Old Rasputin XV Anniversary Barrel Aged Stout - North Coast Brewing Co.

schwemjw

Ohio

4.85/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A: Tan head on a black, black beer.

S: Vanilla, rye, bourbon, coffee, espresso and a touch of chocolate. Deeply charred oak on the end. This is complex smelling and wonderful. everything combines so perfectly. I need to drink this now!

T: Chocolate up front. Bourbon. a smokey, spicy rye. vanilla. licorice. espresso and coffee bean. Wonderfully rounded oak. Very roast and a huge hit of booze! AWESOME!

M: Smooth. long bourbon finish that stays with you. medium bodied and creamy.

O: Fantastic. Lives up to all the hype. smooth with killer flavors. I'm about to go pick me up another. Phenomenal. /96

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 20:46:38 | More by schwemjw

beefmental

Iowa

4.59/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: thin dissipating head, jet black, opaque

Smell: oak, light fruit, bourbon, dark fruits, cocoa, dark chocolate, light coffee, roasted malts

Taste: chocolate, bourbon, oak, cherry, plum, vanilla, light hops

Mouth feel: medium high carbonation - livelier than I expected, This is not a thick beer at all - actually it's a bit thinner than I expected. Subtle warming as it goes down, but the 11.9% ABV is scary - this doesn't seem like it's that big of a beer.

Over all: Regular Old Rasputin is a classic easy-to-find RIS; this version takes that great base stout and accents with masterful barrel aging. This bottle was a bit pricey but worth the money. I savored each sip.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 17:47:46 | More by beefmental

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.58/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Review #700
500ml bottle , corked and caged, poured into a snifter.

A - Pitch black body with a tight knit head. A razor thin cap of bubbles is present throughout the entire drink.

S - Oceans of chocolate, sweet bourbon, toasted graham crackers, sharp whiskey, milk chocolate liqueur candy, roasted coffee beans, vanilla, honey(which seems odd)

T - Wow. Sweet dark malts, layered with earthy, milk, and dark chocolate, charred wood, rich vanilla, cherries, spiciness comes out mid-palate, espresso, licorice, creamy amaretto, berry and dark fruits, grape flavor without the tartness, sweet creamy espresso seems to catch up with the dense chocolate after it warms. Finishes semi-dry and a tad spicy with some buttery booziness

M - Full body, wet and viscous with micro bubble carbonation, creamy feel, semi-dry finish.

This one lives up to my expectations. There's complex flavor combinations in here that my palate has never tasted. Deep comes to my mind on every sip. The savory balances the sweetness very well. As usual this thing transforms flavors immensely from cold to hot. Chocolate and cream dominate the cold with espresso and buttery whiskey drying out when warmed up.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 23:41:47 | More by StaveHooks

bnes09

Illinois

5/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dense-looking, jet black ale with towering caramel colored head. Outstanding retention for its strength. Coats the glass in what appears to be snow-topped mountains of creamy lacing.

Rich, sweet aroma of dark fruit, maple, toffee and milk chocolate. Soothing oak and bourbon character. Seems like I'm smelling this beer right from the barrel. As it warms, it imparts hints of scotch into my nostrils. Incredible!

Malt character suggests toasted wheat bread. Prune and maple sweetness kick in. Subtle hints of molasses, toffee and licorice add some depth. Just a touch of espresso. Mild, earthy hop character lies in the background and seems to compliment the sweet, malty qualities. Oak and bourbon flavors seem to round out the experience as well as bring all the flavors together and harmonize them. Has the most incredibly smooth finish I have yet to enjoy in any other beer. Toasted wheat, espresso and oak flavors linger in the finish.

Full bodied without being overly thick. Rich and sweet without a syrupy or sticky feel. High alcohol content yet well carbonated. Silky smooth throughout. The only dryness in the feel comes from the alcohol itself.

Truly an incredible masterpiece in brewing and barrel-aging. Northcoast seemed to capture the essence of each ingredient and bring them together in the most perfect balance. Well worth the $20 I paid for it. If you are a stout or barrel-aged beer fan, you must give this one a try!

