Siberian Night Imperial Stout - Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On draught at HopCat, into a tulip.

Pours black, with a tan head. Light retention but pretty fantastic lace. Dark chocolate, roast and some sweeter dark malt qualities shine on the nose with some good hopping too. Taste has bakers chocolate, sweet malts and milk chocolate, and a really nice creamy flavour. Light roast and even a hint of dark fruit in the finish. Moderately bitter with a good balancing sweetness. Medium full mouthfeel and an appropriate medium low carbonation. Creamy/velvety on the palate. A solid RIS, I would certainly revisit this.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 15:10:26 | More by liamt07

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My favorite and goto.

Pour is pitch black as you expect. Half inch head subsides into a thin off white ring. I couldn't see the carbonation level if I had to.

Smell is amazing. Nice balance of coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malts. A subtle sweetness lingers in.

The taste is perfect. I haven't had it in a few months, but I pick up a woody bitterness that just adds to the coffee, dark chocolate, and roasted malt. Bitter, and loaded with coffee. I could go on for days, because each drink produces subtly different flavors and nuances.

Body is heavy and slick. Some hop bitterness just makes it more bitter.

God damn I love this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2011 19:56:34 | More by VncentLIFE

Infamous7100

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: blacker than black with a nice finger width tan head. Looks nice.
S: I get some sweet chocolaty note accompanied by loads fresh coffee. A tad bit of booze peeks through as well. All told, its smells fantastic and begs to be tasted.
T: starts off with some slighty bitter dark chocolate and slides into coffee and some sweet chocolate notes. This fades into a boozy and slighty bitter finish. It is extremely tasty.
M: full bodied and slick, light any imperial stout should be. Not filling like you may expect.
O: A fine beer. It doesn't try to be something its not and doesn't stray from what makes it great to live up to the imperial name. Its not overloaded with hops, chocolate or coffee, but manages to find a great symmetry between the three. A tasty, flavorful brew that will be purchased again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2011 22:29:28 | More by Infamous7100

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A nice stout overall. Mostly tastes like a roasty American stout as the alcohol is barely there and it's thinner feeling than most RIS.

Pours nice black with small head but good webs of lacing. Semi tan head. The smell is the best part of this beer, super roasty but it's all covered in a maple sweetness and some dark fruity notes. Also a marshmallow that's toasted comes to mind from the aroma.

The taste is solid with anise notes and coffee roast. A little chocolate powder as well with a dry butter lingering finish. Not super thick but nice over the palate. That licorice anise note is interesting and almost dominates for me. Good carbo.

Overall solid stout but not amazing like so many are these days. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2011 23:59:40 | More by Dreadnaught33

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Motor oil black, and I rarely use that as a descriptor; burnt brown head, milkshke thickness to it, amzing lacing.

S: Smells like roasted malted milk balls, ton of barley, a lot of sweetness.

T: I can't believe I'm giving a Thirsty Dog beer a 4.5, but this beer has an intense, rich malt flavor; smokey, caramel, vanilla, loads of coffee and chocolate. Molasses sweetness is in there.

M: Full bodied, medium carbonation, great smoothness.

O/D: Little to no alcohol burn, incredibly smooth, easy drinker. Decent offering from a bottle, incredibly good on tap. Don't know how old it was, or any details, but I was shocked at how good it was.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2011 03:27:51 | More by mostpoetsdo

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of Thirsty Dog's best I'd say. This brew is pitch black and had a sliver of brown head over the top of the beer. The smell of the beer is highly roasted and burnt aromas along with some hops too! Some flavors of wood, a little smoke, some hops, Chocolate and coffee all come together in this one. The mouthfeel is on the thicker side which is great. I feel that this beer is a really good attempt at mimicking the Russian Imperial Stout in an American way.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2011 00:49:00 | More by Knapp85

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at pope in philly. served in a tulip glass.

Pours with total blackness, a thin toffee head, and very little lacing or retention in the glass.

Heavy roasted malts, charred smoke, softer anise and bittersweet dark chocolate.

Surprisingly hoppy up front with a wave of roasted dark malt. Molasses and plenty of bittersweet dark chocolate bark. Touches of anise and candied sugar. Heavier malt base with smoky undertones and light char. Dark fruit and raisins. Finishes with hop bitterness, light sweetness, and boozy warmth.

