Courage Imperial Russian Stout - Wells & Young's Ltd

rangerred

Tennessee

4.64/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

275ml bottle into a snifter. Bottled in May 2011.

Pours pitch black with a dark tan half finger head that is pretty fizzy and quick to fade. Head retention and lacing are both lacking with just a ring left around the top of the beer.

The aroma has much more of a fruity character than other RIS I have had. Lots of dark fruit and licorice that really reminds me of many English ales, just on a stronger level. Really not much roast at all just a lot of fruit and yeasty esters. It works, though, and nothing is offensive whatsoever.

The flavor is where this beer really shines. Much like the aroma, dark fruity esters dominate at first. Somewhat sweet with quite a bit of yeast character. Not extremely impressive but about halfway through the taste, something magical happens. Almost out of nowhere tons of roast comes shooting in along with some coffee and dark chocolate. This marries magically with the dark fruit leading to an intensely complex finish. Moderate bitterness with a lot less sweetness than many other RIS with a pretty dry finish.

Overall, probably the best RIS I have had. Extremely complex flavors and an absolutely amazing mouthfeel with alcohol being extremely well hidden. A definite world class beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 04:02:56 | More by rangerred

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

275ml, May 2011, BB 19/9/24.

Appearance. Pours black with just a bit of light coming through at the edges. 1.5 fingers of tan head.

Smell. Dark ripe fruits; plum, dates, raisins and cherries with a bunch of semi-sweet chocolate, dark malts and a bit of smooth booze.

Taste. Semi-sweet chocolate, dried dark fruits, a drop of espresso and a bit of alcohol that has a slight floral/perfume quality.

Mouthfeel. Fairly full body with smooth, medium-low carbonation.

Overall. A very nice beer with nice flavours going on in. Big but goes down pretty easy. Nice stuff, I'll buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 01:22:57 | More by Rutager

draheim

Washington

4.36/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

275mL bottle (19/09/24) a L1262 21:05) into a tulip. Pours a deep chocolate brown w/ a monstrous head that slowly settles to a dense pillow, leaving behind a tan web of lace.

Aroma is raisins, figs, molasses, chocolate. Rich and complex.

Taste is roasty, bitter, balanced. Dark chocolate, dark fruits, molasses. Everything works in harmony. 10% ABV completely hidden.

Mouthfeel is smooth and balanced. Surprisingly light on the palate with a dry finish.

Overall a solid imperial stout. I'm hard-pressed to find any flaws here. Just a tasty, rich, complex beer in a conveniently small-format bottle. What's not to like?

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 07:18:41 | More by draheim

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Had the original a few years ago, the 1993 vintage, and thought I would give this re-make a chance. For the record the '93 original was delicious, if a bit oxidized, and still had some carbonation.

Pours a very dark brown, which appears black in the glass. Big, two finger thick tan head that dissipates rather quickly to thin lacing on top and that leaves streaky lacing on the glass.

Aroma is deep and complex with notes of espresso, pear, yogurt, alcohol, raisins, and nougat. Pretty bold aroma and definitely unique. Very successful and I could smell this beer all night.

The flavor is not quite as amazing but pretty decent. Roasted malts, smoky, dark alcohol soaked cherries.

Decent carbonation, pretty full body, and a somewhat boozy finish.

This may not be the same experience as the '93 that I had, but this is certainly a beer in better shape. Really liked the aroma, and I would possibly be interested in trying one of these beers many years from now.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 04:44:30 | More by MusicaleMike

smakawhat

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle into a large snifter glass. Vintage May 2011.

A real big head is produced on the pour but in control. Light tan, with a creamy top, and a sort of soapy middle, but with huge staying power. Body is classic walnut dark brown, and you can not see through this thing at all.

Nose is very fruity, I'll take a sense of pear on this, but a good dose of fleshy apple as well. Hints of roast and dark cloves. Quite a unique smelling Imperial Stout, I am liking this angle.