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 02:24:20 | More by bnes09

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.11/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Nice Blacker than black color gave way to a mass of carbonation bubbles along the edge of the snifter. Relatively thick head it was tan and laced minimally.

The scent is mostly coconut with traces of vanilla and oak. Very pronounced in aroma it is not liberally diverse.

The taste follows the nose with huge coconut flavor and a touch of vanilla. Not a lot of barrel taste it follows through a little watery.

Overall it's good but perhaps disappointing when I think I like the stock Rasputin better.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2013 22:08:07 | More by KYGunner

SHODriver

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours black into a DFH snifter with a dense 1/4 inch tan head that retains very well
S: smells of vanilla, oak, caramel, coffee, chocolate, some charred wood and roasted malt
T: tastes of caramel, vanilla, a little boozy, coffee and chocolate, swallow is big and lingering chocolate, coffee, roast malt, charred wood, and some oak
M: thick and creamy on the palate with slightly prickly carbonation slightly dry finish
O: very good, but very pricy. After a year they drink very well. last year's version was a bit better. great complexity and flavor as well

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 03:54:44 | More by SHODriver

thegodfather1076

Ohio

4.73/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: Very classy simple label with the Old Rasputin logo, brewery info, web info, ABV info. Neck label has North Coast logo and Old Rasputin motto “Never Say Die”. Corked bottle with a North Coast logo cage.

Appearance: I allowed this to warm for 15min before pouring this from its 22oz bomber into a 16oz snifter. XV pours out a thick jet black with a slight amber hue when held up to the light. An aggressive pour led to a 2½ finger brown airy foam head. Head retention was excellent at 4min 56sec before fading to a thick frothy head. Excellent lacing.

Smell/Aroma: Smell of deep chocolate along with a slight roast coffee aroma. Hints of cherry and dark fruits along with vanilla Sweet bourbon alcohol hints along with a slight charred oak backbone.

Flavor/Taste: Taste is very rich with a heavy chocolate flavor accompanied by a nice vanilla/caramel/bourbon accent. This gives way to a dark coffee espresso flavor. Cherry and a smokey oak followed immediately by a figgy dark fruit essence. Has a smokey roast backbone.

MouthFeel/Drinkability: On the heavier side of medium bodied with a thick creamy smooth mouthfeel. Medium carbonation. Very drinkable for a such a high ABV.

Overall/Comments: This was phenomenal. Very complex in the nose and on the palette with little to no alcohol detectable on either. A must try! Consumed 3/23/13. Classified as a Russian Imperial Stout at 11.9% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 14:27:34 | More by thegodfather1076

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.49/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 500 mL bottle into a teku glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep abyss brown/black and leaves a solid finger of tan head which lingers for a surprisingly long time until it falls flat, except for a thin, brown layer on the surface of the beer as well as lacing around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Bourbon, raisins, dark chocolate, light coffee. The bourbon really stands out in this one, in a good way - it screams to be tasted. Delicious aroma with all the staples of a barrel aged stout.

Taste: Bourbon is definitely front and center in this one, followed by chocolate, raisins and figs, coffee, and actually finishes rather subtly. For how pronounced the bourbon is, the ABV is amazingly well hidden and this beer is surprisingly smooth and delicious. Not overly sweet, but well balanced.

Mouth-feel: Surprisingly well-carbonated, medium bodied and creamy. Extremely smooth going down, along with a smooth finish.

Overall: This was a very interesting and impressive beer. The high level of carbonation really made it interesting - thinning out the body a bit and really smoothing it out. The flavors blend together nicely, revolving around the bourbon, to make this a really tasty stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:53:11 | More by Resuin

RickS95

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 500 mL bottle

My kind of beer. It's an 8 ball in a glass. Complete darkness, no lighter shades of brown, simply a black hole. The head is brown, but only a finger thick, though it retains well and produces pretty good lace.

