Old Rasputin XII - North Coast Brewing Co.

Dope

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Been sitting on this one for a while. I think it's 3 years old at this point? I just reviewed XV a few months ago so I guess so.

A: Nice jet black pour with an interesting two-tone medium brown head. Good sized dense head that fades slowly. Nice solid walls of lacing and excellent head retention.

S: Mild caramel and burnt sugar from the barrel. Lots of sweet chocolate and some char. Nice vanilla too.

T: Caramel and brown sugar up front, melding perfectly with chocolate and a little char. Some anise too, just a little. Sweet milk chocolate in the middle, turning a bit bitter into the finish. Dark, bittersweet chocolate and stronger caramel and toffee and oak here. Light oak and vanilla and toffee too. Nice residual bourbon and barrel taste lingers between sips.

M: Pretty heavy, mellow and smooth. Not as heavy as you'd expect given the age and the ABV though.

O: I've never had this fresh, but I've had the newer versions fresh and this is definitely mellowed and smoother. Not as heavy a mouthfeel though. I don't know if that's from the aging or it just wasn't as thick as the newer batches, even originally. This was quite good but honestly I think I enjoy the fresher versions more. Actually, I just checked and I gave the exact same ratings across the board to a fresh XV a couple months ago. So I guess this beer hasn't changed a whole lot!

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 04:15:39 | More by Dope

cosmicevan

New York

4.49/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

this is one of those bottles that i've just been waiting to call my name and tonight it called. enjoyed from a half acre snifter.

a - decaged and decorked the animal. brew poured a silky black with a thin tan boozy head that was gone quick. great barrel shine.

s - definable bourbon. decadent chocolate magicness.

t - BAM. bourbon bomb...and i love it. thick lush chocolate dipped in booze. a meal in a glass. this is a double dessert.

m - thick and full but silky smooth and easy to drink. great boozy glaze. great carbonation. feels as you'd want a bourbon barrel aged stout to feel.

o - overall, EXTREMELY balanced. 2009 barrel aged stouts are in the zone right now. just delicious. big beer, but superb quality.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 04:09:13 | More by cosmicevan

beertunes

Washington

4.7/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to OKComputer for this one. Poured into chalice. Poured a solid black color with only 1/8 inch of tan head that had quick dissipation and no retention or lacing.

The aroma was bourbon forward, covering up the scent of the beer. A pleasant amount of vanilla and chocolate did show through though. On the tongue though, wow! The beer flavors, malt, a light roast, and a nice grain, had firm footing. The bourbon was much more subdued, and complimented the beer, and didn't overpower it. The chocolate and vanilla tones added nice counter-points. The flavors of this beer were nearly perfect.

The body was flawless, smooth, even. well-rounded, and well balanced. Drinkability was off the charts, I would drink as much of this as I could find. Overall, Wow! A great beer. The only flaws were the nearly complete lack of head and lacing, and the overpowering bourbon scent. Otherwise perfect. A must try if you can.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 20:10:54 | More by beertunes

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a corked and caged bottle into a Victory tulip

A- pours black with a half finger brown head that quickly fades. Disappointing

S- light aroma of bourbon with a little bit of chocolate. Not a powerful smell at all, and very disappointing

T- sweet chocolate, slight bit of heat from the bourbon barrels. Nice blend, not overwhelming

M- medium bodied, not nearly as thick as I'd think

O- eh, overpriced for what it is...I'd rather get two four packs of regular Old Rasputin than grabbing this one for more money

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 20:51:00 | More by bigfnjoe

AaronHomoya

Indiana

4.68/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from a bottle I've been sitting on for about a year. Very dark black color, slick, with minimal head. Impressively stout-y just from looks.

The aroma and flavor of this beer are both quite bourbon influenced. Old Rasputin is one of my favorite RIS's, for its smooth yet very bold roasted flavors and this special bourbon-aged version just takes it up a notch. All the regular goodness with added smoothness, sweet bourbon/vanilla notes and complexity. Mouthfeel is heavy, but not too excessive.

