Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - North Coast Brewing Co.

realbama

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This and "Celebrator" are the two finest beers known to man. Rasputin is pitch black. You would think you're about to down pure oil if the smell didn't hit your nose just before the liquid gold hits your mouth. It smells of smokey chocolate, hops and alcohol. This beer tastes very creamy, very complex. If my kid is ever diagnosed with a terminal disease and we get to go somewhere via the "make a wish" foundation, I'm gonna demand to see what the heck they're doing at Lost Coast with this brew. ....not really, of course. I'll let my kid go to Disney World or something. But I'll always wonder.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 04:10:25 | More by realbama

brewcifix

Connecticut

4.84/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance-
Raspy pours black with a thick fluffy beige head. This beer laces like a champ! There were rings all down my glass! And, the ice cream soda looking head is going the distance! I’m almost done, with plenty of head left.

Smell-
There's a strong chocolate, cream nose.

Taste-
First there’s a rush of dark coffee, espresso, bitter chocolate, molasses, and burnt malt flavors. Then this stout finsihes with subtle hops and an INCREDIBLE cereal-malt-espresso aftertaste that lingers LONG.

Mouthfeel-
The mouth feel is silky smooth, with medium carbonation and a heavy weight on the tongue.

Overall-
This beer is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I would LOVE to find this stuff on tap! Easily, this is one of the absolute BEST crafted, looking, and tasting brew that I have ever come across!

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 21:48:37 | More by brewcifix

Rhower

Pennsylvania

4.29/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

An overall fun & outstanding experience with a pint glass of this renowned RIS.

A: Enjoyed this for my first time on a nitro-tap (I know, don't be jealous) at the West
Reading Tavern. The thick, creamy head settled itself into a two-fingered, pillowy soft
foam that lingered for the entire session. Black, dense, motor-oil appearance with a
pleasant "drink me" syrup viscosity. 4

S: Smoke, caramel, and malt. Very rich in the nose with a nearly buttery warmth - much like
the appearance, the nose of this brew begs a hearty quaff. 4.5

T: A burnt caramel front, melding with a back-end tobacco hint that finishes with a malty
flare. The place where this beer veered for me - not into anything even remotely
unpleasant, but just a slight let down - was at it's close as it warmed. Where the first
half of the beer, experienced at a pleasant just beyond cold temperature soared. I found that the beer took on a sour finish as it warmed. Not bitter - not deeper in it's malt character - just ... sour. Surprisingly, I found I wouldn't nurse this beer toward warmth in future pints, but would rather enjoy the full glass before it struck that final chord. 4

M: A beautiful aspect of this beer; it's heavy, dense, buttery soft feel in the mouth. From
start to finish, each sip is very easy - never touching on a place where the alcohol draws
on the mouth. It is one of the smoothest drinking RIS I've ever had. 4.75

O: This is one of those "kid at Christmas" beers. If I walk into a bar and see this on the
draught list, my excitement soars and my knees start to jump ... from first sip to last
(albeit a little faster "last" than on this visit), an exceptional brew! 4.5

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-29-2013 17:51:31 | More by Rhower

zrbeer1579

Illinois

4.11/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

EDIT: Updated review

Appearance: Just black with a one and half finger light mocha dense creamy head that lasted for a quite a while.

Aroma: Roasted and burnt malts. Dark chocolate and some coffee. And some dark fruits as well.

Taste: Dark roasted chocolate and coffee. Burnt malts. A slight of dark fruits. Nice bitterness throughout the flavors . Finish have a lingering roasted chocolate bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-heavy bodied. Almost creamy but the carbonation feels a bit too much.

Overall: Even through the stout it's not as intense as I thought it would be (and as described on the bottle); it tasted good. I definitely would not mind having it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 16:26:03 | More by zrbeer1579

Segelstrom

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - this stout pours to a light brown head. It is very frothy so be sure to pour slow down the side of the glass.

S - not strong or bold. rather mild for an imperial stout

T - wonderful and rich

M - carbonation is not harsh

O - recommend to all stout lovers

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 18:39:10 | More by Segelstrom

weonfire

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - Dark dark brown, opaque, HUGE fluffy mocha head, patchy lacing

S - Roasty dark chocolate, coffee

T - initial: Roasty (4/10) dark chocolate, caramel, honey, expresso, dry malt, vanilla. finish: roasty nuts, coffe, touch of smoke. roastyness does linger a bit. hops is low (2/10)

M - Frothy, real creamy, high viscosity, even has a touch of velvet, med/full body

