Russian Gun Imperial Stout - Grand River Brewing

AddyCanuck

Ontario (Canada)

3.46/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Can't say much other than I couldn't see through the bottle.

S - Roasted malts and slight chocolate where all I could pick up.

T - Really bitter dark chocolate taste. Has a slight burnt taste to it. Bitter follow through. The alcohol taste is a bit overpowering.

M - Dry and very easy to drink.

O - It's a good stout. I don't recommend drinking it by itself. Have a heart tomato based meal with it.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 04:00:08 | More by AddyCanuck

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled Dec 5th, 2012
Consumed while homemade bread was rising Jan 6th, 2013.

Oily black, totally opaque pour with a 3 finger dense tan head. Gobs of lacing on the side of the glass.

Dark chocolate, burnt coffee and the molasses added really stand out in this. It smells much better than I remembered from the first time I had it years ago. Slight sweetness of raw sugar with a touch of licorice.

Burnt coffee, dark bitter chocolate (85%+) very little sweetness coming from the molasses. Good sipper with zero alcohol present.

Medium body, low carbonation. Really sticky on the lips.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:10:54 | More by korguy123

lwadd

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up from the local lcbo over the Christmas holidays. Poured very black, with a thin head that dissipated quickly. The initial flavourful was rich with, I think, burnt coffee and toffee. The after taste was a little on the bitter side for me.

All in all, I would drink this again, but I feel I've had better. I had it on it's own though, and it might have been better paired with a nice holiday meal.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:02:22 | More by lwadd

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle from the LCBO; bottled on Nov 13 2012. This is one of the few 'major' Grand River brews that I haven't managed to get my hands on until now. I've never had anything truly disappointing from this brewery, so hopefully the aggregate review score bodes well for the continuance of that streak. This bottle was listed at 8.0%, and served only slightly chilled.

Pours an opaque black colour, with only a few brown highlights under the light. Atop the liquid is seated slightly more than one finger's width of silky, creamy, beige-coloured head - almost looks like a melted marshmallow, but with a little more tan colouration. Retention is very good; it takes well over 10 minutes to seep away, leaving behind a thin, foamy cap, collar, and a few rings of sticky lacing. The aroma is enticing, and is comprised mostly of molasses, roasted nuts/barley malt, butterscotch, and a few hints of dark fruit. A pleasant smokiness and some spice underlies this bouquet, adding an additional layer of depth.

Tasty stuff, though perhaps not as complex as the aroma suggested to me - it starts off with a solid dose of roasted, biscuity malts, molasses, cocoa, and some scant undertones of charred coffee grinds and smoke. Earthy, herbal hop notes and spiciness come through toward the finish, with the roasted character of the malts combining with these factors to produce an exceptionally bitter finish. Lingering bitterness and roasted character hangs around on the palate after each sip. On the heftier side of medium-bodied, but not quite full, with restrained carbonation that helps cut through the bitterness without becoming a distraction. The booze never really comes into play. Not as thick on the palate as it could be, but the creaminess (thanks to the long-lasted head) gives it a silky, luxurious mouthfeel that I absolutely love.

Final Grade: 4.08, an impressive A-. One of the best beers in Grand River's portfolio, their 2012 Russian Gun Imperial Stout is a satisfying, full-flavoured brew that I wouldn't hesitate to pick up more of in the future. It's not easy to find a good RIS around here, but this is a solid choice that falls right up my alley - with its relatively low abv, smooth mouthfeel and pleasant, drying finish that contrasts nicely with the big malt flavours. I would definitely take this over Wellington's RIS, and will probably pick up a few more bottles before 2013 is upon us. Well worth trying for anyone seeking out a 'bigger' stout that won't have you slurring your speech after the first bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 19:43:21 | More by thehyperduck

jaz58

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The first time having this beer. Enjoyed in a pint glass.

Thin head which dissipated quickly.

A good dark espresso colour. You couldn't see through it.

Nice toffee, coffee flavour with a small hint of hops. Silky malt.

Bitters were rough and excessive.

I've had a lot of smoother stouts.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 21:53:05 | More by jaz58

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.15/5  rDev -41.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Got this one in a trade last summer, though I can't remember for the life of me who it was. Cheers to whoever you are!

From a 500ml bottle into a snifter
Bottled 5 January 2011

Note: Put this one up against Wellington's RIS in an epic Battle of Ontario!

APPEARANCE: Clear, thin brown pour yields a large, three finger, looser looking, foamy, light tan head with good retention. Bistre brown in color with higher levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a thick cap, then a good wisp remains until the end and leaves lots of chunky lacing down the glass. Too thin a body, and the chunky lacing isn't all that appealing.

