Propeller Revolution - Propeller Brewery

Mandrake

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.65/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Presented in a foil-topped 341ml bottle with a clipped-in bottling date. Chilled for 20 minutes and then served in a Duvel tulip glass.

Pours a completely opaque jet black, not so much as a glimmer of light showing anywhere. Oily and thick, it almost oozes its way out of the bottle. Moderately vigorous pour yields a small dark tan cap which dissipates gradually until only a swirling pattern of surfacing bubbles remains. The slowly turning vortexes lend life to what would otherwise appear to be motor oil. Some lacing.

Smell is deep and complex. Dates, raisins, plums, and candied figs abound, sweet and sticky. Dark and bitter chocolate backing the profile, never imposing itself but never out of your mind. The light citrus of the hops shows as well, along with a hint of strong Turkish coffee. Summer berries and cherry as well, this is a thing of beauty. I'd give smell a 6 if I could, it's just that good.

Taste is bold, strong chocolate and coffee coming through loud and clear. Grapes and port wine as well, a hint of the alcohol sweetness showing up in the finish. The hops are unmistakable but not overwhelming. This is definitely in the English tradition, well crafted and subtle (at least as subtle as this style can be) as opposed to a wallop of hops and coffee that'll try to knock you off your seat. Not a beer to wrestle with, but one to caress, to hold in your mouth as long as you can because you want to get every nuance of it.

Mouthfeel is oily and thick, leading to an extremely lengthy finish. Carbonation is perfect, never letting up but never coming on too strong, and drinkability is extraordinary. The best beer that has ever called Nova Scotia home, bar none. John Allen and Propeller deserve credit for making a truly world-class imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2007 00:38:22 | More by Mandrake

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to MMansfield for the trade. Got 2 bottles, have been saving this one for a while. LAbel as pictured above, gold foil covered cap.
Desciption from the label - "This beer was born for greatness. Sent by English brewers via the Baltic Sea to the court of the Czars, Russian Imperial Stout was brewed to very high gravities and allowed to ferment on the long voyage. The result? A dark, strong and bracing brew, imbibed by Peter, adored by Catherine and now reclaimed by you, the People. Za Vas!"
Black as used oil, dark tan foam. Head slowly recedes and leaves thin sheets of lace. SMells of burnt toffee, cocoa, coffee. Lots of flavor, coffee, raisins, smoky/burnt malts. Lots of levels of flavor, with more coming out as it warms. I would say medium bodied, which keeps it from being too cloying, and easy to drink. Not overly carbonated makes it smooth and slightly creamy. A well balanced mix of roasted malts and earthy hops.
Excellent pairing with barbequed steak dinner.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2008 14:14:50 | More by BigBry

bloberglawp

Quebec (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours pitch black, off white head that settles down to nothing. Aroma of malt, black malt and delicate fruity esters. Flavor of delicious dark and acrid malt, some anise and spice. Proper carbonation and warming alcohol fell.

A very typical russian imperial, but a exellent ale still. Thanks to NASH for this bottle for CanLIF 4!

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2008 02:34:05 | More by bloberglawp

canadametal

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a fresh 64oz growler of Propeller's new Revolution Russian Imperial Stout and along with two 341ml bottles. This review is the growler version, I've tried the bottle as well. Very close for comparison.

Appearance - Opaque Cola coloured. Rich, bubbling two finger head which is quickly diminishes, transforming into a light chocolately ring. Slim to none lacing.

Smell - Roasted malt, coffee, bitter chocolate, some nuts.

Taste - Wow. Stellar. Unsweetened chocolate. Huge after taste of smooth, creamy coffee. Nuts balancing out very nicely with the flavour. You can definitely taste quality in this brew.

Mouthfeel - Compliments the taste oh so well. Slick, creamy, gratifying. Cream turning into crisp at the finish. You'll be smacking your lips afterwards because you won't want the taste to leave.

Drinkability - Immensely high. The 8%abv is masked very well by the pronounced malt in this beverage. This has to be my new favourite from Propeller. I might even cry when the winter season ends.

Edit - After trying the several more bottled and growler versions of this beer, I can definitely say I consistently I enjoy the growler version more. I find the bottled version to be more bittersweet than the growler's creamy chocolate taste.