The palate hits with classic porter roast, but it's larger and fills with lots charring carbon on the finish, with bitter milk chocolate. Feel has an interesting malt angle, with lots of thickness but flows through your palate without sticking. Fruit hits in the middle with dark berries sensing, and a warm sense of cherries and chocolate.

Overall a real impessive brew, and real enjoyable. Probably not as big or as bold as some people might like, but stands up with the rest easily, and can knock down plenty of others too.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 22:34:25 | More by smakawhat

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

275 ml bottle, 2012 vintage, bottle #053469. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about a half inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. The brew smells like dark fruit, dark bread, molasses, chocolate, and some coffee. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some woodiness, toffee, and a bit of anise noticeable. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's creamy with moderate carbonation. I think it's a good overall brew, and I'd like to try this again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 23:58:49 | More by bluejacket74

imscotty

Massachusetts

3.76/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottled May, 2011

A: Poured a nice foamy head that died off after a minute, little lacing. The color is dark dark brown, I see other reviews calling it black, I don't know why. Ten Fidy is black; this beer is brown.

S: Caramel, malt, dark fruit.

T: Caramel, strong roast, coffee, malt, dark fruit. This beer has a long bitter finish. I like the bitter finish but there is a bit of an off taste at the end that I cannot quite name. I do not taste the complexity that others say is there. The alcohol is fairly well hidden.

M: Fairly well carbonated, medium mouth feel. Not very viscous or heavy.

O: I love RIS; this is not my favorite.

Note: I have had this beer fresh, this bottle has been aged for almost two years. I do not think it is benefiting from aging, I thought it tasted better fresh when it was still had some sweetness. I plan on finishing these off (I bought a case) and probably will not buy again. I see that some people have loved this beer, not sure if they are drinking the pre Wells & Young version or if I am just missing something.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 00:38:52 | More by imscotty

Quackershnoc

Michigan

4.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: this is BLACK, really dark stuff; about a finger of khaki head that looks thick and creamy and is not going anywhere
Aroma: wow, this smell great; huge malt and fruit aroma, definitely get some pear in there and maybe some others; coffee; a bit of chocolate
Taste: just wonderful; big coffee flavor up front; a little dark chocolate; pear and other fruits sneak in here; morphs into a malt bomb-strong, dark, rich, roasty/smokey; dry, malty, fruity finish that lingers awhile
Mouthfeel: thick and creamy, almost chewy; coats the whole mouth and does not let go; perfectly carbonated
Overall Impression: fantastic, this is fit for royalty; huge bold flavors; very rich, almost a meal in itself; this will keep you warm!; I love it and cannot wait to try one after it’s been in the cellar awhile

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 05:10:59 | More by Quackershnoc

avalon07

South Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a black color and a thick texture. There was a half inch of tan-colored, foamy head that lasted an average amount of time. Below average lacing.

S: A big aroma of malt, coffee, and a lot of dark fruit.

T: Tasted of coffee (a lighter amount than I expected), roasted malt, dark fruit (plums, raisins), and hint of chocolate. A complex, inviting flavor. Not as overpowering as you might expect considering the style, but still a fantastic flavor.

M: A fair amount of carbonation with a silky smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: An excellent example of a Russian Imperial Stout. Well made, subtle, and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 14:58:02 | More by avalon07

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A little 275ml served in a snifter
2012 vintage

A - Pours the darkest of browns with a thin mocha head morphing into a thin wispy ceiling of micro bubbles.

S - Yeasty dark breads, pumpernickel, raisins, fig jam,

T - Roasted creamy malts, toasted cocoa, firm woody bitterness, brown raisin bread, roasted figs, smoked malts, molasses, cold espresso, finishes with a nirvana mix of fruit bread, caramelized brown sugar, bitter hops, espresso, anise, doughy brown bread.

M - Low carbonation, dense creamy feel, medium weighted body.

