St Petersburg Imperial Stout - Thornbridge Brewery

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

4 oz. poured into a snifter at Churchkey. From notes.

A: Pours a nearly pitch black color, with a one finger mocha color head with great retention and superb lacing.

S: Char, leather, dark fruits, hints of chocolate and coffee, and a decent peat smoke note. Slightly barleywine-esque.

T: Roast and char dominate, but never ruin the balance, typical of most European imperial stouts. Opening flavors are more char dominated, giving way to a fruity middle and a bitter roasted coffee aftertaste. Lesser notes of chocolate, peat smoke, and caramel are found when I concentrate finding them. I'm impressed, this is showing solid complexity for a dinky 4 oz. pour.

M: Creamy, at first - before the roast notes unleash a strong drying sensation on the finish. Despite the heavy dryness, it's quite delicate on the tongue, giving it excellent drinkability.

O: Oh, I really enjoyed this one. This has a lot of flavor for only 7.7% ABV. Dare I say this was the best beer of the night (even over Parabola?) Worth hunting down.

Serving type: cask

06-17-2012 05:22:17 | More by ThisWangsChung

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured out as a dark black but in the direct light you can almost see through it. The head was very thin and didn't have much in way of lacing. The smell of the beer had a roasted aroma coming off of it. The taste was average really, it wasn't strong enough in flavor to be a RIS. The mouthfeel was like drink a flat coke. Overall not really the best when it comes to RIS's.

Serving type: cask

06-09-2011 23:31:07 | More by Knapp85

plaid75

New York

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On cask at the Chip Shop, Brooklyn, New York.

Poured a deep black hue with a one finger creamy white head. There was very good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a leathery malt with a noticeable smokiness.

The taste consisted of a light roasted malt, dark chocolate and subtle caramel.

The mouthfeel was thin for the style with a strong astringency.

Overall a decent stout. Hardly a RIS however.

Serving type: cask

01-28-2011 19:14:59 | More by plaid75

jampics2

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On cask @ the Beer Engine. I debated before ordering this as I'm normally not a huge cask guy. But this seemed special enough and I'm glad I had a go at this.

Looks great when the snifter is brought to my table. Almsot perfect, just a touch less opaque than my ideal. But a dark black with a perfect two finger creamy head.

Smells of light hops and roasted malt. A little sweetness is aparent. Just a tad subdued.

Taste is awesome. I was afraid after having a bad example of cask RIS that the cask made the hops combine with the roast to complete a sickening "garbage bag in the sun" flavor. This is far from that, thank GAWD! A nice deep roast gives hints of coffee and tons of chocolate. The hops are earthy and in the background. The finishing flavors are bittersweet with chocolate again emerging. Oatmeal smoothness dominates.

Mouthfeel is a touch thin, but velvety and creamy.

Overall, I give this my endorsement even for those who aren't huge cask drinkers. This is a beer I wouldn't want to have any other way. Plus, it's an English RIS. That's like an American Muscle Car. Get on it people!!

Serving type: cask

06-25-2010 18:18:18 | More by jampics2

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on cask, gravity poured, at the Brick Store Pub. Poured black with a slight head and some spotty lacing. Smells roasty and fruity and with some oak and ash notes as well as some vinous coffee notes. The taste is yeasty and fruity, mostly apples, with a soft roastiness and more barrel oak as well as a touch of ashiness. A touch of toffee throughout and a bit more yeasty apple notes on the finish. This is a soft and gentle, but flavorful example of the style. The mouthfeel is a bit tannic from the wood, and a bit yeasty, but smooth and not muddy tasting at all. Very nice.

Serving type: cask

06-14-2009 17:50:11 | More by Georgiabeer

glid02

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cask at Brick Store in Atlanta.

Pours a color that's one shade from black with a large-bubbled tan head and dark brown highlights. The head recedes quickly into a thin ring around the glass leaving almost no lacing.

Smells of lightly roasted malts with equal amounts of toffee and light chocolate. Dark fruit flavors also waft out every now and then.

Tastes similar to how it smells. The roasted malt isn't as large in the flavor profile as it was in the smell, but it's still there. Dark fruits and toffee are the main flavors, with a mild chocolate bitterness.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a good thickness with very smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is good. None of the flavors really pop, but they complement each other well.

