Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer review from BA Mag Dec 2007.

Even large regional brewers have been swayed to brew limited-edition big beers as they see the popularity grow and the consumers calling for more flavor. This offering is brewed with 11 malts and grains and three different hops.

The pitch-black liquid pours out a little thick and viscous as the modest carbonation struggles to break from the solution. Decent head retention as the tan lace does stick to the glass here and there. Sweet aroma of dark berries, chocolate and molasses with a hint of acrid burnt malt in the back. Syrupy full body with a slick creamy mouthfeel, light carbonation. Starts off with a bite of burnt malt that makes way for the sweetness, which is substantial but not cloying. Suggestions of dark chocolate, blackberries--blackstrap molasses comes to mind. Hops are hard to find with the massive malt backbone though a quick kiss of herbal flavor hits in the middle. Sweet in the end with a long linger of charred malt flavor.

A good stab at the Russian Imperial Stout style, it's worth a try to compare against the many craft brewers that are coming close to mastering this style. A good 6 months to a year of cellaring may do this beer some good as it seemed a bit green around the edges with all of the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 13:48:51 | More by BeerAdvocate

jerefreakinmiah

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-22-2013 23:45:23 | More by jerefreakinmiah

brewcifix

Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A- Big Eddy pours clear brown-black, but rests opaque black in the glass. There is a fizzy mocha head that provides a little lacing.

S- Roasted malts, molasses, toffee, dark fruit and raisin fill the nose. The bouquet is strong and lasts well to the last drop!

T- Sweet roasted malts, caramel, coffee, and bitter-sweet chocolate give way to sweet malty toffee finish. Hops take a back seat, only leaving a subtle grassy pine in an abundantly roasted malt-coffee aftertaste. This is a very nice tasting stout, indeed!

M- Soft carbonation accompanies a heavy tongue weight. This beer goes down silky- almost syrupy. It'd be difficult to drink ten of these, but, one is one to savor for sure.

Overall, this is a fabulous Russian Imperial. Unlike most brews, Big Eddy boasts a strong nose and rich taste without letting up an iota for the duration of the glass. Anyone that looks for a malt forward, sweet, rich, and impressive stout is sure to appreciate this one! I encourage anyone that happens upon this on tap or in a liquor store to not let this one slip through their fingers! I had this on tap at Bukowski's in Boston, and wasn't letting someone else buy it at my favorite liquor store! I even bought a little extra to age. I'll be back at a later date to review that!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 21:53:42 | More by brewcifix

PeteRiz

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-18-2013 13:10:16 | More by PeteRiz

carlosega

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-17-2013 19:32:06 | More by carlosega

rdooley

Texas

2.5/5  rDev -34.7%

05-17-2013 01:53:22 | More by rdooley

dmilewsk

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-16-2013 13:31:21 | More by dmilewsk

MaximalC

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Pours seal brown with molasses highlights and a moderate head of mocha foam. Retention and lacing are both very respectable. Aroma smells of molasses and herbal hops--a contrast to be sure. Alcohol is also present in the nose. The flavor profile features big roasted malt notes and herbal, almost medicinal, hops. Coffee and dark fruit lurk beneath the surface as well but are more difficult to discern behind the bitterness of the hops (warming helps some in this regard). Some dark chocolate creeps through in the finish as well. The mouthfeel is moderately sticky and appropriate for the style.

If not for the pronounced herbal hop character, this would be a really fine imperial stout. Unfortunately, the bitterness masks the more delectable nuances of the malt. It's still very flavorful, and I'd be happy to have it again, but it falls just shy of balanced.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 22:26:34 | More by MaximalC

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-12-2013 21:08:05 | More by twenty5

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-12-2013 19:11:27 | More by leprechaunandfatman

deltatauhobbit

Maine

4.44/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pitch black color with a decent sized tan head, fades pretty quickly with hardly any lacing on the glass.

Smell has a nice strong roasted malt backing, decent dark fruit notes like dates and raisins, subtle chocolate hints.

Taste starts out with the roasted caramel malt, not as bitter as one might expect for as much as the roasted aspect was in the nose, in fact it's a touch sweet but doesn't come close to being cloying, dark fruit adds a nice complexity , body is nice and chewy, good viscosity, soft carbonation adds a smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 00:51:24 | More by deltatauhobbit

midnitesun11

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-10-2013 22:32:48 | More by midnitesun11

HopBrain

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-08-2013 20:35:10 | More by HopBrain

vcoggins

Texas

3.86/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle
Served in a Snifter glass

A - Pours black as night with a thin light brown head.

S - Dark fruits, chocolate, roasted malts, slight coffee. Complex smells hide the alcohol well.

T - Very malty taste. Dark fruits there but not as strong as on the nose. Coffee. Light hoppy bitterness. The alcohol adds a nice warming feeling as it goes down.

M - Thick body that really coats the mouth nicely. Light on the carbonation. Very smooth.

O - Very nice complex beer. My first from Leinenkugel. I am pleasantly surprised by this RIS. Overall this is a great stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:16:49 | More by vcoggins

djmichaelk

Florida

3/5  rDev -21.7%

05-07-2013 15:34:29 | More by djmichaelk

bob_d_j

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-06-2013 20:52:15 | More by bob_d_j

John_B

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-05-2013 14:05:45 | More by John_B

blmar311

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

04-29-2013 03:51:54 | More by blmar311

ilikebeer03

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

04-24-2013 20:39:44 | More by ilikebeer03

cmoses

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +11%

04-23-2013 15:22:45 | More by cmoses

teamwiggum

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%

04-23-2013 04:12:17 | More by teamwiggum

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

04-20-2013 03:10:32 | More by browniewithnuts

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.99/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz bottle chilled and poured into my Kate the Great tulip glass.

Appearance: Dark brown to black in color and very thick. Pours a very light one finger head that is dark brown in color with some decent retention.

Aroma: Dark fruit, molasses and unsweetened chocolate really stand out upfront. Not much in the way of burn from the booze. Some light hop notes with some balancing bitterness. Nicely balanced.

Taste: Dark chocolate, some light char, caramel and dark fruits come out nicely upfront. Definitely more on the sweet side for a stout. Not much in the way of hop character but that really allows the complexity of the malt to come through. The ABV is also nicely integrated.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with some nice, light carbonation. Coats the mouth nicely and provides a warming character.

Overall, a nice surprise from Leinenkugel. There is a lot of complexity from the malt. The big unsweetened chocolate tones really provide a nice backbone and counterpoint to some of the sweeter notes from the base beer. Definitely a pleasant surprise.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 01:49:29 | More by Gosox8787

buzzy

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%

04-18-2013 01:48:28 | More by buzzy

Pacioli1445

South Dakota

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

04-17-2013 23:04:26 | More by Pacioli1445