Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout - Stone Brewing Co.

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BA SCORE
80
good
-
815 Ratings

rAvg: 3.5
pDev: 22%
Reviews: 432
Hads: 383

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Brewed by:
Stone Brewing Co.

California, United States

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 10.50% ABV

Availability: Rotating. bottle (395), on-tap (36), growler (1).

Notes:
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.

No notes at this time.

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Reviews

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Reviews by falloutsnow:

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.78/5 rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From: Friar Tuck's, Savoy, IL
Date: None on bottle, purchased in 2010
Glass: Tulip

Stone's BARIS is a unique offering, blending fairly noticeable anise flavor (for me at least, even in a two year-old bottle) with a traditional stout chocolate and roasted flavors, as well as using a Belgian yeast to impart above-average raisin and prune esters for the style (I'm guessing). The resulting beer is, to me, quite good (but I like anise), though I found the ethanol presence to be too noticeable as the beer warmed, which detracted from my overall enjoyment. Still, one I'd like to try again, particularly fresh.

Pours a 2cm head of dark tan to brown foam, densely packed, small bubbles on bottom with medium-sized ones persisting on the top. Head has above-average retention, lasting a few minutes and leaving some substantial spiderwebs of lace on the glass as it descends to a thick ring around the glass and a thin island of foam atop the body. Body is an opaque dark brown to black color, carbonation is not visible either in the center or through the sides of the glass.

Aroma primarily of roasted malt (charred toast) with notes of chocolate, anise, and sweet, dried fruit (prune and raisin) esters. Ethanol lingers in the background, but has mellowed, two years in.

Flavors are similar to the aroma with front of the palate picking up chocolate, charred grains, and anise, leading into a mid-palate that features stronger roasted malt flavors with equally strong prune and raisin essence, with anise that cuts through, though does not distract (for me) from the main elements of the stout. Ethanol is also present. Back of palate notes an increase in the prune and raisin-like esters slightly, but still well-balanced by the roasted malt and chocolate nuances. Ethanol flavor in the back of the palate becoming increasingly strong as the beer warms, detracting a bit from each sip as the flavor lingers. Lingering aftertaste of chocolate, burnt grains, anise, and ethanol.

Beer's body is heavy, with mid-level carbonation that creates a thick and slightly foamy mouthfeel. Alcohol burn noticeable from mid-palate onwards, particularly in nostrils and throat. Finish is dry, with slight stickiness around the palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 06:07:32 | More by falloutsnow

More User Reviews:

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.95/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As the next of Stone’s “Odd Year” releases continues to roll out, we figured we would finally tap into their 2011 stock. We crack the top and pour a brew of the darkest browns, letting only a speck of light through at the bottom, into our shiny new Founders’ snifters. It holds a two finger head of creamy, foamy hot chocolate colored bubbles, showing excellent retention. Swiss cheese lacing is left around the glass as it goes at a turtle’s pace, eventually leaving an island of only the biggest bubbles at the center of the liquid. No haze or sediment is noted, and carbonation appears to be moderate. The nose is bright and heavy, with thick milk chocolate syrups, cocoa powder, bittered licorice, spicy clove and anise, big cereal grain, thickly roasted chocolate malts, malted milk balls, light coffees, soft diacetyls, cooling vanilla twang, earthy honey, and root beer sweetness. With warmth comes that hearty booziness, tinny metallics, dried woody oak, and more of a smoky char to the malts. Our first impression is that the flavoring shows much more soured acidity than expected, offering an interesting contrast to the dark and brooding malt base. As we sip, the taste opens with soured Belgian yeast, limey citric rind, lactic acidity, and biting cherry syrups that border on cloying. Crashing in comes the malt bill, with depth of roasted chocolate and coffee malts a mile deep, light smokiness, faint leathers, and straight milk chocolate fondue. The peak comes through with surprising citric and grassy hop notes, along with continued base of char and chocolate, milk and dark chocolate shavings, toasted cereal grain, and white sugars. Washing through the finish is a revival of the depth of the beginning, with black cherry fruitiness, plum, soured yeast pucker, charred roast, dry grassy hops, cereal grain, fusel booze, and general sweetness of chocolate and milkiness. The aftertaste breathes of oakiness for really the first time in the tasting, vanilla skins, red wine grape skins, dried anise, black pepper, raw licorice, burnt caramel, roasty chocolate malts, fusel booze, and that soured Belgian yeastiness. The body is full, and the carbonation is light to medium. Each sip gives frothy slurp, cream, sip, and pop, with the lips left sticky and coated. The mouth is slickly coated, giving way to eventual chalk astringency across the hard palate. The abv is appropriate, and the beer sips well.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this beer was its beautiful look and aroma. From the pour, you are given a beer strong in color, with a robust and contributory head. The aroma follows nicely, giving a serious blend of anise spice, simultaneously sweetly and richly roasted malts, and the booziness. Each filler note, as well, burst through the seams, affording general bigness to the entire event. There was no mystery as to why each note was in its place. The taste was a bit lighter, but showed a new side to the beer as the yeasty sourness took off. The oak was lost, but that was probably due, in part, to its age. This is a great take on a fantastic base IRS, with each sip and whiff taking you deeper and deeper.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 02:29:44 | More by TheBrewo

acurtis

New Jersey

3.25/5 rDev -7.1%

05-19-2013 13:58:38 | More by acurtis

SHODriver

California

4/5 rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

finally got around to drinking this one, it spent a lot of time in the fridge so it aged slower

A: pours black with a quarter inch of light tan head that fades to a collar around the edge of the snifter
S: smells of black licorice. the anise really dominates the nose so all I'm getting it that with a hint of roasted malt. very long and lingering finish
T: tastes of anise, roasted barley, molasses, and more anise. swallow is more anise, roasted barley, chocolate, and coffee
M: thick in the mouth with soft carbonation and a slightly drying finish
O: not sure what to think of this beer. age seems to have done it well as while the anise is there it isn't overpowering although it does dominate the drink. Id have liked for the flavors that came out in the swallow to be present when the beer was still in the mouth though. I couldn't pick up the oak or the belgian yeast though.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 04:25:58 | More by SHODriver