Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout - Big Sky Brewing Company

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2010 bottle, drank at the 2012 poker game between xmas and nye. Shockingly pours out black! Ok, this looks like your standard well built imperial stout aged in a bourbon barrel, it is deep, rich, thick and black, but leaves little in the way of head, lacing or retention. Aroma was dark bittersweet chocolate up front, some mildly boozy bourbon notes lying in wait underneath it.

Taste, here's where it really excels, reminds me of a stronger Central Waters bourbon barrel beer. You get the light bourbon toasted notes, coconut coming through stronger than your average bourbon barrel beer. Plenty of vanilla in their too, tastes like it could be Jim Beam, but far from certain.

Its mouthfeel is full bodied, its never hot, and relatively silky smooth. Slightest aged or old school british hops provide some nice balance to this. The oak is there, just in the right proportion to the other flavor components. Carbonation is low, but perfectly matched to allow everything to delicately envelope your palate. Maybe a dash of brown sugar to help keep any booziness from becoming a detraction.

This is a top notch bourbon barrel beer. Big Sky, with their ipa, trout slayer, slow elk, cowboy coffee and Ivan are all underappreciated beers. Now their kriek, ugh, that's an abomination, but you gotta like those odds!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 17:15:30 | More by Beerandraiderfan

gpawned

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-17-2013 05:10:23 | More by gpawned

juliusseizure

New York

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-14-2013 14:25:24 | More by juliusseizure

bbadger

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-11-2013 21:16:51 | More by bbadger

ObeMaltKinobee

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-08-2013 07:36:35 | More by ObeMaltKinobee

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-08-2013 00:01:09 | More by cadaugherty

caguiar

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-07-2013 21:04:38 | More by caguiar

Pete27lax

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-03-2013 09:35:54 | More by Pete27lax

jegross2

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-02-2013 04:26:31 | More by jegross2

baybum

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-29-2013 16:55:10 | More by baybum

ridglens

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

04-28-2013 23:37:47 | More by ridglens

OUJayhawk1799

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

04-20-2013 18:59:40 | More by OUJayhawk1799

Prospero

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-12-2013 17:20:35 | More by Prospero

jplopez21

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.2%

04-12-2013 01:33:19 | More by jplopez21

Pecan

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-08-2013 22:58:12 | More by Pecan

WolfsbaneBloom

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-08-2013 15:15:09 | More by WolfsbaneBloom

jpaulsen

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

04-07-2013 17:16:34 | More by jpaulsen

danoeltico

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-01-2013 15:10:44 | More by danoeltico

UNCCTDawg

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -7.2%

03-31-2013 14:58:05 | More by UNCCTDawg

gumballhead1

Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Bottle from 2012, bottle 1344 of 4200
Poured into a snifter, really smooth chocolate, rich oak, and plenty of bourbon boozy taste. I love this beer from big sky its hard to find bombers of stuff in Illinois. My first review so sorry if its unorganized. Overall a good bourbon imperial stout I would definitely recommend to others. I would say its comparable to our goose island bcs.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 01:27:47 | More by gumballhead1

mnphish

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

03-25-2013 04:45:47 | More by mnphish

Sparky44

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.2%

03-24-2013 21:34:59 | More by Sparky44

Jimmeekrek

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%

03-23-2013 17:50:15 | More by Jimmeekrek

ber12

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

03-22-2013 18:35:40 | More by ber12

WorldWideStout

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

03-22-2013 16:51:20 | More by WorldWideStout