SMELL: Yeasty notes, dark fruits and a hint of cocoa powder. Spicy more than anything. Starting to oxidize as well.

TASTE: Yeasty and spicy once more, with a hint of caramel malts. Some spicy pepper, herbal notes, and a touch of bitterness at the swallow. Milder and shorter aftertaste is slightly oxidized, but some bitter cocoa powder and spicy yeast notes do show up, while cardboard hangs around the whole time. Not very nice.

PALATE: Medium body and higher levels of carbonation. Light on the palate but still creamy enough, goes down fine and finishes slightly dry on the palate.

OVERALL: This was lousy at best. If it's not already starting to oxidize, which would be amazing after a year and a half, then it was simply a bad beer from the start. Drain didn't even like it all that much. Nothing to see here folks. Massive loser in the Battle of Ontario...

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 20:25:13 | More by Jeffo

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a nice jet black color to it. It has a nice bubbly tan head that dies down moderately and leaves nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, dark fruit and piney hops.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a nice roasty character to it with hints of coffee and chocolate, some dark fruit and piney hops. Moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel but it's a bit watery for a RIS.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 19:21:47 | More by SebD

WeedKing4

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours jer black with a small amount of caramal foam. Tastes quite roasty, with some smoke and chocolate notes coming through. Its not to thin, and it drinks down pretty good for being 8.5%. Considering this is from Ontario, its not that bad of a imperial stout. This brewery can make some decent beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 00:47:35 | More by WeedKing4

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.18/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Black body, with a monster head. Looks like a marshmallow and it won’t go away. Roasted metallic dark fruity aroma. Bittersweet, roast, chocolate. Creamy, not too full, but pleasant. Overall, a decent stout. Glad to have tried it, but nothing I'd seek out regularly.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 21:53:51 | More by EgadBananas

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml Bottle from the LCBO

Appearance - Black/brown colour with an average size fizzy light brown head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes.

Smell - Malts, chocolate, roasted/toasted nuts

Taste & Mouth - There is low amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate, and grains. There is also some hops mixed with a strong burnt/bitter taste. It ends with a bitter hop and burnt coffee aftertaste.

Overall - At first I wasn't crazy about just how bitter this beer seemed to finish. Towards the end I was enjoying it a little bit more, but it still seemed to be off. It was also a little too thin for a RIS. I wouldn't buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 20:01:16 | More by spinrsx

MattyV

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Surprised and happy to see this made it as far as east as my local LCBO. Bottled 4 days ago, so pretty darn fresh stuff.

Pours an almost opaque dark brown/black colour with faint tawny highlights when held up to light. Thin but creamy khaki head leaves lots of lacing. Aroma's pretty standard (but faint) with notes of cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, and caramel. Taste follows the nose in general, but with roasty/bitter flavours taking center stage. Finish is very dry, which I tend to like.
Body's a bit thin but with nice lively carbonation. Highly drinkable, but I yearn for a bit more richness throughout.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 06:08:12 | More by MattyV

Foddz

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A nice black pour with deep, dark mahogany edges. 1 finger of nice creamy head with decent retention, leaves plenty of lacing as it recedes.

S: Roasted coffee notes, dark chocolate and a little bit of smoke are predominant in the nose. Some subtle dark, dried fruit as well underneath. Perhaps even a roasted nut character in there.

T: Lots of dark tastes here! Coffee, chocolate, soy sauce, smokey charcoal. On the sweeter end there's prunes, dates and raisin. A little nuttiness as well, but I cant quite place the type. Hops give a floral/citrusy kick towards the end. Nicely bitter. Aftertaste is lingering hops and some burnt notes. A little bit of alcohol harshness marrs an otherwise excellent palate

M: Smooth and a pleasant substance to it. Carbonation gives a nice tingle. Alcohol again makes its presence known with a lingering burn. Leaves mouth sticky and wet with saliva after swallowing from the savoury roasted flavours.

O/D: A pleasant, complex stout that encourages one to drink deep to sample the subtleties of its varied palate, only to give you a bit of a slap with some of the harsher notes and aggressive hopping. The 8% ABV certainly hits home, too. Not the best stout I've ever had but I'd still recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 04:08:46 | More by Foddz

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Near pitch-black with a deep mahogany hue when held up to light. Tall two-finger marshmallow head that takes on a dirty tan colour. Commendable retention and good lacing.

S: Caramel, dark fruits (cherries, plums, dates), dark chocolate, and hints of espresso. Quite enticing, albeit slightly subdued and not quite as rich as benchmark imperial stouts.

