Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Beertopia in Omaha, NE
Bottled on "11311 A21011248" --> November 3 2011?
Poured into a tulip glass

Leinekugel's Big Eddy is a sweeter interpretation of the Russian Imperial Stout recipe, perhaps due to that brewery's typically sweet beers and hopes of capturing the mainstream American palate, which is already dominated by "things too sweet." Despite its sweetness, the beer is actually fairly well-balanced and probably is rated lower than it should be due to the brewery's ownership. If you're interested in trying a fairly respectable RIS that's a bit heavier on the sweetness than roasted barley, chocolate, and malt characters, then this is recommended.

Pours a tall (>2cm) dark tan to brown head of mixed medium and small-size bubbles. The result is a head that collapses somewhat quickly to a ring around the glass, leaving some lace on the side of the glass. Body is an impenetrable dark brown to black, with a bit of amber brown highlights. Carbonation visible streaming along the sides of the glass.

Aroma is of dark candi sugar sweetness atop some roasted barley and molasses notes. Anise may or may not be present, difficult to tell due to sweetness of the beer and anise's inherent sweetness. Overall, not bad, but nothing really stands out for an RIS.

Taste is much less sweet than scent would indicate. Opens with dark candi sugar sweetness, which is quickly overwhelmed by roasted barley and mild burnt toast flavors. Sweetness remains, but is sort of the "backbone" all other flavors revolve around. Mid-palate picks up some syrupy plums and other esters that can be likened to black, dried fruits in a dark sugar syrup. Slight iron flavor in mid-palate. Slight ethanol trace is detectable from mid-palate on, but nothing unexpected from a 9.5% brew. Closes out with a flash of hop bitterness alongside roasted barley, ethanol, and sugar sweetness. Lingering aftertaste of burnt toast and slight acridity of roasted barley. Ends up being fairly well-balanced, though sweetness is still somewhat overpowering to its detriment.

Beer is medium-bodied with moderate-low carbonation. The effect this creates is that the beer initially foams up slightly, but not completely on the palate. It then reduces to a smooth feeling across the palate. Finish is dry and somewhat sticky as expected from sugary sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 14:54:45 | More by falloutsnow

Hopheadjeffery

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +11%

06-19-2013 16:20:22 | More by Hopheadjeffery

OB1

Ohio

4/5  rDev +4.4%

06-14-2013 21:40:08 | More by OB1

jmarsh123

Indiana

4/5  rDev +4.4%

06-12-2013 19:41:38 | More by jmarsh123

ohiobeer29

Ohio

3/5  rDev -21.7%

06-11-2013 04:57:55 | More by ohiobeer29

kylehay2004

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

06-09-2013 04:25:29 | More by kylehay2004

MNPikey

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

06-09-2013 03:45:55 | More by MNPikey

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.4%

06-07-2013 04:36:26 | More by megamass

AngusOg

Maryland

4/5  rDev +4.4%

06-07-2013 03:05:15 | More by AngusOg

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

06-02-2013 15:13:54 | More by JAHMUR

Grant89

California

4/5  rDev +4.4%

06-01-2013 00:39:00 | More by Grant89

BFCarr

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-27-2013 20:26:59 | More by BFCarr

lic217

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -21.7%

05-27-2013 12:22:53 | More by lic217

Waveoff

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-26-2013 05:16:07 | More by Waveoff

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-26-2013 04:02:56 | More by Satchboogie

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