Overall, a fantastic stout. Wish I had another.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 22:48:38 | More by AaronHomoya

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.9/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First got a bottle of this from NewGeneric as an extra in my first ever trade many moons ago. This was one of the first bourbon barrel aged beers I'd ever had, and I found it an eye opening experience. Scored it a 4,85. Many moons later I thought I'd revisit and re-review this one and see where things have gone. This bottle came from Masterski.

From a 500ml corked and caged bottle into a snifter
Drunk along side the base beer and after a XII. Compaisons drawn.

APPEARANCE: Clear brown pour yields a one finger, thicker looking, tan head with great retention. Dark brown body, almost black, with higher levels of carbonation. A nice full wisp remains until the end and leaves lots of splotchy lacing down the glass. Like the base beer, the head is nice, but the body is a little thin. Same as the XII, but the head wasn't quite as creamy.

SMELL: Lots of barrel on this one. Bourbon, oak, vanilla and milk chocolate on the nose, with hints of dark chocolate showing through. Pretty much all barrel with very little base beer in support. Very bold, but not quite as balanced as hoped. Same as XII.

TASTE: Much like the nose, the barrel shows up strong with bourbon, oak and vanilla, then touches of roasted malts in the mid-pallate. Bold and persistent aftertaste after the swallow, with lots of barrel and alcohol, some milk chocolate, cocoa powder, and just a touch of dark chocoalte. Very barrel heavy barrel heavy and quite boozy, though not quite as bold as the XII at this point.

PALATE: Medium body and slightly higher levels of carbonation. A touch lighter than the base beer, but still very creamy smooth, goes down nice and finishes slightly mouth-coating. A bit of a scratch and burn lingers on the palate. Same as the XII.

OVERALL: This is simply the XII with two years on it. Not quite sure why all these anniversary Old Rasputin's all get a seperate listing. Just like any other yearly release. At this point, the newer vintages are bolder in flavor, though the beer is aging very nicely for sure. In retrospect, when I first tried this beer many moons ago, I was definitely green. This is a great beer and one I'd glagly re-visit time and time again, but it's not the earth shattering experience it once was. Cheers guys!

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 14:41:53 | More by Jeffo

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.4/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A friend shared this with me when it was fresh and I thought it was a bit hot and sat on the bottle I bought.
Pours a solid black with a smallish tan head that shows great retention and a moderate amount of lace. I get a solid hit of bourbon as soon as I pop the cork on this one. Vanilla, chocolate, caramel, molasses, and roast make up the aromas wafting upon my nose. The flavor is much more integrated than I remember from the past. Caramel, toffee, molasses join chocolate and roast for a quick pop up front. Bourbon and vanilla come in midway before being dissolved by a still pretty present harsh alcohol heat. Long lingering alcohol burn mixed with a bit of coffee and ash at the end of every sip. Medium body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet roasty ashy mouthfeel. Time did help this brew out by integrating the flavors a bit better, but man that alcohol is still quite harsh after 3 years. It's almost like someone poured a little bit of cheap vodka in every bottle. I love most of the stuff from North Coast, but I can't see myself ever paying the kind of money they asked for this beer. If it were a better beer...

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 23:56:32 | More by johnnnniee

Sm00thHoperator

California

4.78/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Lots of oak and vanilla! The appearance is almost pitch black. There is coffee and chocolate. I picked up whiskey barrels rather than bourbon barrels. It kind of reminds me of lost abbey's Angel Share only with carbonation. I think Angel Share was sweeter than this but this is a fantastic barrel aged russian imperial stout!

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 09:20:45 | More by Sm00thHoperator

claspada

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pitch black with a medium size head of light tan capping it off. Slow faded, leaving sublime tan sticky lacing.

Aromas begin with rich bourbon and multiple kinds of chocolate. Nice vanilla notes emerge more as it warms with a darker chocolate smell also becoming more dominant.

The tastes begin with roasted malts and dark chocolate. There is a slight bourbon present in the initial finish but it is not boozy or off-putting by any means. As it warms a tad you get more of the bourbon flavors. There are some notes of molasses, leather and a little tobacco-like flavor coming through very nicely in the finish and then a long drawn out oaked vanilla and dark chocolate flavor to seal the deal. A smooth, wonderful sipper indeed.

