Raven's Eye Imperial Stout - Eel River Brewing Co.

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown color, not much highlighting in the dark bar. Fluffy head is espresso-foam-tinted with good stick in the goblet. Nose is very darkly roasted with notes of dark fruit alongside the molasses.

Herbal and somewhat pungent, there are notes of pine, citric zest, and anise along with the coffee. Dark, ripe fruit notes emanate all over this one, though, stealing the show with rotting apple, plum, and fig.

The body is smooth and creamy, but not great. Very good. With warming, I liked it a little more, but still a little thin for such a bombastic style, and for the amount of flavor packed into it.

Bottom line: worthy RIS and the best Eel River beer I'm aware of.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2010 02:46:05 | More by BretSikkink

AdmiralDiaz

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very dark brown almost black. Small brown head with poor retention.

S: Roasted malts with chocolate and a lot of sweetness.

T: Very mellow (for the style) Roasted malts with an almost fruity sweetness ending with a nice chocolate. Good hop balance overall.

Overall: Good smooth and well carbonated mouthfeel. Pretty drinkable for the style, but the sweetness would get old after a bit. First from the brewer and I really enjoyed it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2009 06:00:28 | More by AdmiralDiaz

Overlord

California

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black, thin tan head. Smells ... like molasses.

Taste has a bunch of molasses, burnt sugar, some roasted malt and a bit of chocolate ... pretty overwhelmed by the sugariness. Almost no aroma.

Fairly thin mouthfeel, but creamy. Decent, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2009 11:17:24 | More by Overlord

charlzm

California

3.4/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Consumed at Lucky Baldwin's, 07/02/08.

Extremely dark clear brown, bordering on black. Ruby highlights around the edges. A one finger tan foam head reduced to a thin circle of foam with almost no lacing fairly quickly.

Aroma is reminiscent of red wine.

A little sticky as it glides into the mouth, this beer can best be described as a mild cherry cordial. Smooth and a little chocolaty with a subtle sweet cherry flavor in the aftertaste. Restrained flavor.

Drinkability suffers somewhat due to a one-note flavor and (in this case), overcarbonation. However, the relatively high alcohol content is utterly masked; I would have guessed this as a 5% ABV.

I might try it again, but it won't be a first choice.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2008 00:33:35 | More by charlzm

vurt

California

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A welcome surprise at Lucky Baldwin's this evening. Enjoyed on-tap in a pint glass.

Appearance:
Very dark brown, opaque at the top of the pint glass, but ruby highlights are visible at the bottom. This beer is not on a nitro-tap, but the creamy beige head on top of the beer is still nitro-dense and rich.

Smell:
Not much going on here, even after it warms up. Some dark-roasted malt, with notes of semi-sweet chocolate morsels and coffee with lots of cream. A slight buttery note which has me concerned about diacetyl.

Taste:
Oh this is tasty! Bittersweet from the start, and full of dark chocolate. The middle is filled with lush notes of caramel and raisins, with an ever-so-slightly salty edge. Coffee and roasted malts fill the finish, which lasts and lasts. As the beer warms I get hints of smoke, maple, walnuts, and dates.

Mouthfeel:
Rich, full-bodied, and sticky, with some viscosity. Chewy and satisfying. Good level of carbonation keeps the beer from getting syrupy.

Drinkability:
The tap handle just says "Ravens Eye Organic Stout." Halfway through my first pint, I'm thinking it might be a foreign export or a double stout. So much flavor, with such a rich mouthfeel. It's only after I get close to the bottom of my second pint that I start to realize how strong this beer really is. Good thing I'm using public transit tonight. This stout is wonderfully, effortlessly drinkable. More, please.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2008 05:21:39 | More by vurt

dnichols

Washington

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I was served this beer at the Portland, Oregon Spring Beer Festival on March 21, 2008.

A: It poured a dark black body with a robust and sticky caramel head. The head retained well and supported a dense curtain of lacing.

S: It gave off a strong aroma of charred coffee laced with baker's chocolate.

T: It began with the flavor of baker's chocolate (sweet and biting) followed by strong campfire coffee flavored by dark ripe fruits. There were hints of alcohol and a touch of sour-bitter aftertaste.

M: It was a medium to full bodied beer with a sharp biting body and reasonably clean finish. There was a swarm and bitter aftertaste.

D: One bottle would be enough for an evening. Best consumed in the winter and when other better stouts are available.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2008 22:07:05 | More by dnichols

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tap@Eel River. Rich and sweet, with some welcomed acidity and bitterness, oily, licoricy, roasted, long finish, good stuff. Not a style i generally mark low anyway, so most of the time its gonna get an OK score, but this was a middle of the road imperial stout, tasty stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2005 19:27:35 | More by rastaman

RootedFool

California

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bought a pint of this at the brewery.

Pours an impervious black with a chocolate milk head.

Smell is of burnt chocolate, coffee, and subtle malts in the background.

Taste and mouthfeel:

hop bitterness leads the way, followed by burnt chocolate, coffee, and a very nice alcohol warmth throughout my throat and stomach; but not over-powering. Mouthfeel is creamy, as expected.