O - Nose leads you to believe this might be a roasty beer. While it does have some roast, not as much as thought. I find this to be an excellent brew. While i personally don't like the roast beers - it had just a touch more than I like and it could be a bit sweeter. Appearance, while poured vigorously,was spectacular. Mouth is excellent. I do wish the nose was better. Overall, very good.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 00:45:58 | More by weonfire

StArnoldFan

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

I had this on Nitro about a month ago at Nobi Public House in Clear Lake, reviewing from notes. The pour on this was simply amazing. It had about an inch of head that was so thick I could sit a quarter on it without sinking and remained for the duration of my glass. Dark black in color with that awesome mocha head that lingered. Not much on the nose but the taste was of chocolate and mild coffee hints. Easily one of, if not the thickest stouts I'v ever had. Anytime I see this on Nitro, I will have a glass.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-14-2013 23:40:40 | More by StArnoldFan

craft_shannie

Indiana

3.91/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: black; two finger dark khaki foamy head. i hate to say this, but i thought it would pour thicker. but, still a good looking brew.
S: roasted malts; bit of vanilla; i'm not getting a lot of complexity at all. and i've allowed it to warm plenty.
T: roasted malts; still not a lot of complexity, but solid. some coffee, chocolate, vanilla, but overwhelming roasted malts. good bitterness.
M: it's thin for the style. disappointingly so.
O: sorry, Old Rasputin. you had the great misfortunate of being second in a two RIS line-up tonight and you followed ten fidy. in all fairness, this is a solid brew, but pales in comparison in terms of looks (esp. the pour), smell, taste, and defintely the mouthfeel. old rasputin tastes more like a regular everyday stout than a Russian Imperial.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 00:14:02 | More by craft_shannie

JarMills

British Columbia (Canada)

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

The foam just stays still the entire time you drink it. It's like nothing I've ever seen a beer do. I tilted the glass, and it just stayed one blob! It smells like chocolate or coffee. But the more important thing, the taste: it's great! A bit bitter, but smoother than any other ale I've had.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 01:55:45 | More by JarMills

jjchristiano

New Jersey

4.66/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into my Duvel Tulip.
Took bottle out of fridge a good half hour ago.
Man I love this beer. A very very easy drinking 9% ABV Russian Imperial Stout.
I liked it so much I dont have any more to sip and make additional comments. Only bought a single in a mix-a-sixpack. Will buy a 4? or 6? pack next time I see it.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:20:04 | More by jjchristiano

JeanPaulValley

Pennsylvania

4.54/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was very excited to finally try this beer. I've only within the last year really started drinking great beers, and have become quite a stout-head. This was a huge WANT for me, and finally found it at a beer deli last night.

A- Motor oil black. Poured from a bottle, left a lot of tan head that was thick and slow to dissipate. A ton of intricate lacing left on the glass

S-Strong coffee and roasted malt, with a backing of chocolate and alcohol. Everything an Imperial Stout should smell like.

T- Very strong coffee and chocolate, segwaying into a bite of hops and alcohol. The alcohol taste isn't boozy, but well balanced and leaves a nice warming sensation.

M- Almost milkshake thick. The warming alcohol gives a very pleasant mouthfeel.

Overall- Rarely does a beer live up to its hype, but Old Rasputin totally did for me. My only regret is that I wasn't able to have it on tap for my first time, as I'm sure that would only amplify the already awesome quality of this beer. Very highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 18:19:39 | More by JeanPaulValley

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.76/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Jet black with generous creamy head and lots of lacing left behind.

S - Absolutely delicious smell. Creamy, with chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt notes and a touch of alcohol at the end. If this beer followed the nose, I think I'd have an all-time favorite.

T - Starts with heavy roasted malts and black coffee notes, followed up with alcohol, dark chocolate, and finishes with a pine hop punch. Reminds me somewhat of a thin mint for some reason. Must be the chocolate and pine. Pretty good, but surprisingly...not my favorite imperial.

M - A lot of carbonation. Heavy mouth feel. While I typically enjoy less carbonation in my beers, I still found this to be a worthwhile experience. I've heard this beer described as a fine representation of the style, so if nothing else, try this beer for that reason.

O - Enjoyed it. I think I'd absolutely love it on draft, and will look to do so in the near future. For a bottled imperial, I was mildly impressed.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 02:47:48 | More by RWLawman

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Half Acre snifter.

A- pours black with a huge 3" dark tan head. Huge trails, clumps and blotches of lacing all over the glass.

S- chocolate, roast, bitter coffee, anise, and big pine aroma.

T- bitter chocolate, roasted malts, some coffee and bitter pine.

M- full body and medium carbonation. Nice creamy feel with a crisp finish.

