it was like chocolate milk, both in taste and thickness. Glad I got to try Old Rasputin. Success.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 19:59:45 | More by Winston_Smith

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

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

Appearance is dark brown to black with an ivory colored head - at least a full finger on a 12 oz pour. Great lacing. Smell is heavy chocolate malts - nice and sweet. Taste is as close to a dark chocolate bar in a beer - all over the front, middle and finish - although surprisingly not too over the top. Still dry and controlled on the end.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:24:01 | More by Oakenator

abeerwiseguy

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Yet another top brew from North Coast Brewery at Fort Bragg, CA. Label listed 9% ABV.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint bar glass it was midnight black with 2 fingers of brown dense foam that left thick lacing as it dissipated.

Very noticeable aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee beans greet the nose.

Tastes of coffee, chocolate, and some slight sweetness that hinted of dark fruit like prunes.

This beer was very viscous and has one of the most lingering marvelous flavor profiles I have had with a stout. Very flavorful and intense, I was tasting the flavors for several minutes after each sip. I must get more. So much beer...so little time.

Kudos to North Coast.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 18:54:53 | More by abeerwiseguy

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured this jet black syrup into a tulip glass, got a finger of dark brown head which made some nice lacing. a beautiful looking beer.
smells of roasted nuts, coffee, cocoa, almost a coca cola type scent. very unique smell.
a bitter, yet subtle dark roasted coffee flavor up front. nutty overtones, a subtle vanilla aftertaste. very mellow and drinkable. no sign of the alcohol in the taste.
full body, low carbonation, silky smooth.
a really good stout, no question about it. this bottle is from 2011 (a year and change old) so it's a bit more subtle than it is fresh. even fresh, this is a great stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 13:51:43 | More by facundoCNB

sethcroisant

Nebraska

4.28/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- black with no light making its way through. somewhat modest head, but what's there is dense. pretty good lacing

S- alcohol is most prominent, although the roasted malts do an impressive job of pushing through the 9% abv. coffee is on the nose as well as undertones of chocolate.

T- the alcohol throws the first punch, but it backtracks quickly. tons of roasted malts with a little bit of hops that make it fairly bitter. hints of chocolate and caramel malts are in the finish to add a little balance.

O- i was surprised the first time i drank this beer when i found out it was 9%. the intensity of the roasted malts mask the alcohol very well. incredibly drinkable for the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 06:11:08 | More by sethcroisant

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Old Rasputin is an enjoyable RIS with an apparent emphasis on roasted malt, giving this beer roasted and charred flavors with prune-like sweetness and hints of cocoa beans and roasted coffee beans. Unfortunately, the ethanol is able to bleed through somewhat substantially, and while the roasted malt and chocolate flavors are substantial, they're not as overwhelming as in, say, Odin's Tipple. The result, for me, is a beer with good aroma and taste, but unfortunately hurt by an easily detectable ethanol presence that detracts from these more interesting components. Good, but due to this imbalance, I'd say not in the upper echelon as it's currently ranked.

Pours a 2cm head of dark tan foam: the bubbles are small and compressed, giving this a very dense head. Retention is about average for the style, lasting only a minute or so as it fades to a thin cap of foam atop the body. Lacing is present, modest, a few Body is an opaque brown to black, with no visible carbonation.

Aroma primarily of roasted malt, with some dark prune-like sweetness, ethanol, and slight vanilla. Not as complex or huge of an aroma as I was hoping/expecting.

Taste is generally of roasted malt, unrefined cocoa nibs, prune-like sweetness and ethanol. Opens with prune and raisin-like sweetness on the front of the tongue, moving to a mid-palate of roasted malt, prune-like sweetness, strong ethanol, and hints of modest chocolate and coffee. Back of palate picks up ethanol and roasted malt, leading to an aftertaste of lingering roasted malt, minor dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans, and subdued ethanol. I really like the aftertaste of this beer and wish that the entire experience was as enjoyable.

Beer is medium-heavy to heavy in body weight, with medium levels of carbonation. The result is a beer with enough carbonation to slowly propel this across the palate in an appropriate fashion for an imperial stout. Ethanol heat and burn is definitely felt across the entire palate, but is less detracting here than elsewhere. Substantial stickiness across the palate after each sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 06:42:37 | More by falloutsnow

AmitC

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

So i have Old Rasputin now...

Appearance: Pours a dark brown color. Pitch black inside the glass. Absolute darkness. About two fingers thick shining brown head with good persistence. Sticky lacing that will stay on the sides forever and as is.

Aroma: Good roasted malts stout aroma, some burnt up smell, slight coffee and a good amount of hops. Alcohol is discernible very well. Likable but a tad under strength i feel.

Taste: Very strong taste. Malt wise, hop wise and roast wise. Just awesome. Starts with sweet malts. then some burnt up roastedness and finally ends with some happy mix of hop and charred bitterness. Good amount of alcohol presence.

Mouth feel. Medium to full bodied, leaves something to be desired body wise. Dry bitter finish. Very slight hop and roast derived astringency. Moderate carbonation makes it comparatively easy to drink.

Overall: Lives up to the reputation, underwhelming here and there. But a top notch brew nonetheless.