Full bodied, a bit syrupy, sticky and chewy. Drinks nicely, a little bit too much licorice for my tastes but solid otherwise.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2011 17:12:24 | More by xnicknj

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from tap into a sampler tumbler. Poured pitch black with a minimal tan head. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, chocolate, caramel, and very slight alcohol. The flavor was of Sweet malt, chocolate, caramel, and alcohol. It had a heavy feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall this was a very nice brew. Had a good aroma and flavor going on here. The mouthfeel on it was pretty nice too. The alcohol actually helps enhance this brew as it is not overpowering and seems to bring some of the other flavors forward. This is a must try without doubt.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2011 20:30:08 | More by thagr81us

despainmakesbeer

Kentucky

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark chocolate color, light tan head. Super dark raspberry color with chocolate highlights. Rich aroma; thick in chocolate, and roasty malt aroma, very soothing. Very chocolaty and coffee flavor, also smokiness. Also some dark fruit, mostly raisin, slotS lot but a little. Nice dry finish. Good aftertaste of same
flavors. Nothing overbearing, everything blends together well. Very drinkable for style, not as heavy as it could be. A good imperial stout thr isn't super heavy.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2010 02:37:44 | More by despainmakesbeer

Spider889

Ohio

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is another of those beers you see everywhere, know it's good, but always avoid buying it exactly because you can get it everywhere.

Finally got some last night on tap at Mad Mex. Looks average, served in a snifter, no head, mild lacing. Black and not too thick.

Smelled great, tons of dark roasted character and some chocolaty sweetness. Also some dark fruit notes in the nose as well.

This beer is really good, but in a sea of many many many excellent RIS's out there, I had to give this a 4 instead of a 4.5. Nice toasted bread and burnt malt notes. Semi-sweet, and nice bitterness for balance.

Medium bodied, this drinks easily enough, I would have ordered a second if it wasn't so late.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2010 15:28:53 | More by Spider889

DoubleSimcoe

New York

4.45/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Siberian Night on tap at Bob's Bar in Columbus, Ohio, served in a standard pint glass (frosted, too cold, had to let it warm for a while).

A: Black through and through like the night out in the cornfields of Ohio, minimum head, nice lacing. Low carbonation.

B: Lighter than most Imperial Stouts, fairly roasty, some dairy aromas. Surprisingly smooth smell for such a powerful brew.

T: Smooth again, no "back burn", mildly bitter, well-rounded and full-bodied and delicious.

M: Creamy, coats the mouth without taking over, a faint bitterness on the back after sipping.

D: Exceptional all around. Goes down easy, suave and not overpowering but totally satisfying. A rare RIS you could drink all (Siberian) night.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2010 04:06:03 | More by DoubleSimcoe

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a pitch black, opaque, oil colored beer with a one fingered toffee colored head. Carbonation? Can't really tell.

S - Bittersweet chocolate, mocha, mild traces of charcoal and smoke and some creamy nuances.

T - Lots of bitter roasted chocolate, cream, coffee, mild traces of charcoal and some smoked goodness.

M - Is on the lighter side of heavy bodied and has a creamy mouthfeel. The smoked and roasted chocolate flavor lingers in the mouth long after the sip.

D - Pretty darn good.

The bottled version isn't as good as the tap. In my opinion, this is the best beer Thirsty Dog brews.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2010 03:43:23 | More by jzeilinger

nrbw23

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours pitch black and produces a small brown colored head. Head dissipates quickly to a thin film around the edges, and minimal lacing.

S- Nothing huge or over powering here. Roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee seem to be all that's jumping out at me.

T- A solid blend of chocolate, roasted malts and hop bitterness. A touch of alcohol comes in.

M- Lighter side of full. Not crazy thick like some stouts. Carbonation maybe on the higher side of medium.

D- This one goes down pretty easy. I wish they would of also stayed in sixers.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2010 07:14:40 | More by nrbw23

jampics2

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Michael Symon's B-Spot.

Pour into a small pint shaped glass (probably a 12-14oz pour). The room got darker when they brought this beer into it. Nice creamy one-finger head sticks for the duration. Looks fantastic!