Serving type: growler

01-21-2007 01:40:07 | More by canadametal

Bobbyok

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

341 ml bottle. Completely opaque dark brown colour with a thin but mostly lasting tan coloured head. Cocoa, dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee, and fruity aroma with a lightly acidic note and just a hint of alcohol. Dark chocolate, roasty, coffee, nutty, raisin, and molasses flavours with a roasty, fruity, and lightly acidic finish. Full bodied, chewy but soft mouthfeel. As Imperial Stouts go, this one comes across as a cross between Bieropholie and Harvey’s/A. LeCoq. And it works. Well done John Allen and crew.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2007 19:00:20 | More by Bobbyok

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Long813 for sending me 2 bottles of this craft beer. I was eager to taste this one.

Very dark color with a brown head (think and creamy). The head sticks well to the glass.

Aroma: Roasted malts with some floral hops. Nice aroma. Not much licorice there as I'm accustomed by RIS. Nevertheless this is a great smell. The second bottle had some woody hops aroma too that I didn't recall getting in the first bottle.

Taste: Chocolate with a hops touch... woody in the taste. The finish is like a good coffee.

Mouthfeel: I would prefer this one to be heavier, however it is not very bad... a medium body beer.

Drinkability: High.

A robust and complex RIS in my opinion. A good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2010 23:37:15 | More by ZorPrime

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: 1/2" light brown head over black liquid.

S: Molasses, espresso, caramel, roasted malt.

T: Roasted malt, caramel, espresso and a bit of a pine hop bite. Nice.

M: Medium viscosity and carbonation.

O: Drinkable and tasty, there is almost a nuttiness to the taste profile.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 23:57:11 | More by DaftCaskBC

maltyb

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint bottle from the LCBO, produced in the 1st week of November.

Pours an impressive, coffee colored head which diminished during the course of drinking, leaving a ring. The color is pitch black, definition of dark in a beer.

Aroma: Roasted malts, cocoa, faint coffee. I could tell this would be a sweet beer by the aroma, and the smell of dark chocolate really dominates..

Taste: Very sweet, chocolate. No real hint of the 8% ABV, and finished with a nice hop bite. That bitterness on the end really cleans up the sweetness on your palette and invites you to take another sip. Scarily drinkable.

Mouthfeel: Pretty thick, you can tell it still has a decently high gravity. Not detecting a lot of carbonation.

Overall this is a really enjoyable dessert-like beer. I'd be hard-pressed to drink more than one in a row, but that single one is fantastic. The appearance and taste are spot on for what I seek in a RIS. Initially I had trouble getting a good feel for the aroma but it built and really stood out. Try this if you get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 07:30:27 | More by maltyb

xgrafcorex

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

another beer i received from a friend up in canada as part of a trade. if any of you watch the show trailer park boys, propeller is a local nova scotia brewing company that makes beers that the boys frequently drink during the movie and some of the shows.

chose the snifter to make sure i didn't drink it too fast..also get a better smell. pours out pretty dark..almost looks like liquefied tar. one finger head that dissipates to a ring of foam. no lacing on my glass. also some small bubbles rising up to the surface. the smell is nice...very coffee like with some unsweetened chocolate and a very very faint hint of alcohol. tastes very roasted, that is the first thing that comes to mind, then it seems to have a bitter sweet aftertaste that lingers. not quite as heavily bodied as i'd have thought.

the person i traded with to get this 12 oz bottle seems to find the growlers slightly more enjoyable. this was my only tasting of this beer, so i can't say for myself...but i eagerly welcome the opportunity to find out!

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2007 08:00:27 | More by xgrafcorex

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle ( Thanks MM)

The Pour: Black as a taxman’s heart with a lovely fine pored chocolate cap that looks like an Areo bar...moderate retention though... and strangely, not great lacing. Minor points.

Demure, delicate nose...the smells you expect in a RIS are there but they don’t jump out at you..cocoa, chared husk, molasses, tobbaco..all there but very delicately presented.

Upfront a great big chaw of patent malt is instantly balanced with juicy hops....mid palate the flavors develop; sweet cocoa, toast, figs, nuts, ...going into the long finish we get some drying and a wonderful sweetish- licorice decernment...light astringent "char" in the after taste. This beer absolutely hides its 8% alcohol till the finish where the malts and hops blend with it to give a very excellent licorice taste..

This isn’t the most potent or pronounced Russki Imperial I’ve tasted, but it is one of the most drinkable and certainly tastes good fresh....no cellaring to mellow raw hop edges off this RIS. it’s ready now and really tasty....it’s dangerous how fast a few of these will fly down the hatch.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2007 00:32:01 | More by pootz

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

500 mL bottle from the LCBO; bottled in week one of Nov 2012. I've been looking forward to popping this one open since I picked it up a few weeks ago – but I was a little saturated on imperial stouts at the time and decided to put this one off until 2013. I've had a sample of this RIS before and really liked it, but this mug contains my first true glass of the stuff. Served slightly chilled.