Overall, this is a very mild but tasty RIS. It's almost like a cross between an RIS and a robust brown ale. Definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: cask

03-07-2009 22:40:34 | More by glid02

BeerIsland

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed this beer and am very glad to have had the opportunity to try it. The nose was very complex and hard to describe. There was more toffee type flavor along with nice, but restrained, chocolate. The overall effect was one of great balance and fullness with just a faint alcohol nip. The finish was very nice and lingering. A great, luscious beer.

Serving type: cask

03-05-2009 02:51:04 | More by BeerIsland

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cask at The Ginger Man in NYC 12 January 2008:
Typical appearance. Good head retention. Good lacing. Aroma offers a berry-like fruitiness, soft roastiness, and hints of dark chocolate and toffee followed by a coffee-like roastiness. The flavor follows suit, and the yeasty fruitiness permeates the dark maltiness. It's quite soft and lush, being a cask offering, but it's more than just mouthfeel here - this is a very well-balanced and rounded ale! It's not as aggressive as many examples of the style, and yet it certainly fits within the perception of the style. Perhaps that has something to do with its somewhat limited strength (given the style it is a touch lower than might be expected); or perhaps it has to do with the fact that they haven't over-done the dark malts to the point of sharp acidity; and perhaps it also has to do with the way that they've limited the bitterness and hop flavor to just a few streaks here and there in the background. Yet it retains all of the characteristics that an Imperial stout should have! Superbly done with a delicate touch given to an assertive style! Very enjoyable! Highly drinkable!

Serving type: cask

01-15-2008 04:06:23 | More by NeroFiddled

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Max's in Baltimore the other night.

The beer pours a rich dark black color with a tan creamy head. There is very good head retention and decent lacing. This beer looks pretty impressive. On the nose I don't get a whole lot, maybe some licorise and mild malt. On the palate this beer comes across more as an Oatmeal stout then an Imperial stout. It has a very soft creamy mouthfeel, with flavors of vanilla, chocolate and chicory/coffee. The flavors all meld together and nothing comes across as very distinct. There is sort of dry, slightly bitter finish, with the abv. pretty well disguised. The abv. is fairly high for an English stout, which I assume is one of the reasons it's considered an RIS.

A very nice beer, but not so distinct, impressive or unusual that I would seek it out.

Serving type: cask

12-15-2007 00:57:18 | More by johnmichaelsen

heygeebee

Australia

4.49/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

BB Mar 14

Appearance - the usual black with two finger head. Lines of lace.

Aroma - roast malts, choc, espresso, some cigar box.

Taste - super smooth and rounded. Dark chocolate, hint of licorice. Pistachio. Some smoke.

Mouthfeel light carbonation, medium weight. Silky smooth, no booze.

Overall, this has the weight of a 10% beer. Well made indeed, hugely integrated and complex. Great drinking. Say no more.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 11:28:19 | More by heygeebee

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.91/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Snagged a 500ml bottle of this for 5 bucks at the house of 1,000 beers.

A - Pours an expected deep pitch black with a 1/2 inch of deep mocha head. Some ruby hues at the base.
S - Faint roast coffee, aged licorice, chocolate malt and some more roast.
T - Not sure how old this is but damn is this balanced. Cold coffee, licorice sticks, some chocolate malts not too chocolaty since its not really really sweet. Mostly a tad bit of cloying roast and bitterness of the hops. It's a pretty tasty RIS overall.
M - Medium to thick in body, slick with a nice ABV to boot.

Overall this was a pretty interesting find along the same quality as Samuel Smith's RIS. Not sure if I would get it again since it was kind of expensive.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:54:12 | More by DrDemento456

eric5bellies

Australia

4.69/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Drank from my Duvel pokal

A - Pours a thick black colour with a tanned head that stays the course and laces

S - Beautiful roasted malts, coffe and chocolate

T - Oh this is good. Really smooth malts, with nice expresso coffe and dark chocolate untertones. The finish is very creamy and smooth with no hint of booze.

M - Full body and low carbonation makes for a silky stout.

O - This is one of those RIS's that leaves you wanting more. Its very smooth and displays masterful balance. Proves that you don't need super high ABV's to acheive greatness.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 15:33:26 | More by eric5bellies

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a snifter)
A- This beer pours a dense opaque black body with a tan lumpy film and some microbubbles race to the surface up the side of the glass.

S- The dark fruity esters have a rick but mellow black roasted malt aroma that grows and has a nice leathery finish.