Smells like chocolate cake batter and a nice earthy roast from the specialty malts.

This is the "chocolate shake" of beers. Immaculate beer in my mouth displays an initial rush of bitter roast and sweet chocolate powders. It's certainly a bitter stout when this young, but the bitterness from the dark roast plays well with the bitterness from the hops. The result is so well defined that it serves as a single shot across the palate instead of the bombardment inferior stouts offer. This lets you really taste the other intricate flavors.

Mouth is close to perfect. Creamy, velvety - perfect carbonation.

One deserves another - great beer!

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2009 15:03:33 | More by jampics2

TravelinJones

Ohio

4.72/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Incredible Russian Imperial Stout.
Very smooth and drinkable for a 9%+ abv stout.
Pours opaque black with a firm 1/2" head in a snifter.
Aromas of roasted malt, barley and caramels.
Goes down easy for a RIS; very drinkable.
Nice malt profile balance with the right amount of hops; not too bitter.
Great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2009 01:16:03 | More by TravelinJones

atsprings

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Flying Saucer served in a tulip glass a nice opaque with a decent tan head that slowly diminishes to a ring and leaves slight lacing on the glass. Aroma is a decent amount of roasted malts and cocoa. The taste is loads of roasty cocoa and slight espresso. The beer is slightly heavy with warming alcohol, one I'd certainly love to have again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2009 22:11:08 | More by atsprings

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2005 Siberian Night, on tap at Capital Ale House, Richmond, VA, downtown location, on January 26th, 2009 at Black Moonday.

Appearance: Arrives a dead-looking, thick brown bodied brew with faint ruby hues that make themselves known only upon intense examination. Almost no sheen on this one - the head had faded by the time it arrived - and only a thin collar of off-white lace. Though I've never been to Siberia, I imagine that this is perhaps what a night there would look like.

Aroma: Cocoa ahoy! Incredibly sweet-smelling - though not quite sticky, as there are plenty of lighter estery notes - with the dominant note being thick, decadent milk chocolate, though raisins, light herbal coffee, and caramel aren't far behind.

Taste: More milk chocolate here, sweet, creamy, and rich, but also tons of raisins, yogurt-like notes, a few lighter fruity notes (a little unexpected but a very nice addition nonetheless), a few wholesome malty/oat-esque notes, definite currants, and hints of molasses/brown sugar. Malted milk balls, perhaps? Regardless, this one's very well-blended, very smooth, and more complex than the recently bottled version I had not too long ago.

Mouthfeel: Even and medium bubbled, with a surprisingly large amount of carbonation that cuts through the relatively thick body quickly and easily.

Drinkability: Age did this one quite a number, in a good way. Smooth, easy-drinking, tasty, and aromatic, with not even a scintilla of heat. I'm glad I have five of these bottles lounging away in my cellar right now - give this one three years and it turns into a beast of a delicious brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2009 22:18:09 | More by CrellMoset

GJ40

North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled on tap at Track 84 in Warwick, RI for only $4 a glass.

A - Jet black with a moderate brown head and good lacing.

S - Roasted malt with some chocolate and hop aroma.

T - Very balanced and complex mix of roasted malt, molasses and a hop bitterness that lingers nicely. The alcohol is well hidden.

M - Syrupy and smooth with a low carbonation. It really sticks to your mouth.

D - Very smooth and easy for such a big, dark beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2009 11:54:44 | More by GJ40

bonbini26

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap @ Track 84 Warwick, RI 11-17-08

Appearance: Pours a deep mocha brown color with a thick brown head that has good retention and leaves some lacing, absolutely picture perfect for a RIS

Smell: French roast coffee, charred wood, bittersweet chocolate

Taste: Starts out with a a rich dark chocolate flavor with hints of roasted coffee followed with a bittersweet finish

Mouthfeel: Thick bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Great on a cold night, this is a little above a sipper, a easy drinking RIS, Overall outstanding!

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2008 19:08:31 | More by bonbini26

liammaloney

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My first thought on seeing this beer was how apt the name was. It is indeed an inky, dark, opaque night of a color, dark enough for me to check my reflection in the glass. It was topped with a creamy-foamy head, perfectly level with lots of tiny bubbles.