T: Dark fruits, caramel-like malts, noticeable bitter herbal hop presence, and dark chocolate. Alcohol nicely hidden. Quite good but reminds me more of a porter than an RIS.

M: Lighter body than usual for an RIS and an appropriate level of carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel, with very little oily character, and a finishing bitter dryness.

D: Tasty but not quite textbook RIS with a lighter and non-oily body. However, I'm liking the taste profile and will be picking this up again, and will be looking for this on-tap.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 03:23:21 | More by Digimaika2

Kartoffeln

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours nearly black with ruby edges and a big, rocky, tan head of bubbles and dense foam. Solid retention, dissipating to a lopsided, meringue-like cap and leaving loads of frothy lacing behind.

S: Chocolate, biscuit, and some black malts with a buttery caffe mocha character. Caramel, black molasses, cocoa, roasted nuts, and plummy dark fruit notes with a hint of liquorice and floral hops.

T: Chocolate and black malts lead into black coffee, dark chocolate, and cinder toffee notes followed by a subdued wave of dark and candied fruit. Boozy warmth and potently bitter, ashy black malts come through in the finish with a bit of a metallic character.

M: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation (for the style) and slight stickiness. The balance between the flavour profile and enduringly bitter, smoky finish goes beyond dryness and throws things a bit askew.

D: A solid RIS with a charred character worth trying but not really seeking out. It's good as it is, but needs a more robust palate and heavier, silkier body.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 01:07:59 | More by Kartoffeln

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

An excellent imperial stout, one of the best brewed in Ontario (in my opinion)...

Inky black in colour with decent coffee-coloured head. Mouthfeel is pleasant, but lacking the oiliness or silkiness typical of this style. Dark aroma of molasses and roasted malts. Molasses is also predominant in the flavour, with a nicely bitter finish. Alcohol warmth of 8% ABV is only noticeable at the end.

This is a fresh bottle, bottled 19 days ago, and it's surprisingly well balanced. I will definitely be looking forward to enjoying the ones we've cellared later this winter...

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 00:56:06 | More by hopsolutely

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Near black, ruby highlights, 1.5 fingers tan head, lots of lace off of this one. Smell is of roasted malt, coffee, chocolate milk, bittersweet chocolate, fairly hoppy, fudge notes. Taste is roasty and quite bitter, coffee grinds, baking chocolate, light citrusy hop aftertaste, dry with faint liquorice flavours. Medium prickly carbonation, medium body, medium weight. Nice RIS, easy drinking, no alcohol detected at all, a couple months should fade the hop profile a little and make this a little more rounded.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 13:20:16 | More by peensteen

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

8.0% version. Unsure as to whether the recipe has changed or just the ABV.

Pours black with decent head and lacing.

The aroma is of cocoa and a bit of pine from hops. It's pleasant but a bit light.

The flavor is predominantly chocolate with some pine and citrus bitterness. It's not so hoppy that I'd call it a black IPA, but there's enough hops to provide balance to the malt and then a little bit extra. There's a little bit of sweetness with some caramel malt but the flavor is overly bitter and roasty.

The mouthfeel is medium heavy and medium full. The finish is slightly dry and moderately sticky.

Overall, this was a better stout than I was expecting, especially in terms of what's brewed in Ontario. It wasn't extremely complex, but everything done in it was done well. I'll have to try more grand river brews to see if they're done as nicely.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 20:41:14 | More by BBP

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 release, poured a two finger caramel cocoa head, reminiscent of coke, near black body, good retention and lots of sticky lacing

Smell is burnt malt, molasses, coffee, dark bread

Taste follows the nose with some licorice, dark fruit, and a light metallic note (light for this brewery). Booze is well masked.

Medium bodied but light for a RIS, little carbonation and akin to a watery syrup, not overly bitter for the style.

A decent RIS although pales to Wellingotn's version.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 00:02:25 | More by Stocean1

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

2.1/5  rDev -42.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Thanks to Alex (Masterski) for providing this in a recent trade. Alex’s boxes are always very interesting.

A foamy, frothy tan head builds aggressively on top of this beer. Collapses from within. Looks like a coffee milkshake sitting atop the black beer. Lots of sticky lace. Sadly this is the highlight of this beer.

Soy mixed with dark roasted malt and some black licorice.

Oh MY, why is this so metallic? Burnt roasted malt and ash. Charcoal as a matter of fact. Alex mentioned this was a bot if a joke insert in our trade. I deserved that as I sent him a beer from Maine that fit the same billing. Whew… not a great beer here. A much better looking beer vs. the flavor. Milky dirty at the end. My wife says it tastes like blood and water.