Pours an opaque, inky black colour, topped at first with two fingers of puffy, foamy, tan-coloured head. The abundance of bubbles within the foam kind of make it look like a spongecake, at least for five minutes or so - after which point the head has seeped away, leaving behind a smooth, dense, creamy cap at the surface. A few modest smears of lacing stick to the sides above the collar. The aroma is malty, sweet, a little roasted and a little fruity, with hints of cocoa, butterscotch, molasses, prunes and milk chocolate. A faint smoky note becomes more noticeable as the drink warms.

Tasty, though perhaps not the most bold-tasting RIS I've had in the last little while. The flavour has more roasted malt than the aroma let on, with a mixture of dark chocolate and brown sugar notes. Not much dark fruit; rather the chocolate is directly overtaken by anise-like herbal notes in the finish and the sweet, malty, somewhat roasty, bitter aftertaste. The alcohol is noticeable, but works well with the bitter finish. Medium-bodied; there's some thickness to it but this one is kind of straddling the line between 'ok' body and 'just plain weak' body. The carbonation is also a bit high for an RIS which doesn't help the situation. One thing I will say is that it's very drinkable for the style, almost dangerously so.

I really enjoy the taste of this stuff, but it's worth pointing out that I wouldn't consider this a particularly complex or rich-tasting RIS. It's flavourful in a relatively straightforward, carefully manicured way, with just enough kick from the booze to remind you to expect a punch once you're finished the glass.

Final Grade: 4.2, an A-. This is my first review of anything in Propeller Brewery's portfolio, but if their other beers are anything like Revolution Imperial Stout, I've been depriving myself for no good reason. This stuff is better than most of the OCB RISs I've tried over the last few months, and pretty good value at its Ontario price point. More body would be appreciated, but this is still one of the better imperial stouts in the country as far as I'm concerned. A brew I hope the LCBO keeps bringing back every winter.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 20:21:33 | More by thehyperduck

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

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

Black body with a small mocha mocha head that provides a decent lace. Delicious aroma of chocolate, dark pitted fruit and tobacco. Raisin, toffee, and chocolate flavours dominate a rich palate, before moving to a rich tobacco smokiness. The alcohol is very well hidden. Medium-heavy mouthfeel with restrained carbonation.

Very nicely done imperial stout from this Halifax brewery. One of the beter imperial stouts in the country. In fact, the alcohol is so well-hidden that this stout could almost be sessioned, which is pretty dangerous!

Thanks to Troy for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2009 02:51:32 | More by bobsy

chickenm

British Columbia (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours jet black with very little head. Malty aroma with some chocolate and coffee. Taste is quite roasty with lots of coffee and dark chocolate. Body is a little thinner than I'd like in a Russian Imperial Stout, but the mouthfeel is still decent. Good drinkablity, this is not as complex as some other Russian Imperial Stouts, but still a great beer!

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 23:12:09 | More by chickenm

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.15/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this in a trade last summer. I can't remember who gave me this Propeller stuff, but it was solid. Cheers!

From a 500ml bottle into a snifter

APPEARANCE: Dark brown pour yields a small, medium looking, tan head with decent retention. Head fades to a faint wisp and ring. Black body and no carbonation evident. Splotchy wisp and ring remain until the end leaving dots of lacing down the glass. Could be blacker for the style, but this is a solid looking beer.

SMELL: Bold nose with lots of roasted malts, dark baker's chocolate, burnt coffee beans and a hint of molasses for good measure. Bold and enticing.

TASTE: Roasted and burnt malts, dark chocolate and a touch of sweet molasses up front. Lots of roasted and bitter chocolate at the swallow, moving into a big and persistent aftertaste of bitter chocolate and coffe, lots of roasted flavors, and even a hint of red wine. Flavorful and interesting stuff.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Enough weight as well. Nicely creamy on the palate, goes down smooth with a little bite after the swallow and finishes slightly dry on the palate. A bit too much burn for the ABV.

OVERALL: Good stuff all around! A nice, inviting nose and lots of good flavor to match. One of the better Canadian imperial stouts I've had so far. Cheers for the trades gents. This one comes highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 20:51:41 | More by Jeffo

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from the LCBO, 500ml into a tulip. Bottled November 2012, week one.

