Siberian Night Imperial Stout (Aged In Bourbon Barrels) - Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

Axnjxn

North Carolina

4.44/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a goblet

Pours pitch black with a half inch beige head. Typical for the style and just as it should be. Smell is of whiskey and chocolate...pleasant and not too overpowering. taste is incredibly smooth. rich chocolate and vanilla flavors followed by a smooth whiskey flavor. tastes like creme boule in liquid form. criminally tasty. So easy to drink on the higher side of medium bodied with low carbonation. sip it to enjoy the flavors, but it could be drank in a flash if you wanted as well.

overall a terrific RIS that fans of the style will love. hefty price tag is worth it, though i'd say wulver is a tad bit better.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 01:31:09 | More by Axnjxn

screamking

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle poured ino snifter.

Appearance-pours black with a thin dark khaki head, which disappears almost instantly. No lacing. Typical barrel aged look. 4

Aroma-bourbon charater is booming in this one. Heavy vanilla, oak, and butterscotch. Light milk chocolate aroma. Some nice plum and fig notes as well. 4.75

Taste-once again the bourbon aging dominates this brew. With that being said, there is lots of layering going on here. After the vanilla and oak, bitter chocolate comes thru to even out the sweetness. Then some very nice dark fruits come in the finish. I love that there is no coffee or expresso, they get overplayed and over whelm the fruits. 5

Feel-not as heavy as most would think, still medium to full bodied. Coats well, and after taste lingers for a long time. ABV is hidden nicely. 4.75

Overall-wonderfully done Thirsty Dog, you have made an epic barrel aged beer. This thing is a beast. You seem to always get the barrel characteristics with this type of beer, but a lot of the time that kills the dark fruits hiding beneath. This one knocks the fruits out of the park. They need to make this a regular bottled release. If they do, it would give the Midwest/great lakes region another strong addition to the barrel aged family. 4.75

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 04:34:13 | More by screamking

MarkJBurch

New York

4.51/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Removed from my temperature controlled cellar, fifty degrees. No bottling date but to the best of my knowledge it was recent as this has never been bottled before. Note on the side of the bottle indicates that this is Siberian Night Imperial Stout aged in fresh bourbon barrels for eleven months. Aggressive pour into a snifter glass produces a one centimeter head that quickly settles to a thin layer of tan bubbles. No light penetrates the seemingly infinite darkness of this beer. Stark black.

I think this may have just put more hair on my chest. Sweet bourbon filled my nose before beer even left the bottle. Ripe dark fruit, vanilla and oak.

Oh, this is divine. Luscious milk chocolate with layers of vanilla and wafer. Let's put a scoop of ice cream in this and call it a day. Bourbon is more astringent in the nose than in the mouth and now melds perfectly with dark chocolate malt and the vanilla flavor from the barrel.

Very smooth, creamy mouth feel with a slight burn right before you swallow. Not quite as velvety as the original Siberian Night, I would attribute this to the barrel aging.

This is an excellent bourbon barrel aged stout, untamed, a serious new contender to all else in its class. Seek this out, drink it, be happy. I will be aging several bottles and have a slight suspicion this might be even better as the heat begins to mellow.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 23:12:07 | More by MarkJBurch

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

4.68/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A - Pours a dark brown, not quite black color, viscousy. 1.5 finger mocha colored head. Leaves a good amount of lacing.

S - Nice and bourbony, notes of vanilla, dark fruits, molasses, licorice, oak, and chocolate. Just a small hint of coffee. Very good blend here.

T - Starts just a tad bitter from coffee before fading into bourbon sweetness. A lot of vanilla and dark fruit. A tad bit of oak and finishes very sweet with chocolate. This has a perfect balance of taste. Very, very good. Superb.

M - Incredibly smooth and creamy. ABV is hidden very well.

Overall - Incredibly impressed by this one from Thirsty Dog. This needs to become a more regular offering. A truly superb beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 00:27:04 | More by BeerBuckeye

CaptCleveland

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle from 4-pack ($23.99), poured into Huna snifter. Label touts IS aged in new bourbon barrels for 11 months. Recommended serving temp of 44F, which seems a bit cold.

Opaque, black elixir, thin brown rim of foam, minimal lacing.

Burnt malt, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon. Wonderfully combined.

Baker's chocolate, char, slight vanilla with a nice bourbon afterglow.

Full bodied brew, but not as chewy as I expected.

Well done BA stout. Curious to see what a bit of age will do for this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 02:22:10 | More by CaptCleveland

Broman

Ohio

4.71/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance- Great pitch black color with an ample chocolate colored head. The thick foamy head takes up residence atop this beer for the duration of sampling. Nice thick lacing on the glass as the beer is drank.