T- The rich leather and dark dried fruit esters have some dark vinous character and a note of pipe tobacco before finishing with a black roasted malt flavor. There is some nice gentle roasted bitterness in the after taste and a dark cola note aswell.

M- The medium mouthfeel has a gentle fizz and no real alcohol heat noticed.

O- This is a classic RIS. Big and complex flavors but still very mellow and blended easy to drink and each sip has more character that the last. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 14:09:54 | More by rhoadsrage

seand

California

4.11/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a dark near-opaque brown, with a fair amount of tan head. The head dissipates to a thin spotty film with a thicker ring around the edge of the glass, which leaves pretty good lacing.

S: Thin compared to a big American style RIS; a bit milky, with a pleasantly sweet roasted malt background.

T: Relatively light sweetness, with a background of more complex roasted malt. Nice throughout, not too big, and very drinkable.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation.

Overall, good, and very different than a big American RIS. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 05:09:08 | More by seand

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A bit of a letdown, considering how notable and how much I've enjoyed the other Thornbridge ales I've been introduced to in the past few months.

At no point in this sampling did I get the impression that this was in the style, as advertized. This strikes me as nothing more than a robust, English porter. And merely a serviceable, if not dynamically flavorful, one at that.

It presents itself as a dark brown liquid topped by a fleeting, pale-tan/ashy head. Some smears of lace. Mellow, dark-roast coffee and some cereal-like malt is about the extent of its aromas and flavors. Not much malt sweetness or rich complexity, nor supple roastiness warranting attention. Drinks real clean, light and smooth for what it's supposed to be. Perhaps some powdery wash in the finish. Weakly silky/oily, if you must.

I don't dislike this beer. Throughout the tasting, I was just trying to find memorable things to share about it - something to say, "You need to try this because ___". Just didn't happen. I still highly recommend their others I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 06:57:23 | More by Bouleboubier

MrKennedy

Australia

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

500ml bottle, into a Great Divide Cervoise glass.

Nice two finger pour of creamy looking tan foam on top of a black base that only shows the slightest hint of ruby when held up to the light. Good spotty lacing and nice foam retention.

Smell is chocolate. Mostly light milk chocolate and just a little bit of aniseed late on. Interesting mix of something enticing and something less enticing.

Taste comes through with plenty of chocolate and just a little bit of roast. Some smokiness later on and a little bit of licorice at the end. Good interesting mix. Nothing insane but everything does its job well and it works.

Really nice mix of smooth early and some bitterness late. Not the biggest body at all. But you shouldn't expect it from a 7.7% ABV Imperial Stout. Has an almost Oatmeal Stout feel to it and later some bitterness and spice from the aniseed kicks in. Does make this very drinkable, the fact that you know the first bit will be so smooth.

Overall it really works for me. You shouldn't expect some super sludgy RIS from this. It suits its specs really well and the 500ml bottle format and ABV mix really makes it a hard beer to turn down. Very enjoyable!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 08:16:26 | More by MrKennedy

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.94/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

500ml bottle for £3.49 from Peckhams (Glasgow,):
Mahogany brown colour with a few red tinges in there and a huge, three fingers tall head that is a thick looking, foamy, light brown with great retention.

Roasted malts and a sweet, burnt sugar aroma along with some coffee and chocolate. It also seems to have some darker fruits lingering in the background and overall it is a pleasant aroma that could have used being a little stronger.

A strong roasted malt presence initially but what follows is a lot sweeter than I was expecting, there is a touch of coffee along with some chocolate and sugar. The dark fruits from the nose are in the taste as well and there is some licorice complimented by some caramel; a very sweet and hoppy tasting imperial stout.

Lighter than usual for the style, falling somewhere around medium bodied with mild to medium carbonation levels. There is also more sweetness to it than your usual imperial stout.

Lighter in many ways than what I was expecting, the aroma was quite subdued but not exactly weak and the body was a lot lighter too but it was an excellent beer and one that I'd probably have again. The 7.4% alcohol content was very well hidden and goes by pretty much unnoticed.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 13:43:57 | More by flyingpig

crnipeter

Slovenia

2.33/5  rDev -41.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Cascades dark reddish-brown to form two finger thick persistent tan head with good stickage atop of opaque black body with ruby highlights.

I'm struck by the hoppy character of this beer: nose is dominated by pronounced herbal-leafy hops while malt, ester and alcohol aromatics remain completely subdued. Only minor unrefined sugar and roast show up as the beer warms.