O- very good RIS. Probably the best option for a RIS that is easy to find and available even at none beer bars.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 04:12:29 | More by kawilliams81

itlnstallion11

California

4.89/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- I was lucky to first try this beer from a nitro tap. It poured a motor oil black with a thick tan head I could rest a penny on.

S- great smell, barley, milk chocholate, some oatmeal hints, black licorice, some dark fruits, with a nice roast finish

T- ton of Malts, some plum, molasses, chocolate, hints of coffee with a pleasant wood burn bitter ending.

M- full bodied thick milkshake

O- an awesome stout, one of my new favorites. Alcohol is masked well and the taste is not overbearing. The balance of sweetness an bitterness is one of almost perfection, I'm utterly in love with this beer. Get one.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-03-2013 06:53:37 | More by itlnstallion11

mfavoino

Washington

4.26/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Pours a thick, black with a creamy head. Head retains well and provides great lacing on the sides of the glass.

S: Milk chocolate, roasted malts, nutty, and some soy sauce.

T: Sweet chocolate flavor, burnt malts, light coffee. Some subtle dark fruit and alcohol starts to come out as it warms.

M: Creamy, full-bodied stout that still has decent drinkability.

O: I can't believe it took me this long to try this classic. A very good stout that I will come back to.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 03:45:38 | More by mfavoino

RenaudNW

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

About as well balanced a Stout as you are going to find in a widely distributed bottled offering. This has the appearance that a good stout should; very dark but not jet black with just enough opacity to see nucleation bubbles form the sides of the glass. It produces a nice balanced head but I would prefer it to be a little finer in texture (the head that is). The smell is reminiscent of a good working man's Irish stout. The aroma has just the right balance of bitterness and toasted grain. The taste is where Old Rasputin really shines! It is full bodied and flavorful with a clean finish. It is neither too bitter nor in any way weak. As I said, very well balanced. Mouthfeel is good; it's smooth and clean without feeling watery.

This is an EXCELLENT every day drinking Stout! I always have a few in the door to the refrigerator as a nice treat at the end of the day. The 12oz offering also lets me enjoy one without feeling lightheaded due to the high alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 02:13:43 | More by RenaudNW

tylerf19

Texas

4.34/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Basically the staple RIS. Yes there are thicker, more robust RIS, but there are also weaker ones that can kiss rasputins ass. Pours nicely, I got a great creamy-brown head that laced throughout.

smell - Okay it smells good, it smells like a good RIS... more chocolatey than roasty or coffee ground. got a great aroma when I swirled it a bit.

taste - Old rasputin just tastes good. very rich sweet chocolate/roasty malts. a delicious RIS that is not hard to drink at all. If you want to branch in to russian imperials then try this... I believe this is the best starter Russian Imperial for those who have not had many stouts. I noticed no hints of any boozy alcohol...

mouthfeel - Like I said above... it is not the thickest stout and it is definitely not weak and watery. A great balance that people continue to re-visit. Creamy with no alcohol fume.

overall - Try it... if you like RIS then you must try old rasputin. If you want to branch away from hop-bombs and get in to the stout game then you MUST try old rasputin.. it is definitely a staple RIS that you can base other stouts off of. In texas, it is highly available.. try this beer!!

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 20:48:42 | More by tylerf19

boesesfleisch

California

3.93/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This is a very good beer. Looks good in the glass and had a nice creamy head that laced all the way down. I was a little disappointed with the aroma and mouth feel as I found them to be a little weak and thin for the style. Overall I thought this was a good, solid beer that everyone should try, but did not quite live up to the hype in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 07:40:03 | More by boesesfleisch

andrewjraab

Michigan

4.19/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Black velvet, with huge mocha head with good webbing and stick.

S - Chocolate, coffee beans, roasted malts, alcohol.

T - Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, malted milk balls, amazing complexity and many layers to the sweet chocolate. Finishes bittersweet.

O - This is the best Russian Imperial Stout I have ever had. It is amazingly smooth and the drinkability this glass of motor oil is second to none in its class. Perfect for a relaxing winter day.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 22:26:28 | More by andrewjraab

JuliusCaesar

New Hampshire

4.29/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Solid black with a light brown head.

S: Very rich malt aroma and some alcohol.

T: Strong chocolate and roasted malt flavors. The mildly bitter finish is balanced by warming alcohol.

M: Smooth, Creamy and a little heavy but not overly so.

Overall: A great beer with a lot of flavor. Like an alcoholic French roast coffee.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 18:08:05 | More by JuliusCaesar

tviz33

New York

4.51/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle in to a pint glass.

A- Darker than hell with a little less than a finger of light brown head and lots of sticky lacing all the way down the glass.

S- A little subdued, but good. Lots of coffee and roasted malts with some black licorice and vanilla. Maybe a hint of alcohol.