Smell- Rich aroma of chocolate and toffee. Some coffee tones are hinted as well.

Mouthfeel- Slight carbonation initially. Gives way to a medium to thick body beer. Well balanced on the palet. Alcohol sting is what is left in the mouth.

Taste- Malts of toffee and chocolate. Some sweetness is detectable. Minor floral notes are prevalent as well. Heavy thick beer goes down the throat and some residual alcohol taste remains. Very nice beer.

Overall- Great beer from sight to taste. The more often it is enjoyed the more flavors that come forward. Enjoy this beer in moderation, you'll know there's alcohol in there, but it is a tasty one. Give her a try, you'll be glad you did.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2013 04:55:01 | More by Broman

weonfire

Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Enjoyed this brew at River City Drafthouse in Louisville, KY on tap in a 10oz sample glass.

A - Perfect. Jet Black, mocha head to brim. dissipates slowly. viscosity is medium.

S - Love it. Chocolate, cherry, toffee, molasses and lovely lovely bourbon

T - Chocolate, Vanilla, aged fruits- fig/date/cherry, and great bourbon. Slight trace of alcohol. very pleasant.

M - Just what I was hoping for. Has that frothy/creamy/velvety feel. Super flavors cover full mouth.

O - Scent excellent. Taste was great but felt a bit a unblended- as in, while a lot of excellent flavor are all present they aren't all mellowed together. That said, I did like it very much.

Serving type: on-tap

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2013 01:03:35 | More by weonfire

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

64 ounce growler filled earlier today from the new growler station at Blacklick Wine and Spirits. Served in a snifter, the brew pours dark brown/black with about a half inch tan head that sticked around for a little bit. There's also a good amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, it smells like bourbon, vanilla, roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, and oak/wood. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some burnt/charred malt, dark fruit and a bit of anise. Great balance between the sweet, bitter, roasty and bourbony flavors. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's a bit slick and coating with a decent amount of carbonation. I like this brew a lot, I'm glad I got a growler of it. I think it's definitely worth trying, and I know I wouldn't mind getting this again in the future.

Serving type: growler

02-16-2013 00:33:54 | More by bluejacket74

hustlesworth

Ohio

4.79/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A- on tap at my bar CHIVES. Pours into an 8oz snifter pitch black with a seriously creamy dark tan head. Foam is lasting for such a big beer with a beautiful splattering of spotty lace.

S- charred oak and vanilla comes through immediately with a grainy tartness that slightly subdues the strong cocoa and coffee aromas present in the non-barrel aged version. Hints of pipe tobacco, leather, cedar, anise and smoke come through against the vanilla sweetness. Almost dessert like custard as well. Brandied cherry flambé type ish.

T- very much bourbon flavor but not so much boozy, which is a real feat at 11%. Roasted bitterness along with earthy hops create a complex saturated flavor to compliment the sweetness. Earth, stone, soil, oak, and vanilla go without question. Finish is a great balance of bittersweet and earthy, cocoa and coffee once again playing rhythm guitar to the bourbon's lead.

MF- fat and chewy with a welcome alcohol sting. Such a big soft body deserves an award. Carbonation is on the low end of low and perfect for the style. Its delicate, extremely tiny bubbles serve only as a reminder that this is beer, not bourbon flavored cocoa juice. Sticky all over the palate. Woodsy and tannic like a big bodied red with coating grain sweetness.

D- good job once again to the guys at thirsty dog. They rarely, if ever, let us down. This masterpiece of an RIS stands head to head with all the other great ones I've had and I'm proud that it's brewed so close to home. Mind officially blown. I could drink these little snifters all night and again with breakfast. And again with second breakfast.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2013 06:47:16 | More by hustlesworth

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.84/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

On tap at Jackie O’s as a guest tap. Served in a sampler glass. Pours near black with a thin tan head. The nose is all bourbon and a bit of alcohol. Not much else to say there; very one-dimensional. The flavor is pretty similar, but is a bit more boozy and also adds in a splash of chocolate and roast for good measure. Medium-full body and quite boozy. Not very easy to drink and way, way too barrel heavy.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2013 12:39:34 | More by Thorpe429