Unlike what I imagine a cold night in Siberia would smell like, it had a pronounced chocolate aroma, with a pleasantly bitersweet quality, like plum brandy.

My first sip was thick - mouth-coating. Full of rich chocolate and herb flavors, and finishing with chocolate covered cherries. The head showed some legs, as well, sliding down the glass in a sheet.

And the finish was just what I was hoping for. It had a medium depth with some heat, lots more of the chocolate-coffee bitterness I'd been tasting, and just a hint of citrus zest. A great brew for a cold February night.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2008 02:53:22 | More by liammaloney

CDBeerDisappear

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Dark as motor oil. Poured with a one finger head which dissipated to a ring of foam around the top. Lacing all the way down the glass. Smells like roasted carmel coffee chocolate. The taste is rich and roasty sweet malt. Feels big in the mouth. Fine carbonation all the way through. Very smooth and drinkable, alcohol was inconspicous. The bartender said that the draft was 11% abv as opposed to 9% for the bottle. The draft did taste a bit more alcoholic and I liked it slightly better than the bottled version, though not so much that I would give the two different ratings.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2007 22:56:46 | More by CDBeerDisappear

oberon

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I have sampled this beer a few times in the past now on tap at Cole's in Buffalo,came to the table a jet black with a rich mocha colored head atop.Black licorice and burnt notes are big with underlying biter chocolate coffee as well,that licorice is even bigger on the palate I am not a huge fan of black licorice so I didnt care for that but it also has some deeply roasted and chocolate qualities wich are nice full and creamy mouthfeel.A little different flavor wise than alot of the style if you like the licorice than you'll like this alot.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2007 19:07:35 | More by oberon

Kempleton

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I have been religously drinking this beer since it went on tap at Theresa Next Door in Wayne.

Apearance: Wow, this is a dark beer. Pours blacker than coal from the tap into a sniffter, with a thick, dark brown, three finger head that takes a while to receed to a thin coating of foam that remains for the (short)life of this brew. I swirl this beer so there was not much in the way of lacing left for me.

Smell: Wonderful aromas fill the nose. Strong scents of bitersweet chocolate, and malt fill the nose first, followed by hints of coffee and others that I just can't place.

Taste: Awesome. enough said. If you like stouts you will love this one.

Mouthfeel: Not as heavy as one would think for a beer of this caliber, but defintly something there. No need to chew this beer. Alcohol does not come across to strongly and carbonation is not overbearing. Just the right amount of everything.

Drinkabilty: Goes down WAY to easy for a beer that contains 9.0% ABV. The only thing that keeps this beer from being a good session beer for me, besides the cost and availabilty, is the drunkeness I get after three or four of them, .

Overall, I was very impressed with this beer. It got me back into stouts in a big way,after not drinking any for a while, this beer makes me wonder why I haven't been. I miss it already. Thanks to Thirsty Dog for making my beer-life a little better.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2007 17:38:09 | More by Kempleton

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this excellent beer at Teresa's next door yesterday afternoon. Lucky timing on my part, they had just hooked it up (wasn't even listed on the draft list yet).

The beer pours a sensational dark as night color, with an incredible rich, chocolate/coffee head. The beer has excellent lacing and wonderful head retention. Visually, this beer just looks incredible. On the nose one gets the expected coffee and chocolate, but with some dark fruits seeping in as well. The beer is every bit as wonderful on the palate, with coffee (lots of coffee), chocolate, licorise and vanilla. The beer has a huge malt and hop presence, coming across as a VERY big beer. However, the beer is really pretty drinkable for its 9% abv., though I wouldn't want to drink more then one.

Very impressive stout from Thirsty Dog brewing.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2007 13:17:31 | More by johnmichaelsen

ndekke39

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on-tap at Bodega in Columbus, OH. Poured into a pint glass. Dark, black with ruby edges, tan head with little retention. Smells and tastes of caramel, molasses, raisins, alcohol, and coffee. Heavy mouthfeel, almost like a cake batter. Thick bubbles. Heavy on the alcohol, so sip slowly, but it's a delicious drink nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2007 02:30:47 | More by ndekke39