Just from the smell I know it's going to hurt. Bits of chocolate, and then bourbon dominates.

The taste doesn't follow the smell in that the bourbon is subtle. Roasted malt and chocolate fill the taste buds, with bourbon a minor player.

You can't get away from the strength of this beer, but it's relatively mild and fairly easy to drink. A bit of sweetness, some smoke, a tad of bitter and then some heat from the alcohol. All work well together.

I'm happy I got this beer. Despite the strength, I'm left wishing it was a 22-ounce bomber bottle. Easy to drink, good stuff, great beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 02:06:55 | More by RickS95

Infamous7100

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: pours a deep brown to black with a two finger tan head into my pint glass.
S: all kinds of bittersweet chocolate, vanilla and booze. Some roastiness and wood is there as well.
T: follows the nose impeccably. However, the dark chocolate and roasted malts are magnified. The booze really comes through at the back.
M: not as thick as I thought. Creamy but viscous. Excellent aftertaste.
O: this is one fantastic brew. Complex, smooth and so tasty. At 11%, you can taste the booze but its not overwhelming. Well worth the price.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 23:24:28 | More by Infamous7100

barczar

Kentucky

4.21/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from old notes.

Pours an opaque onyx with minimal medium brown head.

Aroma is very chocolate and bourbon dominant, with light roast and more toasty and nutty character than expected. Dark fruit in the form of raisins and dates adds complexity.

Toffee, bourbon, raisins, and oak dominate the flavor profile, along with roasty, chocolatey malt. Vanilla surfaces late. There's a hint of medicinal phenols.

Body is smooth and thick, with minimal carbonation and a little heat.

Great brew, but I think it will be even better in a couple years.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2013 00:00:10 | More by barczar

fox227

California

4.65/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Imperial Stout in a Bourbon Barrel. I think that most veteran beer geeks know where this goes. Let's get right to the flavor profiles! The whiskey notes are the first to notice, but during warming I get chocolate, coffee, and vanilla, and all this goes for the nose as well. Considering the entire profile of the beer, I would have to say that the balance is really well configured, in that no aspect was overwhelming. 22$ plus is hard to justify for a single bottle, but I'm glad I had! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 04:26:26 | More by fox227

Auraan

Arizona

5/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured a rich black, entirely opaque, no light coming through with a slight ring of off white head. Scents of chocolate, roast malt, black coffee and some hints of alcohol and oak. Flavor was rich dark chocolate, chocolate, black coffee, roast malt and slight hints of oak and bourbon all blended wonderfully together. Mouthfeel was thick and heavy bodied, but smooth with medium carbonation. Quite easy to drink and it hid the alcohol content well. An excellent Russian Imperial Stout, easily the best I have tasted, no other has come close.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 08:54:33 | More by Auraan

Buster

Oklahoma

4.83/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Nose: The aroma on this beer is heavenly. It's dominated by bourbon and oak, with an abundance of dark chocolate, roasted malt, vanilla, and sweet caramel notes. There is also a hint of booze and some coffee. There is a lot going on, but the aromas blend together perfectly.

Taste: The taste lived up to the aroma (and the hype). It's complex, but balanced, and unimaginably delicious. Much like the smell, I got flavors of roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon and oak, vanilla, caramel, and even some dark fruits. Basically, it's everything that's wonderful about Old Rasputin, but greatly enhanced by the bourbon and oak. Unexpectedly, the booze was well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Medium, and not as thick as I had thought it would be. It left an amazing aftertaste and lingering warmth on the tongue.

Overall: It's one of the best beers I've ever had. Sure it's pricey as hell, but it's well worth it for a special occasion. I plan on putting my other bottle down to age for a while. I'm sure it will only get better.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 14:38:02 | More by Buster

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

16oz Growler, XV Anniversary. Served at around 55F

Pours black with a small one finger brown head that quickly dissipates and leaves short lived spots of lacing behind.

Aroma is bourbon, vanilla, coconut, good bit of oak, some dark fruits of plums and figs, roasted malts, lighter notes of molasses, chocolate and coffee, caramel, sinus-clearing alcohol. Good to very good strength.