Loved it!

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2004 02:35:27 | More by RootedFool

beerguy101

California

4.2/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown color, creamy head. A full-bodied nitrogen-conditioned Russian Imperial Stout. Deeply roasted malts. Nice hop balance. Chocolate and coffee flavor. Very smooth taste, Nice flavor. Big and expansive. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and very smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter. No alcohol bite despite a 9.5%. Excellent stout.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2003 02:06:40 | More by beerguy101

acevenom

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a large snifter glass. The beer pours black with a thick tan head that retreats slowly. There are lots of visible bubbles along the side of the glass. There are aromas of dark roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, and some alcohol sweetness. Overall, it's a standard aroma profile for an imperial stout. The chocolate and roasted malt flavors are forward with a touch of alcohol. There's just a touch of coffee in the taste, but there's not much of a big roastiness there. The body is full with moderate to strong carbonation. This helps the beer finish a little dryer and makes it easier to drink, which is dangerous for a drink where some of the alcohol can be tasted. This is a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:09:22 | More by acevenom

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a nice black pour with two fingers of tan head, patchy lacing. smells of licorice, toasted grains, chocolate. the flavor is very roasty and bitter.. lots of licorice, toasted grains, dark cacao. medium body on the heavy side with modest amount of carbonation for the style. there is a smell of alcohol, but you don't taste or feel it for the most part. a nice imperial stout, nothing out of the ordinary, but very nice to sit down and relax with a bomber.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:32:09 | More by facundoCNB

Jemonster

California

3.49/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pretty recognizable as an imperial stout. High clarity given the color. I can't see light through it, so that's a good sign. Black. The meniscus is cocoa brown. No head, save for a slightly tan ring.

S: Malts of course. Faintly sweet smelling with some alcohol present.

T: Molasses, chocolate malt, toasted grains, some bittering hops that are *just* there enough to balance some of the sweetness. Cocoa, prunes, and raisins. Fades quickly from my palate. ABV shows through a little too much for the lighter flavors.

M: Drier than expected. Thinner body than some others I've had, and with more carbonation. Still round and creamy however.

O: Probably shouldn't be drinking 22 ounces of this, but it's pretty good! Probably will pass this over in the future for better RIS's though.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:33:25 | More by Jemonster

mikechance

California

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasting from a 22 oz bottle on 11/30/12

A ---- deep mahogany black, little to no head, and thick

S --- black licorice, malt, vanilla, sweetness

T --- chocolate, brown sugar, cherry, vanilla, and woodiness

M --- full bodied, nice carbonation, creamy

O --- I like it a lot!

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 03:28:09 | More by mikechance

Vancoubeer

Washington

4.35/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Grabbed a bottle tonight. I have been looking at this one for some time. I have no idea how old it is but at the near by beer cave these puppies have been sitting on a bottom shelf for over a year. Which is nice due to the 9.5% this should age well. Pouring out of the bottle the liquid is a dark brown and as it settles into the glass it becomes black as night with barely a hint of light causing a brownish ring around the top once the khaki thin head, about half a finger deep (I did not tip my glass) after a straight pour into the glass. The smell was expected. A deep roastyness mixed with what seemed to be almost like a sweet dark fruit mixed with dark chocolate. Very nice. At first sip it was stout bitterness mixed with the roasted malt and that dark bitter cooking chocolate like taste. Excellent. It appears to be very smooth. No alcohol whats so ever in the taste. This has aged well and its obvious that this is not fresh but in a good way. What a steal I got here. The mouthfeel is full bodied. Its thick yet dry to the finish. This has to be one of my top 10 stouts of all time from America. I was quite impressed with this and overall I have to say this is one I will buy again. Its really good and for my options in the Portland, Oregon beer scene that says a lot.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 06:02:22 | More by Vancoubeer

beergoot

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Opaque, dark body capped with a thick, creamy tan head. A variety of smells: sweet chocolate, vanilla, dark fruit, slightly burnt grains, twinge of alcohol. Burnt toast and bittersweet taste, a bitter undercurrent mixed with some alcohol flavor. Smooth, creamy feel; buttery; medium-heavy body; soft carbonation; some alcohol heat.

A very good imperial stout. Depth and complexity, nicely balanced. Hits all the marks and comes across as a top-notch big beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 01:19:50 | More by beergoot

Jayman931

Mississippi

4.03/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle served in a snifter

Dark dark brown with a head that dissappeared quickly

Smells of vanilla and caramel...mild though

Taste is great...chocolate with a very mild malt caramel ending

Nice lingering..not super thick for an imperial...overall very nice

Definitely will buy it again..6 bucks for a bomber is a great deal

Cheers

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 03:46:25 | More by Jayman931

artdob

California

4.18/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark black - initial head subsides quickly, with small amounts of brown foam lingering on top.

Aroma is wonderful. Sweet chocolate, anise, light black pepper notes. Fudge brownie all around as well. And this is before tasting - can't wait to dive in.

Taste - lots going on here. Sweet malt, Dark caramel, bitterweet cocoa, lingering light bitterness. Much to appreciate here.