T- Just about perfect. Too complex to name everything that comes out in this beer, but it's everything you'd want. Very balanced, but it still leans toward the bitter side even though there is a very strong malt presence.

M- Thick and silky. This possesses the ideal mouthfeel for me. It's carbonated just right.

O- My favorite RIS I've tried so far. I'm really starting to get in to stouts now and this will be there beer I base all the others off of.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 17:47:50 | More by tviz33

screamking

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into snifter.

Appearance-pours black with a creamy light brown head, 2 finger height on the head tho I did pour it aggressively. 4

Aroma-roasted coffee, hint of vanilla, brown sugar, slight toffee, overall smell is kinda muted. 3.75

Taste-milk chocolate, light coffee, roasted malts, mocha, slightest hint of vanilla and toffee. Taste follows the scent, which is kinda middle of the road for a RIS. 4

Feel-thick & full bodied, some carbonation, coats mouth evenly, bitterness finally sets in. 4.25

Overall-I guess I would have to say I'm underwhelmed by this beer, it has everything a RIS needs but doesn't go beyond the normal. It is available year round and at a very attractive price. However, I don't think I would go out of my way to purchase this again. 4

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 04:36:04 | More by screamking

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.21/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a deep black with one full finger of frothy khaki colored head. The foam takes a bit to settle, and there is a ton of lacing left on the glass as it drinks.

S: The nose is roasted malt, burnt toast, and caramel. Some of the chocolate notes begin to come through as it warms. Smells good.

T: I initially get a smooth sweetness, a touch of spice, and as it progresses a bit, I get some chocolate.

M: Full bodied beer. Sweet, coating, and a solid amount of carbonation (maybe more than I really want).

O: Really nice Imp Stout. This was one of the first beers that got me into the style. I'm glad I went back to try it again. Would drink again/10.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 22:29:20 | More by trxxpaxxs

JGuzzle

Arizona

4.69/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a nitro tap into a tulip glass which I understand is the ultimate way to enjoy this brew.

A - Deep black in color, completely opaque. Beautiful 3/4 inch of foamy caramel colored head sitting on top which persists throughout the consumption (it shrinks but was there to the last sip). Tiny caramel colored nitrogen bubbles persistently rise from the bottom of the glass every time it is picked up and put down. The appearance is truly a spectacle.

S - Roasted malts and hints of cocoa.

T - Some sweet maltiness in the front end. Very faint amount of hops tasted in the finish. The 9% alcohol is masked very well. I get some hints of cocoa as well.

M - Velvety smooth. If you manage to get some of the head on its own it can almost feel like a milkshake. Light carbonation, great full body.

O - This might be one of the greatest beer experiences I've ever had. Certainly the best stout. If you find this on a nitro tap somewhere, do not pass it up.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-15-2013 14:24:58 | More by JGuzzle

mfnmbvp

Illinois

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

12 oz. bottle, no bottled on date present but I am pretty sure the 4 pack I landed is from sometime in 2012 because it had a pretty good layer of dust on it. Stoked to finally be trying this beer. Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours the blackest of black with a very nice looking two and a half finger mocha colored foamy head with excellent retention. Some nice fluffy lacing as the head recedes.

S - Alcohol strikes my sniffer initially followed by some dark fruit / fermented nut smells with some rich dark chocolate in there as well. Roasted coffee beans. Not a terribly complex smell going on, but there is a decent amount of action happening here and it smells wonderful. Some faint hop nugget smell coming through.

T - Smooth velvety chocolate. Faint bourbon booze type taste. Roasted dark coffee bean & pungent hop cone bitterness. Dark fruit / nut taste is very apparent and inviting. Even more inviting is this beer's nice cozy 9.00% abv which is very well masked; a slight hint of the alcohol begins to emerge as the beer warms. A fair level of carbonation present.

M - Again, smooth and creamy texture. Very well-balanced, doesn't sit heavy in the stomach like some overly carbonated stouts tend to do, which is impressive especially for a 9.00% abv. It gives you some room to really taste the flavors. Some roasted coffee bean / hop bitterness hanging out for a little bit with some sweetness in the finish. A wonderful taste, I must say.

Overall, definitely a stout worth trying, one of the better Russian imperial stouts that I have had thus far. Fairly simple, yet still packing enough action to be unique and notable. It is probably the landmark beer for North Coast Brewing, and it is a beer I would surely have again. I would be interested in trying the Old Rasputin XV Anniversary Barrel Aged Stout, or any of this beer's other variations, if I could ever find one. Although, I suppose I am content enough with the regular Old Rasputin for now.

North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 06:40:00 | More by mfnmbvp