Body is fairly black, mocha head with excellent retention and pretty nice lace. Nose has some spiced dark fruits, molasses chocolate and some sweeter malt character. Palate has brown sugar, vanilla, some spice, chocolate and roast comes out heavy in the mid and late-palate. Medium feel, creamy texture and alcohol is disguised. A tasty imperial stout from a brewery that's generally underwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 06:18:10 | More by liamt07

MMansfield

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally the wait is over. Marched down in the pouring rain to pick up this from the brewery.

Appearance: Pours thick and black, like motor oil. Medium brown cap, quite frothy. Very opaque. Head settles to a lacey ring

Aroma: Strong roasted malt, lots of coffee and unsweetned chocolate. Plenty of earthy tones, banana bread with nice sweetness in there as well. Picked up a tad bit of florals.

Taste: To die for. Strong coffee and huge roasted malt. Bittersweet chocolate with a bit of nuttiness and dried fruit, maybe dates.

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy, very smooth. Drinkability is quite high for the style.

Final Statement: It was worth the wait. I don't see how these labels were designed by bruce mackinnon, but oh well. It is a very solid brew, and hopefully it will go into regular rotation.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2007 20:51:52 | More by MMansfield

demcorhip

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Viva la revolucion! And thanks to mmansfield for the bottle, 2007 version.

A nice looking RIS. Black and opaque, half finger dark tan head formed on the pour into my Darkness tulip. Quite mildly carbonated, head quickly faded to leave a thin collar.

Toffee, char, anise, and the underlying aroma of milk chocolate are the most noticeable scents. Some rum soaked raisin and earthy, leafy hops also present.

Big on toffee and dark rum soaked raisin, fruity hint of blackberry also present. Then the charred malts show up with a hint of smoke and more noticeable anise. Flavours of espresso gradually reveal themself and build as i drink, adding another level of complexity to this tasty brew. These flavours are asserted over top an underlying bed of softer roasted flavours of milk chocolate. Some woody bitterness with notes of decaying leafy organic matter show up in the finish.

A solid, medium bodied brew. Subdued level of carbonation makes it seem even heftier. Slightly smooth and creamy in feel, with some noticeable alcohol warmth. A nice balance is reached between the malts, charred malt, and earthy hops.

Pretty drinkable for what it is, a fairly big and solid, more traditional RIS in approach styled beer. While certainly not session fare, this would be a solid stout for those looking to get into the style as well as those who favour the more traditional interpretation of the style. What a treat it would be to be able to sip on this all night long on a cool night in February like tonight. The more I drink the more impressed I become, wish i could say this with all the beers I dirink. Thanks Matt!

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2008 00:48:44 | More by demcorhip

PEIBeerGuy

Prince Edward Island (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The windchill is about -30 degrees Celsius tonight, so I thought, "Tonight'd be a good night to try a gut-warming 8% RIS."

This beer pours about as black as an 8-ball. There isn't much head to it - a finger's worth at the top, after a hard pour. It's a small-bubbled creamy brown. It doesn't stay that tall for very long.

When I first smell from the bottle, a bit of hops comes out - a nice surprise. Once in the glass, you can smell some chocolate (with some dark cherry notes... possibly from the alcohol), roasted coffee, and some oats.

The flavour is mostly chocolate... like a dark chocolate mousse with a roasted coffee finish that has the bitterness of a mild IPA. Rather nice. Quite nice, in fact, that the 8% is hidden well, and that there's nothing in it so sharp or sweet as to make it difficult to drink. You could down a bunch of this right before you go down (unexpectedly to you) on the floor.

This one feels pretty good, actually... the bitterness is mild enough that it doesn't overpower the aftertaste of coffee... it calls you back for more, rather than making you think about taking a smaller sip the next time. It might be a little light body-wise, but that's part of what helps to make it so drinkable. It's more than medium in body, and the finish is just a bit sticky.

Overall, I was really pleased with this one. I was braced for a sipper, maybe something that would be unbalanced... what I got was a well-balanced RIS. A little light, but tasty, and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 01:02:52 | More by PEIBeerGuy

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice RIS from one of the best East Coast brewers. Not the most complex but still well made with lots of luscious notes on the finish. Instant drinkability with no need for aging this is on the money for the mouthfeel and the nose. Would purchase again

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 22:22:49 | More by canucklehead

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Rutager for this one.

Poured from a 500ml. bottle, production date Week 3 of January in unknown year.

Appearance: Black as night with about 2-3 fingers worth of foam that settles to a strong thick ring. Color of the head is a not too dark, not too light mocha brown.

