Imperial Russian Stout - Stone Brewing Co.

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BA SCORE
97
world-class
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4,680 Ratings

THE BROS
93
outstanding
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rAvg: 4.37
pDev: 9.84%
Reviews: 2430
Hads: 2250

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Stone Brewing Co.

California, United States

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 10.50% ABV

Availability: Spring. bottle (2231), on-tap (165), growler (29), cask (2), nitro-tap (2), nitro-bottle (1).

Notes:
No notes at this time.

View: Beers (94) | Reviews (247) | Events (4)

Reviews

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Reviews by tectactoe:

tectactoe

Michigan

4.13/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark and dense black, essentially no color coming through this beer at all, with a thick, creamy, deep-tan head that has great staying power. Nice lacing left on the glass, especially for a RIS. The nose hits with some bittersweet chocolate and dense, dark fruit sweetness (think raisins and prunes). The initial taste is very sweet to the tongue, following heavy with that raisin-prune flavor, along with bits of anise. Roasted malts are plentiful as well as the bittersweet chocolate flavor that sits heavy on the back of the tongue. Halfway through the sip, the oats, grains, woody, and burnt oak flavors come alive followed by a final bite of bitterness that resonates in the mouth upon swallowing. Coffee is heavy and noticeable as the main aftertaste in this one. Very nice. Very heavy and creamy with medium-low carbonation.

Good RIS here. In the beginning, a bit too sweet for my tastes, however, as it warms up, it becomes more balanced with the deep oats, grains, oak, and coffee flavors. This beer definitely gets better as the glass gets warmer and the sweetness starts to mellow out a bit.

EDIT: 4/5/2013

2007 vintage, thanks Chris. Either this beer transforms amazingly with age, or my palate has been refined over the last half year, but this was much better than I remember it from the first time (and I still thought it was pretty good). Less of the nearly-cloying anise and licorice (much less, actually) and quite a bit more cocoa powder and even a hefty dose of coffee beans in the aftertaste. Decent roast from the malts and still a solid alcohol warmth after all these years. Mouth feel wasn't as amazing as I remembered it, though. No oxidation - wow.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 12:00:10 | More by tectactoe

More User Reviews:

t_carterb

Georgia

4.25/5 rDev -2.7%

06-19-2013 15:49:22 | More by t_carterb

flyingPharmacist

New York

4/5 rDev -8.5%

06-19-2013 10:01:28 | More by flyingPharmacist

b-one

California

3.25/5 rDev -25.6%

06-19-2013 02:04:26 | More by b-one

BeerChanticleer

Pennsylvania

4.25/5 rDev -2.7%

06-19-2013 01:24:43 | More by BeerChanticleer

Ilafan

Minnesota

4.5/5 rDev +3%

06-19-2013 01:01:09 | More by Ilafan

DaKur

Rhode Island

4/5 rDev -8.5%

06-18-2013 23:49:40 | More by DaKur

taylor714914

Pennsylvania

4.5/5 rDev +3%

06-18-2013 23:08:58 | More by taylor714914

sudsy2drunk

Indiana

4/5 rDev -8.5%

06-18-2013 18:31:37 | More by sudsy2drunk

Scalawags

Illinois

4.5/5 rDev +3%

06-18-2013 16:02:58 | More by Scalawags

earljones199

New Hampshire

4.5/5 rDev +3%

06-18-2013 15:04:05 | More by earljones199

b2611

Pennsylvania

4.25/5 rDev -2.7%

06-18-2013 14:30:35 | More by b2611

RyV

California

4/5 rDev -8.5%

06-18-2013 06:03:33 | More by RyV

Jpirkle2715

California

4.75/5 rDev +8.7%

06-18-2013 01:55:48 | More by Jpirkle2715

KyleMA

California

4.75/5 rDev +8.7%

06-17-2013 23:51:12 | More by KyleMA

atinman

California

4.25/5 rDev -2.7%

06-17-2013 23:24:40 | More by atinman

thegoon55

South Carolina

4.25/5 rDev -2.7%

06-17-2013 21:33:53 | More by thegoon55

Premo88

Texas

3.69/5 rDev -15.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bomber poured into stout glass

L: black with 1/3-inch-plus tan head ... darker tan for the head, which laces well; it really is dang near black with only the very edges/bottom showing amber when held up to light

S: massive chocolate

T: booze ... and lots of it. chocolate and coffee notes but almost masked by an alcohol presence that comes off as dark red wine at times, as vodka at others.

F: solid all around

O: fantastic taste notes, a good nose and great show, but so much alcohol that it's too much. there is nothing hidden about the booze in this one. a fine brew if you like boozy beers. for me, the bomber is too much -- a 12 oz. bottle would be a better fit.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 19:56:04 | More by Premo88