Aroma transfers to the flavor that exhibits solid roastiness allied to aggressively-high hop-bitterness to yield dry finish. Hops are leafy-herbal in nature and overpowering to my liking. Aftertaste features virtually endless bitterness. Surprising is the absence of chocolaty, coffee-like flavors of roasted malt/grain nor there are any specialty malt qualities such as caramel,bread or toast.

Malt is well attenuated and light body (for imperial stout standards) mouth-filling due to high carbonation yet not too airy.

Overall, a bitter stout with emphasis on herbal-leafy hops and roast.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 16:13:12 | More by crnipeter

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.35/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a lucious tan head with excellent lacing. Smell is average at best. Taste lacks complexity for a RIS, but is nonetheless pleasant. It's a bit hoppier than most in the style, and you can definitely tell when you're burbing. Feel is a little lighter than I like too. When it comes to Imperial Stouts, I like them big, rich, etc. It's worth a shot, but I'm probably going to pass on it next time. $8 for an 11oz. pour of this is kind of a rip off.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2012 02:53:54 | More by TheRealBigC

kylehay2004

Florida

3.43/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single finger head on a deep brown body with excellent lacing. Aroma is very weak with mostly earthy hops and some burnt ambers but disappointingly light. Roasted malts, coffee grounds, earthy hops and pine. Medium body and light to moderate carbonation. I was disappointed in this one after reading reviews. It's too light and under flavored for me.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2012 23:42:42 | More by kylehay2004

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bb 28.10.13

A: Black with a tan head, some retention, great lace.

S: Smoky (peaty whiskey aroma), salted licorice, coffee, roasted nut.

T: Ahhh the peat... it compliments the roasted malt, but it's bordering on brash. Burnt caramel, roasted nut, dark-roasted coffee, good bitterness.

M: Moderate to full body has a light chalky acidity.

O: Very enticing, but the peat and roasted acidity weighs on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 00:35:06 | More by Derek

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - almost impenetrable almost black, short head held it own and left random lacing
S - brown sugar, dark chocolate, a milky sweet aroma, all very mild
T - nice mix of cocoa, coffee, and toffee maltiness, finishes with a mix of sweet and charcoal flavours
M - super easy drinking and no hint of the 7.7%, just a little too thinned out by the alcohol to be a strong stout
O - definitely tasty and easy to drink, its somewhere between and RIS and a regular stout in my opinion, none the less worth a try

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 04:04:14 | More by joemcgrath27

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of dry roasted malt notes with light coffee notes. Taste is a mix between some very dry notes with some roasted malt and some dry coffee bean notes with some dry chocolate notes. Body is about average with a high-level of carbonation for style with no alcohol apparent. Interesting beer thought a bit too dry for my personal taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 19:57:28 | More by Phyl21ca

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a two-fingered light tan head that fades to a thin layer leaving some lace. Black color, no highlights. Good carbonation and light-medium bodied. Light coffee nose and flavor is malty coffee with a burnt coffee finish. Good RIS but not enough body and ABV is too low. $8.99 for a 500ml bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 21:57:33 | More by jdhilt

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.7/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this one at Geers in Gent a while back.

From a 500ml bottle into a pint glass.

APPEARANCE: Poured very carefully, the clear brown liquid yields a 1+ finger, medium looking, light mocha colored head with great retention. Black body and higher levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly recedes to a good, thick foam cap. A solid foam cap remains until the end and leaves lots of nice lacing down the glass. Great lacing, but a little light in color for the style.

SMELL: Decent dose of roasted malts, leather, licorice and tobacco in there. Some light smoky and peaty notes as well. Interesting, though it could be a touch more forthcoming.

TASTE: Roasted notes and generous amounts of peat smokiness and licorice up front. Peat through the middle again into a bitter tobacco and smoky finish. Medium and lingering aftertaste of bitter chocolate, peat smokiness and tobacco as well. Follows the nose well and shows a little more balls.

PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Creamy smooth on the palate, goes down fine and finishes slightly dry. Could use a touch more weight for the style, but plenty creamy and smooth on the palate.

OVERALL: This is definitely an English style RIS, no doubt. A much more licorice and tobacco dominated stout than many of its American and Belgian counterparts. If that’s your style, then you will enjoy this one, as the nose and flavor doesn’t shy away from anyone. It’s bold, complex, and well put together. A solid brew, but given my personal tastes, this one came in last out of the three Thornbridge sampled.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 12:26:36 | More by Jeffo