Mouthfeel has decent amount of carbonation without being over the top for the style.

Overall, I am really enjoying this one and could see revisiting it if found locally. I picked this up at a Whole Foods in Sebastopol California while on vacation. Plus it is certified organic - cool and giving consideration for this bonus feature in my overall rating. In the Imperial Stout category, Old Rasputin is still king of the hill for me but in absence of finding that, I wouldn't hesitate to spend time with this brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 02:30:07 | More by artdob

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.1/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Raven’s Eye Imperial Stout has a medium, tan head and a very dark brown, with ruby highlights, appearance. Lacing is minimal. The aroma is of sour, dark-roasted barley malt and dark coffee and chicory. Taste is of dark coffee, dark chocolate, dark cherries, licorice, fudge, sourness, and chicory. The mouthfeel is heavy, slick, and smooth, and Eel River Raven’s Eye Imperial Stout finishes heavy, dense, wet, and very drinkable.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 14:28:02 | More by RonaldTheriot

kojevergas

California

3.38/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a hard plastic cup in me friends gaff in Palo Alto, California. Acquired at a local BevMo. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a two finger head of tan colour, great thickness, great cream, and good retention. Colour is a solid black.

Sm: Nuts, chocolate, cream, milk, and caramel. A moderate strength aroma. A simple aroma for the style.

T: Chocolate, nuts, caramel, milk, roasted barley, and maybe toffee. Enjoyable and pretty complex. I quite like it.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some cream. A bit off for a stout, but nice nonetheless.

Dr: Drinkable for the ABV. I'd like to try it on draught or nitro. A nice little imperial stout.

B-

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 03:18:20 | More by kojevergas

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a pretty large imperial stout. pours nearly black with a frothy off white head. smells like espresso and burnt sugary malt. flavor is big coffee up front with a slow wave of roasty bready grain and booze washing over the palate. mouthfeel is fair, plenty of bubbles and a medium body, it could stand to be a little fuller, might balance out the intense flavors a little better. overal a good imperial stout, one bomber is enough for a hefty buzz!

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 22:37:10 | More by StonedTrippin

SawDog505

New Hampshire

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a 20 oz giant Duvel tulip glass. Pours very black with a dark tan 3 inch head, settles slow into a film of bubbles. Little lacing. Smell is roasted coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruits, and some molasses. Taste has some of those qualities, but less chocolate and coffee than the smell led on. Raisins and fig are the dominant flavors, some booze. Body is on the larger side, with a good amount of carbonation for it's large abv. Probably on the dry side and fairly easy drinking. This is a solid imperial stout, different in many ways than many I have had. I say a must try for stout lovers.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 19:02:13 | More by SawDog505

kjlued

North Carolina

2.65/5  rDev -29%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This is the furthest thing from what I know a stout to be.
though it is not a bad beer, it not only looks like a cloudy pepsi when you pour it, the fizzing makes it sound like one too.

I told myself not to buy it, as I usually find organic beers to be less favorable but I wanted to keep an open mind.

Like I said, it is not a bad beer, just do not open it and expect a real stout. This beer probably would have gotten a better rating if it was not expecting an Imperial Stout.

Need to add an edit because this is a beer that gets worse with each sip. Not a sink dumper, but will never buy it again and most likely will never buy another beer from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 12:48:10 | More by kjlued

EricCioe

Montana

4.15/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This pours almost-black brown with a nice, tightly frothy espresso crema two finger head with good retention but no lace. On the nose there are fresh-ground coffee beans mixing with baker's chocolate and a big roasted malt backbone. In the mouth the chocolate makes itself present both as taste and especially in texture, ultra-creamy and good. The coffee burbles out from under the chocolate and the roasted flavors. A long finish heavy on the slightly bitter roasted notes.

Overall, this is a fine beer, much better than I was expecting given the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 01:44:32 | More by EricCioe

palmdalethriller

California

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a deep dark black with a hint of brown with a tan/brown head that foamed up about the size of a finger or two then dissipated pretty steadily, leaving watery suds on the side of the glass.

S - MMMM, dark chocolate with a hint of fruit - plums maybe, or appricot.

T - Not as much roast flavor as I had expected from the smell. A sweet, chocolaty start followed with a bitter finish. The hops were noticeable, but not extremely pleasant as they combined with the dark malts to give a somewhat unpleasant and harsh aftertaste.

M - Thick, but not chewy. About what an Imp Stout should be.

O - The smell was lovely, and it drank extremely well for a strong beer. If it weren't for that acrid aftertaste this would be a marvelous brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 00:27:58 | More by palmdalethriller

FARGO619

California

1.85/5  rDev -50.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

A: Dark, just how I like them, but man what an awful beer. Good head retention. I was hoping for more.

S: Flat, and sticky. Syrup from mugginess would describe it.

T: This was gross. It was stale and tart with a dark sugarish musk that would not go away. It just got worse with every sip. I felt bad pouring it down the drain. For an IMP STOUT this was disappointing.

O: I'm hoping it was a bad batch. The price was good, but this one I am going to pass on.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 19:08:28 | More by FARGO619