Style Rate: 4.5
Personal Rate: 4.25

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 17:20:09 | More by AmitC

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wow this beer is the real deal. Ain't no bullshit. There's many crazy bottle art put out by American and other brewers, especially the Belgians. Taste so good, can't stop drinkin' it. Gettin' drunker than shit.

Appearance: Black and blacker. Reminds one of Seal.

Good stout aromas.

But the flavor is gigantic. Strong. thick. Malty. Highly roasted. Reminds of French roast coffee.

Pair this baby with Zappa music. I suggest Zoot Allures.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 07:42:42 | More by frankiepop

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

4.83/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle into standard pint.

A: black as black can be. About an inch of rich foamy kahki head fell into a thick ring around the glass. No light gets through this, during the pour it was deep deep brown like ebony or mahogany.

S: big roasty notes, I get notes of dates and prunes. a bit of alcohol. No hops that I can detect.

T: I love this stuff. Big toasted and roasted notes, a bit of the date flavor from the nose. Lots of hop on the finish that last a good long time.

M: thick and rich but not as heavy as its american counterparts. Smooth and dangerously drinkable.

O: deserves all the hype it gets. Holds its own and works well with foods.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 07:38:19 | More by N3rdM3t4l

Moose90

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a 20oz tulip pint glass.

A - Pours thick and dark, leaves a nice 1" foamy light brown head. Standard stout, plus a bit extra. Just sitting there it looks delicious. Head fades to thin layer, but leaves great lacing.

S - A lot of hop from a stout, somewhat unexpected. The usual dark roast coffee, and chocolate do come through. I also pick up on some solid black licorice on this one, and a little burnt toast.

T - Really dark roasted malt character, almost burnt, yet not off-putting. Starts strong and bitter, and fades to a nice dry stout full of coffee, licorice and molasses.

M - Carbonated a tad more than some other stouts, but this helps to balance out the minimal alcohol bite. Makes for an enjoyable beer. It is full, rich, and chewy, but not cloying or sticky. I like this.

O - So glad I finally tracked this beer down. It has lived up to the hype and I imagine some age on it would make it even better. Absolutely great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 05:25:58 | More by Moose90

tectactoe

Michigan

4.36/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a shade of black, barely dark brown around the very top and edges of the beer - looks super viscous and thick as hell. Leather-tan head, super thick with little fine bubbles; great definition and nice retention.

The chocolate aroma is noticeable even before putting your nose to the glass. Huge bouts of unsweetened, dark cocoa beans and bittersweet, black coffee/espresso beans as a secondary note. Big-time roasted malt aromas fill your head, leaving a silky smooth and buttery feeling before even taking a sip.

First sip, chocolate amasses on the palate to a huge degree; dense and deep - not like a milk chocolate bar, more like a less-sweet version of dark chocolate, raw cocoa beans, dry cocoa powder. The chocolate gives way fairly quickly to a charred, woody, nutty flavor; oak and nuts, just toasted to hell and burnt to a crisp. Some slightly bitter coffee is in the background, maybe more like espresso - very strong, deep, rich, and dense.

The woody flavor lasts until the end and even begins to take on a smokey character after a bit. A few seconds before the final moments of the sip, the bitterness of the hops start to come alive, and are very noticeable here, unlike many RIS's where the hops are almost nowhere to be seen. They take on a very herbal, leafy, and grassy profile, playing hand-in-hand with the bitterness from the unsweetened cocoa and coffee flavors earlier.

The bitterness from the hops grows and fades out - the aftertaste is a combination of the herbal burn, charred and smokey wood, slight tobacco, and an overall roasted-character finish. Overall, a very dry, bitter, and nearly harsh finish which is supported by some underlying sweetness from the malt. Alcohol warmth is notable at seemingly random times, but never impedes or distracts. Thick and creamy body, silky smooth, robust, and rich. Medium carbonation, slightly higher than many other RIS's.

Wow, a truly complex beer, and very true to it's style. This RIS is unique enough to stand out and that's what has allowed it to make a name for itself. Nice, noticeable bitterness and herbal hop presence which goes unnoticed in so many brews of this style - very refreshing for a change of pace. Slow sipper at 9.0% ABV, but the alcohol plays well with the palate and never gets overbearing. Bottom line: if you like RIS's - get some of this, pronto.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 12:43:30 | More by tectactoe

BucannonXC5

California

3.65/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into a pint glass at my house on Nov. 27, 2012 (purchased for $2.09 at BevMo in La Mesa, Calif. (San Diego) on Nov. 27, 2012). Mahogany black with 3-4 fingers of tan head that lasted for quite some time. Good and thick retention on the top and the sides of the glass.

Smelled a sharp bite of alcohol first. That was followed by coffee, roasted coffee beans, roasted nuts, hazelnut, dark caramel, toffee and dark chocolate.

Tasted that sharp bite of alcohol up front, like the smell. Really a liquor type of alcohol, maybe vodka. Also coffee, hazelnut, toffee, dark chocolate and caramel. Nice warming finish.

Full body. Creamy slick texture. Average-to-above average carbonation. Long warm finish with some bitterness.

I’ve always seen this beer in the stores and I finally pulled the trigger tonight. It was basically what I expected, which is an average Russian Imperial Stout. And that’s coming from a guy who probably overrates all RIS’s. EDIT: This grew on my as it went down. I upped a couple of ratings.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 03:24:50 | More by BucannonXC5