RIP - Russian Imperial Porter - Bluegrass Brewing Co. - East St. Matthew's

clvand0

Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a dark brown color with a small head that falls quickly and leaves no lacing on the glass. The aroma has hints of chocolate and sweet maltiness. The flavor is very malty with chocolate and plenty of bitterness at the end. Tasty brew with hints of alcohol. Medium/thick body. The drinkability is good for the alcohol levels.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2007 02:06:16 | More by clvand0

cameraman

Kentucky

3.38/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A black opaque color, slight hints of red at the bottom of the glass. A beige head forms, that is two fingers thick and it slowly laces down the glass. A first scent a twinge of alchol hit the nose, then the fragrance of dried fruit, currants and raisons comes foward. The aroma is rounded out by the by calming scent of coffee. The coffee comes out at the start of the taste, then it blends itself to the dried fruit and finishing with a tart bitterness. A medium feel at the start, it gains weight as the syrupy texture rolls across the palate. The warming sensation of alchol does come forward at the back of the throat. A unique approach to the imperial style, I was hoping for more robust porter flavor and aroma.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2007 03:21:08 | More by cameraman

peabody

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out really dark and black where no light penetrates. Lacing is light here even with the three fingers of tan suds.
Smell is coffee and dark cherry with dark chocoloate overtones. Alcohol is definately there.
Taste is very malty sweet at first then a dark cherry and coffee flavor take over giving over the the bitter hops at the end.
Sugary aftertaste with the bitter hops holding on. Pretty nice mouthfeel here.
I wouldn't drink a bunch of this but it is still a nice offering from a beer company in my State.~

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2007 01:28:59 | More by peabody

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

3.43/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Originally reviewed March 31, 2007. Pour from a 750mL. Thanks BBB63. Faint toasted oak aroma, with light weak malt. Deep mahogany pour with lilting tawny cream head. Flavor comes across as a somewhat dry, bland middle-malt, with overly hot alcohols. One of the hottest beers in memory for me, actually. Tannins are singing and don’t lead to other nuanced flavors. Cherry perks up before being washed away in fusels. Not much body or depth, unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2007 20:55:59 | More by CharlesDarwin

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

25.4 ounce bottle, served in a Samuel Adams pint glass. No date/ABV information on the bottle or label. The beer pours dark brown with about an inch tan head. Head retention is pretty good. It smells like chocolate, coffee, roasted malt and a bit of citrusy hops. It tastes the same way to me, but there's a sour tang to it and the grapefruity bitter hoppy taste is stronger than you'd think. Seems a bit weird for a porter, it's not quite what I expected. Mouthfeel is medium/full bodied, very smooth and a bit slick. Drinkability is good too, except for the unexpected sour tang. I think this is a decent beer, but not a great one.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2007 23:31:58 | More by bluejacket74

merlin48

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle with label as pictured, pours a dark mahogany body that shows some clarity when held to light. Otherwise, opaque. One finger tan head retains well and leaves some patchy lace.

Aroma is mild chocolate with just a hint of dark roasty coffee. Also, some grapefruit hops and airplane glue.

Mouthfeel is medium with even carbonation.

Taste is chocolate, bubblegum, alcohol, bitter grapefruit hops, and restrained coffee notes. The roastiness is more apparent as it warms. Flavors are a bit jumbled and out of sync.

Not the best effort of BBC. Doesn't know whether it wants to be a porter or brown ale so ends up somewhere in between.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2007 13:23:35 | More by merlin48

Cresant

Kentucky

3.1/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured this 25.4 oz. brown bottle into a Samuel Smith tulip. No date and no ABV listed, I'm guessing it is rather high. The dark brown/purple body was clear of sediment. Two fingers of creamy tan head slowly faded to a collar.

Smell was tangy and sweet. Sour grain. Fresh bread. Somewhat medicinal. Alcohol apparent but not overwhelming.

Taste was tart and bitter. Sweet and rich. Molasses. Toasted grains. A sugary film coats the lips. Black coffee and hints of chocolaty bitterness. This one has a longer bitter linger. Formidable bottle for one person.

Mouthfeel is silky and full bodied. Mild carbonation.

From the website:

The label design for "Russian Imperial Porter 210", which features twin-dancing radioactive skeletons and a photographic image of an atomic blast on an electrifying tie-dye look background, pays tribute to the 1986 Russian Chernobyl disaster with the "210" added as a reference to "a beryllium/plutonium 210 neutron initiator", (like the one used in the Manhattan Project"), which can be used to create a chain reaction in a nuclear device".

Too bad they don't tell us anything about the beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2007 21:22:17 | More by Cresant