Ivan The Great - Brau Brothers Brewing Co. LLC

jera1350

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Slick looking solid black with just a thin ring of brown foam around the edge of the tulip. Some lace is left clinging.

The nose has an off almost sour smell to it with some black licorice, molasses and earth. Hint of vanilla in there?

Strong flavor. Has a rye like sourness to it with tobacco, some coffee and alcohol with a strong hop bitterness. Quite boozy actually. Really a pretty harsh RIS at this point. Would be good to let this one sit a while to round out the rough edges.

Feels way too thin for this style of beer. Has a slick feel to it with plenty of warm alcohol.

A 3.5 at this point, but I think this one could improve if aged. Very interesting take on the style. Can't say I've had one with this type of flavor profile, especially in the hop department.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 03:38:20 | More by jera1350

tobelerone

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-11-2013 02:03:17 | More by tobelerone

griffeyb

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -22.7%

05-08-2013 17:56:26 | More by griffeyb

DersOne

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-02-2013 19:50:22 | More by DersOne

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

thanks for the extra beer from hopazoid!

poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: black bodied beer with 2 fingers of frothy tan head. The head on the beer has really good staying power and leaves a coating lace on the side of the glass.

Smell: Roasty, milk chocolates/ lactose note, coffee creamer, fruity esters, anise, and a hint of leather.

Taste: starts off with an aggressive roasty earthy bitterness reminds me of a breakfast blend coffee thats has over the top earthy notes. Liquid smoke and some milk chocolates. The finish is moderately roasty and fruity with notes of black licorice and tobacco hiding in the back.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. The beer is a little bit thin, but its nothing distracting. Not boozey at all; abv is well hidden.

Overall: Nice and enjoyable RIS. Nothing mindblowing, but I would not be scared to pick up more of this beer. Really nice offering from Brau Bros!

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 05:34:08 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Ilafan

Minnesota

4.34/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

This little brewery out in Nowheresville, Minnesota is really starting to impress this fat beer drinker! I really liked their Moo Joos Milk Stout, and this Ivan the Great Russian Imperial is impressive, too.

I love it when a beer is nuanced yet balanced. This beer has that. It has both the "sting" of a hoppy IPA and the cream of a typical stout. It's a very nice combination here, and I am impressed with the creativity of it.

I look forward to more delicious beer from this upstart.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 16:04:44 | More by Ilafan

Beerontwowheels

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

04-16-2013 16:00:33 | More by Beerontwowheels

Eric908

South Dakota

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-05-2013 23:45:00 | More by Eric908

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

04-03-2013 01:17:20 | More by King_KongDCO93

Cramerican

North Dakota

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

04-02-2013 03:21:06 | More by Cramerican

zekeman17

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-31-2013 01:00:07 | More by zekeman17

Mdog

Minnesota

4.06/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Black, big head.

Smell: Bitter chalky dark chocolate, smoky note.

Taste: Dark chocolate, mild bitterness. Bit of coffee, very well balanced.

Overall: Picked up a single to give this one a try. It's pretty good. I prefer my RIS to be a little sweeter than this, but it is well made and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 21:05:20 | More by Mdog

2Cents

Nebraska

3.7/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

L. Black as oil with a thin caramel colored head. The lacing sticks around a little while.
At 9.5% there are plenty of alcohol legs.

F. The mouth feel is pretty thick with just enough carbonation. The Alcohol presence is apparent but not over powering.

S. Pretty much your standard R.I.S: Chocolate, Coffee, Licorice and leather. The first bottle I opened was loaded with yeast esters, this one not so much.

T. Roasted malts, caramel, leather and coffee flavors at first, then a grassy, astringent hop taste slides down the tongue and dominates the after taste,

O. This is very close to being a very good American R.I.S but the hops don't quite seat with the malt combo. That's to bad because I like a brewery that grows all of there own Hops and grains on sight and, at least tries to thinks outside the box on hop and grain combos.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 06:27:20 | More by 2Cents

KWMiles

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-18-2013 18:01:11 | More by KWMiles

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice.