Very complex and delicious. The roast takes a backseat and lets the raw heavy malt play out with the yeast. Very raw, bold flavors delicately interweaved together. Wish it came in a bigger bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:20:47 | More by StaveHooks

tectactoe

Michigan

4.39/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Review #200! Pours a deep, jet-black color with a khaki colored head, thick and bubbly with reasonable staying power. Nose contains a powerful amount of dark chocolate and cocoa beans, roasted, nearly burnt barley, and a slight alcohol character. This beer has an incredibly body - viscous, rich, silky, creamy and chewy - everything an RIS should be. Flavors are an excellent combination of bitter cocoa beans, dark roasted coffee, sweet licorice and tobacco, heaps of roasted malt, big roasted and charred profile, a slight hint of smoke, faint nuttiness, a touch of molasses, and lots of underlying sweetness in the dark of dark fruits; dates, currants, blackberries. The hops aren't exactly vibrant in the taste, but are still necessary for their bittering element; somewhat ashy and herbal to provide a good counterbalance to the sweetness and richness of this beer. Alcohol warms and adds character without being abrasive or rough. Huge body, low-medium bout of carbonation.

Had this beer once before and it was just as great as I remembered. Makes me wonder why I don't get this more often. Truly a fine example of a Russian imperial stout done right.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 12:31:46 | More by tectactoe

CHADMC3

Connecticut

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 No. 071562

Pours a very deep mahogany body bordering on black with yeast dancing about beneath the mocha colored, foamy tan head which very slowly cascades to a close leaving a dense lacing clinging to the glass.

Quite a unique aroma, as advertised there is certainly coffee and espresso among the roasted malt as well as fruity notes as it warms a bit. Surprisingly the fruit notes are that of peach or nectarine just as advertised. Not expected from the style.

The flavor offers robust roasted malt and espresso with a hearty smoky finish. There is also a woody hop presence mid palate and less fruit notes than the aroma, yet present nonetheless. That smokiness really comes forward as it warms as well, bordering on charred as it coats the palate, but there is also a currant or berry like sweetness that lingers at the finish as well.

The mouthfeel is robust yet silky smooth with medium carbonation and again that nice smoky finish.

This is really a great beer. Just plain tasty with abundant character all around. Different than a lot of the other RIS’s on the marketplace now.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 02:11:54 | More by CHADMC3

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark chocolate with ruby highlights glisten upon the bottles exit. A staggering 3+ finger head is a frothy stud with a corkboard tint to it and a sturdy rate of retention. Sticky, meaty full lacing ont the vessel smoothers with a very good rate of coverage.

S: Roasted barley, bitter chocolate liquor with some milky creamer. Vanilla, smooth bitterness with a bit of licorice and dry barrel woodiness. Dark fruit of plums and sugary figs highlight with a moderate to good rate of awareness.

T: Flavor was smoothly silky with some smoky charred wood, burnt chocolate and vanilla. Dark fruit of plums and figs play prominently with sweet burnt grains and currant and a burnt syrupy roastedness. So smooth, silky campfire minerality with a burnt toffee sweetness, anise, sweet fennel all adding to the complexity.

M: Solid mouthful, good creamy milky bitterenss on the tongue. Nice bite of licorice on the swallow.

O: So smooth and silky, very easy drinkability despite its 10%abv which i thought drank more like a 5-6% with hardly any interference. Insanely silky goodness that i found disappearing more quickly from the glass then i like (especially since i only had one). Clearly top of class with its exceptionally smooth execution.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 00:38:51 | More by beerthulhu

pkalix

California

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

depp, dark, thick and rich looking. no real head. wasnt sure if i was supposed to pour in the espresso-looking yeasty stuff on the bottom.
smells deep and dark and musty. cant wait to taste this....
tastes dark and roasty. not bad for the 10% abv, or for a russian stout. has that 'samiclause' kind of twist to it. kind of heavy, but that is expected. actually, almost a little sweet.... and defonitely not experiencing the 'pear' the boasts of.
overall, eh.... darn good for the style, but the style is a difficult one for me to appreciate although i continue to try it. i love trying the higher abv brews and i do like the differences. i like the beer but i need to change it up a little after one of these. maybe a couple of these in succession with a good bourbon would be in order . . . . . i give it a 4.5 overall because i believe it's a great product, a nice taste for the style and the abv, and i like the flavor i'm getting from it.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 02:07:04 | More by pkalix