The mouthfeel is surprisingly medium bodied with medium carbonation; a bit light for the style, but more to my preference of not being too syrupy on the palate. Not cloying or flat or syrupy at all. This finishes quite "light" for a Russian Imperial Stout but obviously far from it, if that makes any sense.

Overall this is one of the better examples of a Bourbon barrel-aged RIS I have had recently. Flavors are all balanced and well integrated. The bourbon doesn't dominate or make this beer seem like bourbon with stout added, as some do. Really good and definitely recommended. Probably not the easiest to find at this point, but give it a go.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 15:29:02 | More by claspada

MarkFy

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into snifter.

A: Dark brown with very thin brown head around the rim.

S: Huge bourbon, chocolate, dark fruits and licorice right as I opened the bottle. Mellowed as I poured into the glass with chocolate dominating.

T: Light bourbon and chocolate flavors meld well together with some slight toasted oak notes toward the end. Nice balance, not too sweet but almost a little flat, no heat from the alcohol whatsoever, not necessarily a bad thing, but I like a bolder punch in my BBS as opposed to flat.

M: Still flat. Little carbonation and kind of thin. Not my favorite.

O: Wish I had opened this sooner, but still good. If you have a bottle, PLEASE do like others have said and just open it now. IMHO, I don't see this improving anymore, only going downhill. I had the XI a few years back that I enjoyed, have 14 that I won't sit on much longer to compare. Still can't go wrong with a great beer like this when the base is a solid brew like Old Raspy.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 02:32:30 | More by MarkFy

Auracom

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Dan, thanks Brosef Lieberman. 22 oz. bottle poured into a Jester King snifter on April 21st, 2012.

A - Standard semi-black coloring with a whisp of a two-finger, very tightly-bubbles khaki head. Parabola with a little more zing.

S - A "holy $*%!" level of milk chocolate. Underneath, roasted almonds, dark cocoa, and a heavily-charred, dense, wet woody character. Not much bourbon aroma.

T - Chocolate is still very prominent. Barrel astringency, more heavy roast and ash, and brown sugar. Light espresso bitterness in the rear and a dark chocolate aftertaste.

M - A bit velvety, moderate carbonation. Medium body. Semi dry finish.

D - Not bad, for whatever reason I kept thinking of Parabola as my reference here and this reminds me of a less complex version of that.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 16:53:32 | More by Auracom

scottfrie

California

4.18/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle into Block 15 snifter.

A: Pours black with a thin dark brown head that faded into a faint scum and collar leaving a few streaks of wispy lace.
S: Sweet bourbon comes through very nicely along with notes of vanilla, marshmallows, and a tiny bit of chocolate.
T: Bourbon is still the dominate feature of this beer despite its age. Vanilla and a hint of caramel are the next noticeable features, with more spicy bourbon and a bit of cocoa bringing up the finish. The aftertaste is roasted and similar to regular Old Raspy.
M: Mouthfeel is on the thin side due to very low, fine, carbonation. A bit watery overall, but the body is pretty thick and saves the beer and makes it smooth. The alcohol is not as hot as it used to be, and in fact most of the alcohol burn has mellowed away.
O: Definitely a bourbon lovers stout. I remember having this a while back and thinking it was too hot, but it’s drinking very well right now.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 04:15:03 | More by scottfrie

coachdonovan

Rhode Island

4.48/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Giddy to finally be cracking this open. Early reviews said it came out pretty hot, so I'm hoping over 2.5 years in the cellar have helped it along. I'm starting from pretty close to cellar temp as I want to see how the flavors change as it warms.

I got a little nervous feeling some pressure from the other side of the cork, but just a tiny pop means I am gusher-free. Poured into a tulip, there is not a hint of light or red (or any other color) along the edges. This is as black as they come. Thick head almost looks like two inches of chocolate milkshake atop the beer.

The sniff I stole from the cork made me even more excited, and the aroma delivers. Complex, obviously, with lots of chocolate, coffee, molasses, sweet bourbon, vanilla. The nostrils sting a bit from the alcohol but it's not overbearing.

Holy balls. First flavors are rich vanilla and the slightly buttery oak. That chocolate sweetness comes next, but then the whiskey wipes all that out. There is a tiny burn in the finish but oh it feels so good. (As expected, the burn gets a bit more intense as the beer warms up.) Carbonation is spot on. It does feel a bit thinner than I'd like for the style, but that's the only thing remotely wrong with it.

