The Czar - Avery Brewing Company

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cracked open a 2011 vintage bomber and poured into a snifter.

Appearance: Pours a completely opaque black with a tan head that has all but disappeared. When swirled, the head regenerates nicely but fizzles away again in minutes.

Aroma: Molasses and black licorice. Definitely a hint of alcohol in there.

Taste: Almost abrasive on your tongue at first. Then roasted caramel comes next, along with a brighter flavor(the hops I think) that goes to the top of your palate. The molasses is thankfully not as apparent in the flavor. There is a nice black coffee aftertaste along with some dates/figs or other dried fruit taste. Leaves a bit of lingering hop bitterness on your tongue that is surprising given the age of the bottle. After each sip different flavors come out seemingly one by one, each fading before the next surfaces. The flavor continues to develop nicely as it warms. Really don't taste that 10.75% abv at all but can feel it in my throat a bit, giving a nice warming sensation.

Mouthfeel: This beer has a medium to heavy body and below average drinkability. It's surprisingly effervescent given that there was almost no head(gave it an aggressive pour but to no avail). Tiny bubbles attack your tongue adding to the bitterness from the hops. After a few swirls in the snifter, the carbonation has died down a bit, revealing that the hops can do the same amount of damage without the bubbles to aid them. The bitterness that's left on your tongue is great.

Final Thoughts: This is my first experience with The Czar(or any Russian Imperial Stout for that matter) and it was a pretty good one. I knew what to expect going into this and it basically met my expectations. While I won't be seeking this one out again, it's easy to see why this style is so revered.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 00:57:14 | More by JamesMN

stortore

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-16-2013 03:20:24 | More by stortore

doremite

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

06-13-2013 21:58:46 | More by doremite

CUBeerBuff

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

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hermit990

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-10-2013 04:26:11 | More by hermit990

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-09-2013 03:30:14 | More by SmellsofMahagony

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-07-2013 04:42:06 | More by megamass

CGAR

Florida

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-06-2013 03:25:32 | More by CGAR

jkane101

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

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BrownNut

Florida

3.96/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - 3.75 - Rootbeer on the pour, midnight in the glass until it gets low, at which point it's rootbeer again. A more diffuse and less creamy head than expected for the style. Lingers for a couple minutes.

S - 4.0 - Very fragrant and nice. There's a fruity note, somehow without being a specific fruit, over a gentle baked goods something. Chocolate liqour. Something at the nexus of chocolate, caramel, and pastry - so sort of brownielike. Smells promising

T - 4.0 - A little hint of that vague fruit. The black malt char note leans metallic without quite getting there, thankfully. It jumps out sharply in that way. That segues into a dark chocolate pastry like the hard parts at the edge of a pan of overdone brownies, in a good way. Overall it makes for a nicely assertive body. Yet its still missing a bit of depth. More like a 3.9.

M - 3.75 - Medium body. Moderately dry, which makes it seem a bit thinner still. Very nice booze heat wafting up the throat a little while after swallowing.

O - 4.0 - A nice, flavorful imperial stout with great booze heat that comes off a bit thinner and less substantial than many. That moderate insubstantiality hurts it in my view, unfortunately offsetting the effect of its flavorfulness. I'll want to get another and see if a year does anything to it. More like a 3.9.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 02:24:25 | More by BrownNut

rjniles

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-03-2013 20:21:59 | More by rjniles

maxwelldeux

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +1.8%

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Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%

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DenverBigRed

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

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jmccullough108

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

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cwreay90

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

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Alabama

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

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New York

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

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roostor07

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.8%

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Absolut

California

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

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New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%

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Washington

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

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ipas-for-life

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.8%

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nick_asian

Nevada

4/5  rDev +1.8%

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arlingtonjoe

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

2010 vintage - opened 5-13-2013

a: pours black with a 2 finger dark tan head. nice burgundy color when held to the light

s: raisins, plum, breadiness, licorice, hint of vanilla and earth

t: roasted malt, char, bakers chocolate, molasses, licorice, and still has some hallertau hop present in the dry finish.

m: light carbonation with medium body and resinous finish.

o: liked it from first time I tried it in 2010 and glad I cellared some. licorice has developed nicely and was one of the reasons I first purchased it. gonna have to break in to a fresh one soon to compare.

cheers

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 04:04:13 | More by arlingtonjoe