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

275ml bottle poured into tulip 30/11/12 bottle #6255 2012 vintage from notes

A shes pretty dark alright both the liquid and the foam, the head lasts for few sips leaving a little soapy lace

S dark roasted espresso with some bakers chocolate and licorice, faint fruity notes but I'm not getting the pear the bottle suggests but I do get some of the smokey notes and just a little booze

T the flavors similar to the nose but the intensity of the dark roast is upped a fair bit, some char and more smoke with even stronger espresso and I get some faint creme brulee and even some earthy hops shine through, its pretty intense and I'm loving it

M feels solid, well not quite solid but its pretty thick liquid, a little slick with some faint heat and an aftertaste I'll be enjoying tomorrow at this rate, very nice

O this ones a hit, rich and dark with no real flaws anywhere, just a little booze here and there but that's to be expected in a fresh 10% RIS

for 5 bucks I'm going to throw a few away for aging, strange the bottle says it can be kept for up to 13 years, seems random and unlucky

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 06:11:06 | More by wordemupg

bonkers

New Jersey

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

I poured from a 275 ml bottle, 2012, into a snifter. The pour is inky black, light tan head. The aroma is more fruity than expected, notes of coffee and chocolate. The flavor is rich with chocolate, coffee, and some fruity notes. The finish lingers with a mix of chocolate and fruit. The beer is smooth, light carbonation, no dicernable booze. Interesting beer, IMO it should improve with some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 14:07:33 | More by bonkers

nickfl

Florida

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a healthy head of off white foam that receedes slowly and leaves nice, thick lace. The liquid comes out of the bottle a clear, reddish brown, but fills the glass with an opaque, black body.

S - Roasty malt with lots of caramel and dark fruit.

T - dark chocolate up front with candied cherries and figs. Some orange and more dark chocolate in the middle with a finish of licorice, mint, anise, and light char.

M - Medium thick body, moderate carbonation, and a balanced finish.

D - Nicely made, it has a really nice balance of dark fruit and chocolate malt with almost no coffee like roasted character. Spicy and very seasonally appropriate for winter.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 04:48:34 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: single finger thick light tan head on a jet black body. thick lacing.

S: vanilla, milk chocolate, roasted malt, oak and raisin for dark fruit.

T: lots of dark chocolate throughout with right amount of chocolate sweetness and bitterness, middle of the road roasted malts, toffee, wood, vanilla and espresso.

M: medium to full body and moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: full flavored, excellent balance and nice dark chocolate flavors which I really enjoy in this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 04:44:40 | More by kylehay2004

rarbring

Sweden

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A brown and black colored beer. A high tan head with good lacing and good curtains.

Smelling of sweet dark bread, dates and figs, dark coffee and chocolate.

Tasting of sweet bread, grown sugar, dark coffee and grape-fruit zest.

Medium carbonation, a soft and sticky texture. A big body with a very dry finish.

Crammed with lots of taste. Not bad at all :)

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 21:33:38 | More by rarbring

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle into chalice. No. 116846.

A: definitely dark brown. not quite black. brown head. retention and lacing are average/below average.

S: tobacco. licorice, but on the mild side. chocolate nibs. black cherries. sweet dry powdered chocolate.

T: dried tobacco leaves. dried salami. brown sugar. more leaves. there is a serious meatiness to the otherwise dry body. good shit.

M: moderate amount of carb on a full body of flavor.

D: nice to have an english version of a style that has become highly americanized. dry while managing to have plenty of flavor. a very enjoyable RIS.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 05:08:07 | More by Jimmys

bark

Sweden

3.7/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The colour is pitch black, the liquid might be clear. Or hazy. I don’t know as the liquid is totally bloody black. There is quit a lot of yeast in the bottle, though. The finger thick head is warm brown, it sinks slowly leaving no lacing.

The smell got notes of liquorice, dark chocolate, Irish whiskey and alcohol. It is smooth and a bit sharp at the same time.