Body is way too thin.

Hmm, won’t be having this one again. Just move on.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 00:25:17 | More by Reagan1984

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown with good clarity and little head. Smells quite toasty, like white bread dry toasted, and there is some dry roastiness that is a touch on the light side. Tastes very, very dry, also with toasty notes. Unfortunately it's also a little thin and a little one dimensional. I think this one is a little too attenuated- it cries out for just a bit more sweetness and a bit more depth.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 15:27:34 | More by Georgiabeer

divineaudio

Michigan

3.45/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

from notes.

a - pours dark brown with a thin cap of head. no lace.

s - nutty with some roasted malt and herbal hop character.

t - more roast with notes of molasses and dark chocolate. some raisin maybe or other dark fruits. long bitter finish to balance the malt base.

m - medium body with not quite enough carbonation.

o - enjoyable but nothing special. worth a try if you find yourself in ontario looking for beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 06:50:26 | More by divineaudio

mdaschaf

Washington

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes. Thanks to korguy123 for sending this my way.

A: Pours jet black with a foamy tan head. Head retention was ok, dissolving to a thin layer of bubbles on top. Not much lacing.

S: A good bit going on in the aroma here, some maple sweetness, a little bit of coffee, molasses, raisins, but very sweet overall.

T: Similar to the aroma, with a good bit of maple, some dark fruit, molasses, and a little sweet. Hints of chocolate and coffee are mixed in, but play a minor role.

M: Medium bodied, maybe a touch on the thin side, with moderate carbonation. Pretty boozy for only being 8.5%.

O:

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 17:47:01 | More by mdaschaf

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Pitch black body topped by a thick layer of tightly-formed and creamy looking tan head. Almost looks like a nitro pour. Excellent retention. Alternating bands are left in its wake. Lots of raisin in the aroma, paired with mixed nuts. Molasses and chocolate undertones. Tastes of plums and raisins followed by molasses and black coffee with a lingering slight charred flavour and mild bitterness in the aftertaste. Bitterness chases away an initial sweetness. Medium bodied with soft and low carbonation. Feels smooth, but a little on the light side. Theres some good flavour and aroma going on here, but it could use a little bit more weight. Still, it's good to know that there is a decent RIS with somewhat wide distribution in Ontario.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 23:23:46 | More by mintjellie

Roke87

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle, chilled and poured into a snifter.
Bottled on date: Jan.17/2011

Appearance- Pours a black colour with very little light just penetrating the edges of this one, has one finger of soapy off white head that quickly resides to a very thin ring leaving good lacing throughout.

Smell- Lots of roasted malts in the nose, dark chocolate and some coffee hints in there, overall a very earthy smelling stout and not too much going on. Upon warming up a little you get a little bit of a sweet caramel scent.

Taste- Just like the nose, lots of roasted malts take over right off the bat, with a hint of coffee, and lot of dark fruits, finishes with an almost sweet caramel flavour. At first almost a licorice flavour that you know is not really present that turns into a piney flavour.

Mouthfeel- Kind of on the bitter side, a light-medium bodied stout, with average carbonation for the style with an almost sweet finish.

Overall- A very good offering from Grand River on this one, Definitely not the best RIS I’ve ever tasted but also not the worst, Kinda too light on the mouthfeel for a stout but has good flavours that are all present and finishes kinda sweet which is a nice change for a RIS. All in all happy I tried it but it’s just not a go to for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 04:06:48 | More by Roke87

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on Jan 5, 2011.

Beer looks like a typical stout. Pitch black with a a generous, solid looking tan head.

Roasted malt comes through strongly in the nose, reminiscent of molasses. Very mild scent of coffee. Smells good, but not unique as compared to any other imperial stout.

Taste is very nicely balanced. As I drink, the taste of dark chocolate sticks out more than anything else, though generally the flavours blend together, with nothing sticking out in particular. Some bitterness in the finish. Quite nice.

Beer is medium to full bodied, nice but not as heavy as some other imperial stouts. Carbonation is nicely mild and subdued, which works well. The beer does seem a tad watery as it finishes, but generally is good.

Overall, certainly a good stout, and better than I had hoped. From looking at past reviews, it seems that there may have been a distinct difference between this year's batch and last year. I notice a lot of comments that this beer (last year) was not very similar to a stout, and seemed more like a brown ale. Certainly to me, there is no question that this is a stout. Perhaps they have made improvements!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 20:11:35 | More by jrenihan