Appearance: Pours pitch black with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of deep tan head that slowly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a lot of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A sweet and roasty stout aroma with lots of molasses and earthy hops. Dark roasted malts with hints of chocolate, burnt toast, coffee, caramel, toffee, cream, nut, yeast, and smoke. Lots of molasses and some pretty big hints of anise licorice spicing. A little tobacco and leather. Bigger hints of hops than usual for a stout. Good hints of earthy hops and grass. Decent aroma.

Taste: Follows the nose, although the roasty chocolate flavors are kind of tame for the style. Dark malts with some notes of burnt toast, chocolate, coffee, cream, caramel, toffee, and yeast. Burnt, smoked malt and some notes of leather and tobacco. Sweet molasses and anise spice giving notes of licorice. Very earthy with some good notes of grass. A decent taste overall.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, slick, and pretty smooth. Kind of thin for an imperial stout.

Overall: A decent stout overall with a nice hop presence, but could of been more roasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 06:35:35 | More by MattyG85

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A - Solid black with a very small creamy mocha head.

S - Sweet malt, fruity, anise, caramel, molasses, light roasted malt.

T - Molasses, burnt coffee, bitter chocolate, slightly sour, hoppy finish. Slightly harsh.

M - Somewhat thin with low carbonation.

D - Enjoyed the Rye Wyne but not really this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 21:38:42 | More by brewcrew76

gdornfeld

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-14-2013 22:59:26 | More by gdornfeld

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have found good ol' Brau Brothers to be lacking oh a little sweetness generally for my taste, but I am impressed with this stout. Looks good, smells good, and tastes really good in my book. A strong classic RIS flavor of deep strong bitter sweetness that seemed like an amalgamation of heavy strong dark fruits, coffee chocolate flavors resulting in something resembling old fashioned candies and a luscious black licorice. Pretty smooth beer that was not the thickest in history, but no problem here. Strong 4 star plus stout for me. I would like to try this beer again and compare it head to head with Rasputin or Samuel Smith RIS. See how good it is. I think it will compare well.

Drink this stout with a rousing rendition of Larry Coryell's solo guitar "A Rite of Spring."

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2013 02:01:43 | More by frankiepop

Philly82785

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +16%

03-11-2013 17:50:58 | More by Philly82785

SaxmanRick

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-07-2013 19:16:14 | More by SaxmanRick

KC9LDB

Illinois

5/5  rDev +28.9%

03-04-2013 04:23:30 | More by KC9LDB

stpaulsipper07

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +16%

03-01-2013 00:50:09 | More by stpaulsipper07

CHADMC3

Connecticut

3.81/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a robust midnight body beneath the one inch dark tan head which quickly dissolves to leave a thin, sticky lacing.

The aroma offers roasted malt and hints of lactic milk chocolate.

The flavor is much more robust with generous roasted malt, rich coffee and espresso, and touches if bitter dark chocolate and black licorice.

This RIS offers a pretty meaty body with medium carbonation and a hearty roasted finish.

This was a nice imperial stout, perhaps a bit heavy on the roast but for a coffee fan such as myself it is quite good.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 02:06:50 | More by CHADMC3

morimech

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Solid black in appearance with a massive tan head that had excellant retention before settling to a thick cap. Heavy lacing is left down the glass.

Straight forward imperial stout aroma of roasted malt, coffee, cocoa, and leather. The beer boasts a lot of IBUs but not much for hop aroma. I do get some herbal qualities.

Big roasted malt flavors and hop bitterness. Slightly smokey and leathery. Also get some coffee, tobacco, and bitter chocolate. The hops give this a herbal/earthy quality. Firmly on the bitter, not sweet side of the spectrum.

The body is the weakest part of the beer. Just does not feel full enough for an almost 10% ABV stout. It does have great carbonation however with a smooth texture.

Impressive straight forward stout. Might be worthwhile to keep one around to age and see what happens. I hope they brew this annually.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 19:25:10 | More by morimech

bigbeers84

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

02-23-2013 08:48:25 | More by bigbeers84