This is not hyperbole or an exaggeration when I say this beer is so good that I forgot everything else I was doing: my dinner is now cold. If you still have one of the 09s, I see no reason to wait any longer.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 00:14:25 | More by coachdonovan

MADhombrewer

Oregon

4.83/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is my 200th review. Cork & Caged 500ml bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada balloon tulip.

Appearance- Midnight black with a one finger tan head. Lacing doesn't stick around very long. 4.5/5

Smell- Boozy dark chocolate and coffee. 4.5/5

Taste- Smooth dark chocolate. Holy crap this is good. Boozy coffee. Kind of like coffee with Baileys in it. A lot of Baileys. Bits of vanilla as well. Some tobacco and leather as it warms. 5/5

Mouthfeel- Creamy and full. Coats your mouth but not so thick that it sticks everywhere. Goes down nice and smooth 4.5/5

Overall- Damn this is good. Part of me is upset that I opened it. I don't want it to be gone. I will savor each sip, though. It is almost perfectly melded together. This would be too boozy fresh and too sweet in another year or so. If you have one, drink it now! 5/5

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 03:46:23 | More by MADhombrewer

tewaris

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Looks dead. Woody and bourbony aroma, with wood spoiling the mood. Disappointing aroma. The taste is quite acidic, with bourbon, oak and vanilla; and slight roast in the finish.

Body is rather thin and therefore the beer seems overcarbonated even though there was no head whatsoever. Certainly not worth the 25 dollars a pint price it sells (or sold) for.

3, 2, 4, 3, 3

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 18:16:26 | More by tewaris

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Acquired through purchase at a local beverage shop in Dallas, TX. What a find! Poured into a snifter glass. Pours opaque oil black with a medium brown head that slowly recedes to a thin, nice even layer of lacing that lasts well throughout. The nose is super dark and toasted with a ton of dark chocolate, milk chocolate syrup, molasses, coffee, and toasted, lightly nutty, bourbon oak. The flavor is mild dark chocolate with underlying coffee, roasted oak, vanilla, and bourbon. The body is full and creamy with light carbonation and a nice chocolate, roasted coffee, and oaky vanilla bourbon finish. My only regret was sharing this bottle with someone else!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 16:58:30 | More by CuriousMonk

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

4.6/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: Corked and caged two year old bottle that has been stored in my cellar. Poured into a Cigar City tulip glass and enjoyed chilled.

Appearance: Black, dark brown in color. A slight, beige head that recedes into a thin lacing.

Aroma: Bourbon, oak, caramel and chocolate. Very barrel forward despite the age of the bottle. A good amount of heat from the bourbon and booze. Any hop and espresso notes are now almost gone.

Taste: Bourbon, dark chocolate, and caramel. Good balance of sweet and bitter. A bit of light coffee and molasses. Really nice barrel notes and good balance.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, not overly full for the style. Light, smooth carbonation.

Overall, a really nicely aged, barrel forward stout. Bourbon and cocoa notes weave together nicely and create a nice profile. This is drinking fantastically now.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 02:27:17 | More by Gosox8787

BeardedRiker

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I bought this back when I worked up at La Bodega in Anchorage, AK. If you want to go to a beer store with a damn good variety and overly knowledgeable staff then go there. I believe this was $18 a bottle. That didn't stop two guys from coming in and buying four cases and paying IN CASH. Crazy guys... Anyway, so I had this baby aging for over two years until I drank it on Christmas day (2011). I love Old Rasputin, as I'm sure everyone does, and I was very interested in knowing how it would taste, being bourbon barrel-aged and not being opened for over 730 days. Also, the last aged stout I had was a year old Abyss that rocked my socks off, so I was very much excited to see how Old Rasputin would change after aging.

The stout pours out almost jet black (Does anyone know what that actually means?) but when held up to the light you can see a slight amount of dark browness on the edges of the glass. It looks like pouring out oil almost. Unlike the regular Razzy, this 2+ year old didn't form a large head, nor take a long time to form it. The head did look good, though, it being mocha-colored and extra creamy.