Smell: Really good with some licorice, cocoa, sweet roasted coffee and some molasses.

Taste: Has a rich but not too sweet flavor. Coffee grains, light licorice, cocoa liquor with some dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Bit viscous with a full body though shows a bit of thinness midway but doesn't really affect the tasting experience.

Overall: Really enjoyed this steady yet flavorful stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 19:45:21 | More by papat444

NightINgale

Quebec (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle I got from a beer mail from Nova Scotia...

A - Deep, dark opaque brown, almost black body, with a reach and creamy mocha-coloured head. Looks nearly flawless. A true RIS look! Very good head retention.

S - The first thing I noticed in the aroma was the well-pronounced hoppiness, with a nice earthy touch to it and some citrus notes. Then I got all the lovely roasty dark characteristics of an imperial stout. Chocolate, espresso, a bit of vanilla.

T - Big on the vanilla and chocolate. Then comes the coffee-like roastiness. Nice level of sweetness. After a while I began tasting some dark fruit; maybe prunes and dates. Fairly bitter after-taste, both from the roasted malts and the hops. Some lingering semi-sweet chocolate notes.

M - Medium-bodied. Perhaps not as thick as some more potent RIS. VERY smooth and creamy, despite the noticeable bitterness. The alcohol is well-masked even when the beer warms up.

O - First and foremost, this is a great example of the style! It's not the most complex RIS, but it's super-smooth, flavourful and drinkable. Highly recommended, if you can get it!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 04:45:18 | More by NightINgale

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle dated: 1st week of November, 2012.

(4.0) A: Black as tar with a solid height of mocha brown coloured head. Good retention with some streaky lacing.

(4.25) S: Roasted malt, fair bit of smoke, dark fruits (plums and figs), molasses, and quite a tropical fruit aroma towards the end that might be banana. Quite complex with full and enticing aromas.

(4.0) T: Dark chocolate, anise, rich dark fruits, slight smoke (more pronounced in aroma), and sweet banana. Similar to aroma with good complexity. Very good contrast between bitter herbal qualities and sweet tropical fruit and chocolate notes.

(4.25) M: Full bodied with a moderate carbonation. Smooth and oily. Appropriately bitter which transitions to the sweeter elements that overall end up creating a balanced finish.

(4.0) D: This is a very good imperial stout and something I could see aging well. Would love to see more of Propeller’s stuff at the LCBO.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 02:43:32 | More by Digimaika2

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

341ml bottle poured into pint glass may6 2010

A dark as night with a two finger mocha head that slowly falls to a 1/4in film that leaves a few partial rings of lace

S lots of bakers chocolate with some mild coffee and booze pretty much what you expect in a good RIS

T not far off the smell but with a little ash and just a touch of licorice and molasses

M a little thinner then I expected but not watery by any means, decent carbonation helps its cause

D would not have guessed it was 8%alc there's little evidence of it so it may be a little too easy to drink

thanks Moniker for sending this one my way, a solid beer from out east that I will drink again. I have a bottle lined up in another trade so I may set it aside for a while and see if it improves

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2010 07:14:32 | More by wordemupg

mikeyv35

New York

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Date: 06/06/2011
Type: 16oz. Bottle
Vintage: 2011
Glass: DFH Chalice

Thanks to Brad(Rutager) for throwing this in as an extra in our over the borders trade!

Pours an ink black in color w/ a 1 finger creamy tan head that produces heavy lacing. Aromas of bittersweer Baker's Chocolate, charred malts, molasses, and leather. The taste starts off w/ chocolate and molasses up front, followed by vanilla, and finishes w/ slight hop bitterness. Stylistically a little thin, but I really digged the mouthfeel personally. Medium bodied and very creamy and lush due to appropriate carbonation. This was very easy to drink being on the lower side of the ABV spectrum.

Overall, not spectacular, but a very well put together RIS that is very flavorful and enjoyable to sip on.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 18:28:18 | More by mikeyv35

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled first week of November.

Beer is black with a good-sized tan head. Pretty good retention, lots of lace. Looks good!

Smell contains burnt caramel, roast malt and some milk chocolate. Almost a bit of burnt marshmallow.

Taste has a good amount of roast malt and chocolate, along with some caramel. A bit of anise. Finish is moderately bitter, with the hops making themselves known, a bit of an earthy flavour.

Full bodied, sightly on the light side for an RIS, though this not surprising given the 8% abv. Smooth and creamy. Low to moderate carbonation.

Overall, a very solid and tasty RIS.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 23:12:25 | More by jrenihan