TheDinger

South Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Growler fill poured into a snifter. This brew has a very nice look to it. Solid black with a small mocca head. I will preface this review by saying I let this growler hang out for over 2 months. Smell was fairly subdued. Some of the bourbon is up front with notes of dark fruits, chocolate and alcohol. Taste is where this went bad for me. I can claasify it only as a booze bomb. Huge alcohol hit with every sip. Very bourbon forward and a bit metallic. I felt the dark fruit and chocolate notes were suffocated by the booze. A bit of wood mixed on the tongue as well. Perhaps I let this sit too long? The taste was distracting and just too boozy for me. Feel was nice, with a good bit of silk and some dry aspects. Medium feel and minimal carbonation. Overall- The look is solid, the feel is solid, the taste is where this went wrong. It had potential, but just too much booze that takes away from the complex qualities of a stout. You can taste the bourbon/alcohol too much and it dominates. I have a bottle in the cellar so maybe this will be different. Keeping my opinion open as I may have let it chill too long, but this growler was not my favorite-

Serving type: growler

12-08-2012 15:17:07 | More by TheDinger

russwbeck

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Counter pressure filled growler provided by nhindian. Growler is no more than a few weeks old.

A: Tar black pour with a few fingers of thick, brown head. The level of carbonation is great, bubbles hold the head up very nicely and there's a decent amount of lacing.

S: The bourbon is huge on the aroma, with a hit of alcohol underneath. The base of the beer is rich and very chocolatey. While I think the bourbon is taking over, you can tell there's a big enough beer underneath there to hold it together.

T: The taste starts off all bourbon and vanilla, just like the aroma. The center comes up alcohol and chocolate, which transitions to rich, velvety chocolate blended with some vanilla from the barrel. The finish is booze and roast. Throughout the beer you understand that bourbon is taking control and there's nothing you can do about it. I do, however, think that the chocolate and roast on the backend do their best to bring it into some sort of balance. This is a big beer that really did no disappoint in the taste realm. If you don't like bourbon bombs, you might not like this, but boy I sure did.

MF: Despite being in the growler for a while, the body was perfectly thick, the beer popped when the growler was opened and held carbonation throughout the duration of my tasting. I thought it had a really nice thickness for the strength of the beer it held.

O: This was a huge want of mine and has been ever since I had 6 ounces of Siberian Night at Zeno's back in 2010 (when I didn't even like stouts). I'm really happy nhindian was feeling up to opening this! It lived up to the hype I placed on it.

Serving type: growler

12-03-2012 02:27:18 | More by russwbeck

Infamous7100

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pitch black, thick tan head. Everything it should be.
S: Sweet bourbon, coffee, chocolate, oak and vanilla blend nicely to form a cornucopia of goodness.
T: Follows the nose nicely. Sweet at front. Bourbon and oaky toward the middle and back. Pleasantly warming.
M: Slick, low carbonation. Great aftertaste and hang.
O: Glad I picked this up exclusivley on the growler. A true sipper and a pleasure to sip on.

Serving type: growler

08-26-2012 01:59:44 | More by Infamous7100

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark, chalky, near black, thin cap of tan bubbles, little retention or lacing. Dry earthy oak, roasted malt, light vanilla, coffee and chocolate, faint berry, slight alcohol, but not too burbony. Taste focuses on the woodyness of oak, vanilla and burbon faint, roasty with some coffee, chocolate and faint dark fruit. Smooth, clean, dry, not as hefty as others. Solid but not spectacular brew, needs a bit more stout, bit more burbon, and less oak.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2012 14:09:46 | More by rfgetz

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Barcade, Philly, PA

Dark black pour with a ring of dark brown around the top, capped off with a thin, beige head. Aroma of dark roasty malts, wood, hints of bourbon and what seemed to be mild fruit esters. Taste of slightly charred oak, dark chocolate, dark malts, bourbon, hints of coffee and dark fruits. Heavy-medium body, pretty smooth for 11%, and quite nice overall.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2012 06:45:24 | More by Rifugium

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from growler into a New Belgium globe. Poured pitch black with a half finger tan head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of roasted malt, dark fruit, dark chocolate, and wood. The flavor was of roasted malt, sweet malt, dark chocolate, caramel, wood, and sweet alcohol. It had a heavy feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a really good brew. Going into this one I was a little worried that this would be a bourbon dominated monster. However, the bourbon was quite subtle in the flavor to make it very easy to drink. A really well done brew from Thirsty Dog here that I would love to have again in the future. I suggest you try to do the same.

Serving type: growler

04-01-2012 13:48:27 | More by thagr81us

Soonami

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Chewy, smoky, with big bourbon barrel flavors and aroma. The beer is a bit dry with some dusty cocoa but a lot of solventy alcohol. Overall a good beer, above average. I haven't had the base beer, but I worry that even at 11% Siberian night might have enough malt and roast flavor to stand up to the strong whiskey impregnation.