Wow, it smells great. The bourbon barrel aging comes out a lot. It smells very much like bourbon with lots of booziness, almost like wine. Mmm...the oak is strong too, giving it some spiciness. Roastiness comes from cocoa and coffee, and sweetness comes from a burnt molasses and brown sugar smell. Dark fruits like figs, which I have to say I had some recently and I love them, raisins, and plum. The XII has a strong smell and it leaves no doubt that it's bourbon barrel-aged.

The taste is very much like the smell. Strong bourbon booze is up front that warms you up, but the alcohol, even with it being 11.2%, doesn't overpower. There's some bitterness from hops but it's not nearly as hoppy as a regular Old Rasputin. Chocolate and coffee roastiness gives it more body and those flavors definitely linger long after drinking it.

The two years of aging I gave this made it exceptionally smooth. It's also very creamy but there's enough carbonation to not make it feel flat at all. Again, I think the aging changed it a lot because it doesn't have as heavy of a body as I expect a Razzy to have, though that's not necessarily a negative. It's not watery at all. It's just so damn drinkable for a beer with that much flavor and high ABV.

Although I very much enjoyed the XII, I don't know if I liked it as much as the regular Old Rasputin, although I haven't had one of those in months. It has great flavors and is a delight to drink, because it's so damn smooth and drinkable, but it lost a lot of the hoppiness and in-your-face flavors that I expect and want from an RIS. Don't get me wrong, though. This beer was damn good. If I ever got this anniversary beer again I'd try aging it just a year to see if that would better balance what I want from a regular Old Rasputin (robust, intensely flavorful, hoppy, and heavy) and what I want from aging (smoother, more complex flavors).

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 07:18:55 | More by BeardedRiker

FosterJM

California

4.33/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1020th Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
500 ML C/C

Thanks to Hoppyheaven for having one for me this year!!

App- A crimson/dark chocolate pour with very little no light running through this one. A nice dark brown one finger head fell rather quickly but left a couple whispy lines of cling behind and a soft edge of bubbles.

Smell- A whispy phenolic booze note at first and then the burn of the bourbon comes in. As it warms, the oak and char comes in with some roast and some milk chocolate. Had this a few years ago and remember more vanilla but this smells quite nice.

Taste- A really well done and layered bourbon barrel stout. This was one of the first barrel treated beers I ever had. This is a bit creamy with a bit of booze behind it. The bourbon comes next and a little bit of a grainular coffee, espresso, chocolate not fills out the flavors.

Mouth- A good bit of a low to medium body with a prickly medium carbonation. A bit more booze is on the residual flavor combination of the roast and oak with just a pinch of chocolate on the lasting flavors.

Drink- Like I said above, one of my 1st BBA Stouts and I had to come back to it while sitting at home with a 3 month pregnant wife and a 5 year old daughter now. I am very glad I found another bottle from HoppyHeaven. A well layered beer with some great depth. I would love to have one more XII, but I now have a XIV to open in May for my 30th. Until then!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 04:55:01 | More by FosterJM

otto251068

Tennessee

4.53/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 1 pt 0.9 fl oz bottle into a Westvleteren chalice.

Appearance: Oily black. One of the few beers that I can remember that is actually black. No dark brown highlights around the edges, just black. Two fingers worth of chocolate milk colored head appears, then fades to a very thin layer which lasts throughout the drink. The head is made up of very tightly packed small bubbles.

Smell: Heavy on the toasted malts. Very rich. A little bit of molasses and then some lactic sweetness. Finishes with a huge hit of bourbon, which really comes out as it warms. I enjoyed the aroma out of the fridge, loved the aroma after it warmed to room temperature.

Taste: Lightly toasted malts, and then more malts, and then more malts. Very rich and delicious. A touch of bittersweet chocolate with some alcohol burn leads to a touch of bitterness at the end of the swallow. It says bourbon barrel aged on the label, but the bourbon is only a very nice compliment, not overpowering.

Mouthfeel: Rich, smooth, and creamy. Big body with light carbonation. This is a thick one, it almost coats your mouth while drinking. Viscous, not chewy, excellent consistancy

Overall: For being extremely rich, creamy, bourbon barrel aged, and a high alcohol level, this beer is almost too easy to drink. Flavors are great, carbonation is great, one of the best looking beers I have seen in a while. Overall, one world class beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 03:01:44 | More by otto251068

boralyl

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev -3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a creamy tan head with nice retention. Gobs of creaminess stick to the side of the glass as the head falls. The beer is an dark opaque blackness.