The taste is very much the same: Raw and smooth at the same time. Lots of sharp alcohol, some solvents. But also smooth delicate notes of fine milk chocolate, plums in Madeira, coffee and sweet liquorice. Full body. The aftertaste got lots of warming alcohol, some cocoa and distinct notes of black coffee. The long finish got some notes of dried fruits and salt liquorice.

The carbonation is smooth, the bubbles few and small. The liquid is quite light and semi-smooth.

This one is way too young now. I have tasted an 18 year old bottle of Courage Russian Imperial Stout from 1993, and that was a much more interesting experience. I really hope this one will age as well as the previous vintages.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 21:10:12 | More by bark

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.11/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

275ml bottle, a limited quantity special happy-time goodness event for we here in Wild Rose country, it would seem, according to the rep, at least.

This beer pours a solid oily black abyss, with ever so slight reddish highlights, and one finger of foamy, puffy, and fizzy mocha head, which leaves a thorough, yet loose webbed pattern of lace around the glass as it quickly settles.

It smells of sweet roasted caramel toffee, treacle, thin black licorice, aged dark fruits, soft saccharine booze, and musty, dusty hops. The taste is lightly roasted caramel malt, a touch of soaked brown bread, bittersweet dark fruit, some lighter drupe fruit frivolity, molasses, gritty dry chocolate, a bit of sooty ash, singed brown sugar, leafy, weedy hops, and a simmering alcohol warming.

The bubbles are fairly sedate, and innocuous, the body a more or less sturdy medium weight, a touch hollow, with a bit of astringency maybe screwing with an unjustly expected smoothness. It finishes just off-dry, the bitter cocoa, muddled tart fruit, and straining booze all pitching in to proffer their two-bits towards the overall effect.

An interesting, and heady affair, to be sure, but kind of lacking the gravitas of those New World upstarts, unfortunately. The sly tugging of the booze, while not actually hot, does soon aggravate to a certain degree, even over such a small serving size. Quite nice to try, sure, but probably meant for a more reserved, Old World stout aficionado, than this otherwise biased camper.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 04:07:25 | More by biboergosum

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.53/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This years release. Grabbed two more to sit on. Pours out deep brown to black, small mocha head, very little lace.

Chocolate, coffee and liqorice start the smell off. Fruit, earth and booze come out as it warms.

Chocolate, earth and expresso beans make a very rich start to this brew. Alcohol and fruit back it up with molasses and a hint of smoke at the finish. The aftertaste is a slight coffee and anise. So smooth and creamy going down that its hard to just sip it.

Damn, that was a great brew!

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 20:07:00 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I know this beer was out of production for quite a while and was a favorite of many in years past but I found it to be merely good, not great. Perhaps the quality was a little higher in earlier years or the standards for this style have risen, or both. Needless to say it's a nice imperial stout but it didn't knock my socks off.

The appearance is right on; black bodied, with a big rocky tan head that has strong retention and nice lacing. Aroma is quite roasty and bitter, with notes of anise, plums, and baker's chocolate and hints of booze.

The flavor follows suit; it's complex and tasty and comes in decidedly on the less sweet side. Strong roasted malt and bitter qualities; anise and chocolate/cocoa powder, again some booziness is detected; dark fruity notes of plum and raisin; a touch of herbal hops detected in the aftertaste. Some charred smokiness and molasses notes also emerge. The finish is fairly dry for this style.

Medium-full body; medium carbonation; reasonably smooth overall feel. Worth a try for sure; this beer has a reputation for being a great cellar candidate but I couldn't resist drinking mine after only about a year in the bottle. Will return in the future and take another look, I think.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 12:06:14 | More by tobelerone

metter98

New York

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is close to being jet black in color. It poured with a finger high tan head that died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of roasted malts and licorice in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of roasted malts along with notes of licorice and hints of cigar smoke. The roasted malt flavors linger though the finish.
M: It feels nearly full-bodied and a little dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is a very good representation of the style and hides its alcohol very well, making it easy to drink but pleasant to sip.

Note: 2010 vintage

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 13:09:15 | More by metter98