Serving type: growler

02-12-2012 18:38:18 | More by Soonami

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from my growler into a brandy snifter. Nice black color with chestnut highlights. Thin brown head. Low carbonation (as expected for a BA beer). Nose offers licorice, oak, char, chocolate, and faint notes of bourbon.

Taste follows the nose. Nice bready flavor upfront quickly overpowered by big roasty notes, bakers chocolate, and coffee. The bourbon and vanilla tones are very faint, but they are there. They accent the beer without dominating it. Mouthfeel is firm and slightly creamy.

This is an excellent RIS, but I would have liked to have gotten more of the bourbon character. Perhaps it should be allowed to rest in the barrels longer. Still, even without the over-expressive bourbon tones, it is an outstanding beer.

Serving type: growler

01-29-2012 14:33:15 | More by deadonhisfeet

dirtylou

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap, duckworths ballantyne

appearance: 11oz pour, ebony body, 1/2" chocolate foam - looks the part

smell: roasty, dark chocolate, barrel effects fairly trace on the nose

taste: the base beer is solid and this version is really nice as well, but the barrel notes are fairly tame...rich dark chocolate, coffee, light bourbon, dark fruit, vanilla. Nice - but wouldnt have even known it was aged in a bourbon barrel

mouthfeel: rich and creamy

overall: tasty

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 00:07:26 | More by dirtylou

cosmicevan

New York

3.58/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

had on tap at sams in NC while shopping for brews. showed in a pint glass dark as night with a thin cream colored head. very big bold roasted smell and flavor, but not much as far as barrel flavoring or smell. all in all a nice beer, but doesn't hold a candle to many of the other barrel aged stouts. glad to get a taste, but not something I will be looking for again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 18:09:15 | More by cosmicevan

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap in a small snifter

Appears black, brown around the edge. 1/2 inch tan head, but it fades fairly quickly. Very pleasant aroma of vanilla and caramel.
Taste isn't as good as the aroma. Roasted malt, finishes with a touch of the bourbon flavor. Body is medium to thick, moderate carbonation.

Overall, a good beer, but I was dispointed after the high price tag.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2011 03:58:33 | More by jmdrpi

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Draft at Capones in Norristown, PA.

Pours pitch black and completely opaque with a one finger light beige head. Decent retention slowly fading into a lasting ring. Spotty lacing left behind.

Roasted aroma with a good bit of toasted oak and burnt malt. Not much bourbon, only slight booziness. Dark malt presence with chocolate, coffee, toast and oatmeal in the nose.

Medium bodied but on the fuller end with some chewy dark malt, toasted oak and subtle bourbon. Bourbon stronger than in nose but still not hot or that prevalent in the flavor. Ashy with burnt toast, dark chocolate and oatmeal. A bit thin in the finish. Not overly complex but still decent. Could use more barrel swetness and bourbon.  

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2011 03:28:38 | More by corby112

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -37.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Capone's 2011 Black Friday

A: Deep black-brown body. Thin khaki cap, decent retention, spotty lacing.

S: Loaded with acetone/nail polish remover vapors. Highly boozy with minimal malt shining through

T: Like the nose, there was a huge dose of boozy, acetone like notes. Mild roasted malt and a dash of chocolate could be identified.

M: Despite the flavor and taste issues, the beer had a decent mouthfeel. A little thin due to the ABV and general boozy character.

O: Not sure what was wrong with this beer, but it was not good. Others that had a taste from my glass agreed.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2011 00:53:05 | More by callmemickey

Retail1LO

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured on draft into a 5 oz snifter at Capone's Black Friday event. Pours pitch black with a thin espresso like head, leaving a decent amount of lacing as it recedes down the glass. Nose is a wonderful yet subdued bourbon profile. The taste is simply sublime. The bourbon is present, yet subtle and subdued. It's nice to so a bourbon barrel aged beer that's not over powering. The mouthfeel is sooo smooth. It doesn't linger but for a split second. Overall, this is a pleasant surprise that is going to be tough to top. What a great day.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2011 13:53:46 | More by Retail1LO

Bung

North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap at Grapevine in Fort Mill. Solid black with a layer of light tan head. Sticks nicely to the glass.

Aroma, malty vanilla, some chocolate, some oaky bourbon. Not overly pungeant.

Taste, Bold and strong quality flavors. The gambit, chocolates, caramel, vanilla, molasses. Sweeter notes at first, then more dark chocolate, cocoa, barrel and earth.

Near full bodied. Coating, just a faint warming. Actually warms up in a hurry to the point of hurting a bit.

If the aroma was as robust as the flavors this would be world class. Also the heat knocks it just a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2011 01:58:06 | More by Bung