Flavor is bourbon, dark fruits, dates, figs, plums, raisins, roasted malts, some coffee & molasses, hints of chocolate and caramel, vanilla, oak, fairly sweet, mild bitterness, decent alcohol bite on the finish.

Mouthfeel is medium-plus bodied, quite sticky, moderate carbonation.

While I have a bottle of XIV sitting in the cellar (but not for much longer), this is my first time trying a barrel-aged Rasputin and it is very good, really nice barrel-aged Stout. However, the price is pretty ridiculous, even with the growler fill being comparatively cheaper than what you pay for the bottles. Very good, but not to the levels of the likes of KBS, Parabola, Abyss, etc...

Serving type: growler

04-04-2013 05:07:24 | More by elgiacomo

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.7/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Served from a corked and caged bottle into a Redhook Limited Release tulip.

Appearance- Pitch black with two finger mocha head that left pretty quickly. Fine lacing.

Smell- Caramel bourbon bomb. Some chocolate, heavy roasty malts, mild vanilla. Bourbon dominates the smell.

Taste- Wow. Caramel, vanilla, bourbon oak, mild chocolate. Smooth. Clean. Not too hot. Bitter finish. Pretty incredible.

Mouthfeel- Considerably lighter than I had guessed. Moderate carbonation. Smooth and mildly boozy. Wouldn't guess it's 12%.

Overall- Pretty fine stout. Heavy on bourbon, but not aggressive. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 01:52:59 | More by Seanniek91

raynmoon

California

3.98/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours jet black with a mocha colored had this is extremely fluffy and is not dissipating with ease at all. I was expecting there to be little such a high alcohol content.

Smells super fruity, boozy and cocoa like. I pick up a tequila character with the fruit and bitter hop taking on a salty-like character. Really complex. I like it.

Right away I get a tequila taste, then to bitter cocoa and goes down with a light dark fruit presence from the barrel. Lots of hard liquor flavor. It seems like a rum with the body of a stout. Some warmth from the alcohol, but it is nicely hidden. As it warms I get a little more beer quality, but not enough.

I was expecting more cocoa/ sweetness and malt body. It feels a little thin in flavor with the liquor presence being a little heavy.

Scotch and Bourbon drinkers will love this. Overall, enoyable, but needs a little more depth to make it something really worth seeking out. Parabola takes this one down easily, unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 03:15:24 | More by raynmoon

beertunes

Washington

4.64/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Served in tulip. Poured a solid black, no translucence, with about an inch of tan head that had excellent retention and lacing.

The great scent of the base beer showed though solidly, with the bourbon and wood notes complimenting it very nicely indeed. The flavors, while not as bold as I had expected, were excellent. The fact that the bourbon wasn't too boozy, or the wood to notable, showed an great hand at balancing out the flavors. There was a bit of a licorice taste at the back, and just the slightest bit of alcohol burn.

The body was magnificent, full, smooth and even, with a somewhat surprisingly dry finish. Drinkability was, of course, superb. Overall, this is an absolutely fantastic beer and a must try by anyone's standards.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2013 02:29:38 | More by beertunes

AgentMunky

California

3.9/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a half-litre bottle into a brandy snifter.

A: Black, hardly surprisingly. Two fingers of brown/tan head. Heavy lacing, very impressive.

S: Big, boozy, and bourbony.

T/M: Ever-so-slightly disappointing. The mouthfeel is thinnish and weak, not nearly as smooth as I remember the XIV. The flavors are light, but are chocolate, smooth molasses, and light bourbon.

O: I enjoyed it, but last year's was much better. This was a lackluster imitation, but maybe it's just not old enough?