S - Upon the first whiff the whiskey aroma fills the nose. After the initial waft vanilla and oak notes are apparent. In the background soft chocolate and coffee aromas struggle to the forefront.

M - Smooth and creamy and full in body. Low-medium carbonation.

T - The whiskey flavor is strong in this one and carries on throughout the taste. The vanilla and oak from the aroma make an appearance, although the chocolate and coffee flavors are mostly lost to the whiskey. Very soft chocolate notes show up near the finish, but that's about it.

Even with a couple years of age on this beer, it still has a strong whiskey flavor. If you are a fan of spirited-forward beers, this one is for you. I enjoyed it, but wished the whiskey would side step and allow more of the chocolate and coffee flavors to showcase themselves.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 04:51:07 | More by boralyl

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

After 2 1/2 years in the bottle this beer is still drinking very well. Pours black with very little head at this point, but still nicely carbonated (which is more than I can say for the 2 year old Bourbon aged Santa's little helper I opened before it). Definitely a nice viscosity in the pour. Still nice bourbon notes in the aroma, with some vanilla, caramel, licorice, and bitter chocolate. Similar tastes, with quite a nice big bourbon finish. Relatively dry. It's definitely very integrated, but still very bourbony. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 01:41:26 | More by Georgiabeer

NorCalYeti

California

4.03/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

taste- toast, biscuits, alcohol, bittersweet chocolate, roasted malt

color- deep brown/black

clarity- pours oily and clear but is opaque in the glass

smell- lots of chocolate and bourbon, sweet dark chocolate at the end of the nose, alcohol

body- medium body and length finish. lots of compact hop bite on the sides of the tongue, dries the palate and draws your tongue to the top of your mouth

appearance- coffee drink, dirty cocoa-colored head, nice lace, mild active carbonation in the glass

overall impression- good beer, still drinking nice but probably wouldn't put too much more time on it unless you like less than exciting feedback

notes and comments- can feel the heat from the alcohol in the first taste...hop bite at the front of the mouth

beer spy- north coast brewing company, fort bragg ca, 2011, 500mL

glassware: tulip

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 05:41:10 | More by NorCalYeti

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.35/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rasputin XII, poured into a tasting glass.

A: Black opaque body; decent, darker tan head that I can work up with a vigorous swirl. Pretty good lace and retention for a barrel-aged beer.

S: Prominent vanilla, toasted coconut, oak & other woody phenols, earth, chocolate, booze, higher astringency (soy character), light coffee bitterness. Definitely bourbon-y.

T: Good chocolate notes to accompany all of the nice bourbon cask notes. Vanilla, oak, and light alcohol heat (pleasant, though) here as well, with some earthy bitterness and charred wood.

MF: Significant body, but cut by the alcohol. Creamy and smooth.

O: Surprised at how much the bourbon comes through after more than two years. Its a sipper but quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 16:07:34 | More by Scotchboy

Naugros

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this as my dessert beer for Thanksgiving and I'm working off the notes taken while eating the apple pie that this beer completely overwhelmed. I expected that though.

After removing the basket and pulling the cork, I grabbed my Old Rasputin imperial stout glass and poured the near-black fluid and was rewarded a thick, dense head that had very nice retention. Hard to get better than this.

It smelled more of bourbon than of beer, which goes against how I feel bourbon barrel aging should be utilized. It should work in balance, blending with the other, more typical, imp stout flavors. Those typical flavors are here in the smell and the taste (cocoa, roast, coffee), but hidden. The coffee is stronger in the taste and as the beer warms the booziness eases a little, allowing more of those flavors to come forward. But before you get to that point it's almost as if they poured bourbon straight into the beer rather than letting the flavors leech in from the wood.

This is one thick and flavorful stout. If and when they do it again, they should strive to tone down the bourbon. If they do that I'd be a major fan. Despite my rant on the bourbon level in this, I still really enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 01:40:28 | More by Naugros