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 06:17:08 | More by AgentMunky

UCLABrewN84

California

4.05/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to BigTuro for sharing this one during the Churchill's weekend festivities.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, bourbon, and wood. Taste is much the same with a chocolate chip cookie dough flavor and an alcohol kick on the finish. There is a mild amount of woody bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is pretty hot at the moment and can use some time to mellow out.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 01:57:53 | More by UCLABrewN84

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

500 ml corked and caged bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with almost an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. This is a very good smelling brew, it smells like bourbon, vanilla, roasted malt, dark fruit, and bittersweet chocolate. It's a pretty good tasting brew too, it tastes like bourbon, vanilla, oak, roasted/charred malt, bittersweet chocolate, dark fruit, and a bit of anise and molasses. There's a good mix between the sweet and bitter roasty flavors. The mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick and has moderate carbonation. Like the other versions I've seen in the past, this was $19.99 a bottle. But I like this beer a lot, so I keep buying the new version each year when I can find it.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:27:24 | More by bluejacket74

BigBarley

Texas

4.64/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A - Poured jet black, thick as oil with a finger of light brown head that quickly receded to a cap of foam. Very active carbonation.

S - Bourbon up front with oaky notes, dark malts, sweet cocoa, heavy vanilla, coffee and alcohol. All of the aromas of a standard RIS blown up and wrapped in bourbon. Smells amazing.

T - Sweet chocolate and whisky up front, mild vanilla, extreme roasted notes. Alcohol is prominent as a flavor but wrapped in smokey wood and bourbon. Extreme stout flavor profile with plenty of barrel qualities.

M - Thick, but not necessarily creamy. Has quite a bit of carbonation underneath it.

O - Extremely satisfying beer. Unfortunately priced, but undeniably a delicious and filling barrel aged version of an already standout stout

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 09:12:01 | More by BigBarley

RoninTK3

Rhode Island

4.88/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from 500ml bottle into Chimay Trappist glass. Thanks warrenout330!

A - This is a beautiful looking beer just like the classy bottle it comes in. Almost jet black with a finger of mocha head that dissipates quickly into lacing.

S - Bourbon dominates this one with hints of vanilla and chocolate. Very nice.

T - Sweet with lots of vanilla and bourbon. Hints of chocolate and dark malt. The nearly 12% ABV is covered up extremely well. This drinks a little too easily.

M - Smooth and medium bodied. Goes down incredibly easily for it's high ABV.

This is in the highest tier of beers I've had. Old Rasputin is good enough, but this takes it too the next level. Hope to find some more of this.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 01:10:51 | More by RoninTK3

Bierguy5

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

500 ml bottle, corked and caged, 11.9% abv. Very deep brown color, nearly black. Great looking tan, airy head. Very nice head retention, along with some good spots of lace.

Roasted malt, along with some coffee first up. Great rounded bourbon notes, along with vanilla, oak and caramel. Maybe a little dark fruit, and a hint of alcohol. Very impressive nose.

Heavy with coffee and roasty flavors up front. Oak tannins come through next, drying things up a bit. Some bourbon and caramel notes. A bit of dark fruit. Sharp notes of dark chocolate near the end. Bitterness and tannins linger long in the finish.

Full body, with lighter carbonation. Some warming alcohol, but nothing overwhelming. Very nice balance with the barrel aging here. Pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 01:55:18 | More by Bierguy5

SilentBob2u2

California

4.71/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Consumed on Feb 2nd, in 8 oz tulip

A - extremely dark, black opaque, light toffee head with minimal retention

S - heavily roasted bitter coffee, near burnt but not quite there, skirting the edge of burntness, alcohol comes through the coffee roast, concentrated dark fruit however not fruity, molasses-esque, bourbon comes through more than slightly, but not too strong

T - great roasted malt with coffee, warming bourbon coffee ness that's sweet in the middle and finishes smooth with a throat coat with sweetness and slight warming bourbon syrup combined with deep rich caramel.

O - smooth, complex, rich, deep stout. Wonderful balance between the roastyness, bourbon, and sweetness. The flavor is almost like bourbon-caramel syrup with coffee beans and creates a delightful sipping stout with nomfaults at all (in my opinion). Aged impeccably

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 18:49:50 | More by SilentBob2u2