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Czernobog 2014
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
- From:
- Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.09 | pDev: 7.09%
- Reviews:
- 16
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 06, 2019
- Added:
- Nov 08, 2014
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 25
Named after the ancient god of darkness, Czernobog was the last beer we made in our Leviathan Series – and one of our favorites. So we stashed a few bottles in the cellar. As winter approached we noticed that our supply had dwindled and we knew it was time to go back to the brewhouse to resurrect the darkness. With powerful notes of unsweetened chocolate, dark fruit, and molasses, it’s our pleasure to reintroduce this Russian Imperial Stout.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ksimons:
Reviewed by ksimons from Illinois
4.04/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A-almost black in color with a thin layer of tan head that disappears quickly to leave a ring of lace
S-roasted malt and coffee, chocolate, a hint of dark fruits
T-roasted malt, chocolate sweetness, lightly roasted coffee, and a bitter finish
M-medium body, not as big as I would like, moderate carbonation
Overall a decent RIS, if the mouthfeel was bigger could really be a great one
Nov 30, 2014S-roasted malt and coffee, chocolate, a hint of dark fruits
T-roasted malt, chocolate sweetness, lightly roasted coffee, and a bitter finish
M-medium body, not as big as I would like, moderate carbonation
Overall a decent RIS, if the mouthfeel was bigger could really be a great one
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
3.91/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.91/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A 22 oz 2014 bottle poured into a Porter Bar goblet. It pours with a dark, opaque, near black body that has thin dark ruby edges and a short tan head. (From 2016 notes).
Aroma - Fruity, with notes of dates, figs and plums, Dark roast malts with little alcohol in the nose.
Flavor: Rich, strong and boozy. Dark fruits, hints of coffee; light smoky grains. Sweet up front but turns mildly bitter by the time the aftertaste starts to fade.
Feel - Full bodied, rich in velvet texture; Lightly hot in the mouth and quite warming upon swallowing.
O - A rich RIS; with about 2 years of aging, the boozy element is well hidden in the aroma but not the taste.
Apr 06, 2019Aroma - Fruity, with notes of dates, figs and plums, Dark roast malts with little alcohol in the nose.
Flavor: Rich, strong and boozy. Dark fruits, hints of coffee; light smoky grains. Sweet up front but turns mildly bitter by the time the aftertaste starts to fade.
Feel - Full bodied, rich in velvet texture; Lightly hot in the mouth and quite warming upon swallowing.
O - A rich RIS; with about 2 years of aging, the boozy element is well hidden in the aroma but not the taste.
Reviewed by hreb from Washington
4.28/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This is the 2015 bottling of Czernobog, which I picked up midway through 2016. Still 10% alc/vol and otherwise as previously documented. 22 fluid ounces. Served in a curved stout/porter glass.
Beer pours rich and black while forming a small tan head. Czernobog has a powerful, oaky aroma which oozes boozy bourbon barrels but betrays bolstered alcohol we must imbibe. So many flavors wash over my palate on the first sip. It's deceptively smooth, almost creamy, and simultaneously puts star anise in my nose and raisins in the far corners of my mouth. The carbonation is subtle and complements well the strong flavors of blackened malt.
It turns out I love Russian Imperial Stout. Still.
Aug 29, 2016Beer pours rich and black while forming a small tan head. Czernobog has a powerful, oaky aroma which oozes boozy bourbon barrels but betrays bolstered alcohol we must imbibe. So many flavors wash over my palate on the first sip. It's deceptively smooth, almost creamy, and simultaneously puts star anise in my nose and raisins in the far corners of my mouth. The carbonation is subtle and complements well the strong flavors of blackened malt.
It turns out I love Russian Imperial Stout. Still.
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia
3.9/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
"Named after the ancient god of darkness, Czernobog was the last beer we made in our Leviathan Series – and one of our favorites. So we stashed a few bottles in the cellar. As winter approached we noticed that our supply had dwindled and we knew it was time to go back to the brewhouse to resurrect the darkness. With powerful notes of unsweetened chocolate, dark fruit, and molasses, it’s our pleasure to reintroduce this Russian Imperial Stout. Embrace the darkness." Brewed in the style of a Russian Imperial Stout, available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass.
(Appearance) Pours a frothy foam head of a light brown color over a very dark brown, near black body. Retention is above average and lacing is light and spotty. 3.75
(Smell) Bread malts, chocolate grains and cocoa nibs, very subtle roasted grains and coffee, molasses and caramelized fruit sugars, a touch of lactose sweetness. Potency is moderate. 3.75
(Taste) Flavor largely follows the aroma, with light roast, dark fruit sugars and chocolate up front, exposing bolder roasted tones of roasted barley, dark roast coffee and char on the back end. Notably enjoyable richness from the dark fruit and molasses, and an enjoyable bite of licorice. It's enjoyable and nicely complex with nothing stepping too far out of line, for better or worse. 4
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, moderately syrupy, smooth, lightly chewy, medium dry. Carbonation is modest, generating a medium frothiness and a moderately crisp finish. Body is shy of medium for the style, shy of heavy overall. Balance is slightly roasty, earthy malt bitterness over sweet. Alcohol presence is moderate, and there are no off characters. 3.75
(Overall) A respectable budget-priced RIS from a very hit-or-miss brewery. All of the flavor compounds suggest Russian Imperial Stout and the beer is overall drinkable and enjoyable with lots to savor. I especially enjoyed the depth of dark fruit subtleties and molasses, as well as the impressionable licorice which lends itself nicely to the beer, I find that all of these make a greater impression than the chocolate, which plays a minor role in this beer. Overall, it's enjoyable and nothing to pass over, a great example of a quality Imperial Stout at an outstanding price. 4
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall's
Czernobog Russian Imperial Stout
3.9/5.00
May 07, 2016Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass.
(Appearance) Pours a frothy foam head of a light brown color over a very dark brown, near black body. Retention is above average and lacing is light and spotty. 3.75
(Smell) Bread malts, chocolate grains and cocoa nibs, very subtle roasted grains and coffee, molasses and caramelized fruit sugars, a touch of lactose sweetness. Potency is moderate. 3.75
(Taste) Flavor largely follows the aroma, with light roast, dark fruit sugars and chocolate up front, exposing bolder roasted tones of roasted barley, dark roast coffee and char on the back end. Notably enjoyable richness from the dark fruit and molasses, and an enjoyable bite of licorice. It's enjoyable and nicely complex with nothing stepping too far out of line, for better or worse. 4
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, moderately syrupy, smooth, lightly chewy, medium dry. Carbonation is modest, generating a medium frothiness and a moderately crisp finish. Body is shy of medium for the style, shy of heavy overall. Balance is slightly roasty, earthy malt bitterness over sweet. Alcohol presence is moderate, and there are no off characters. 3.75
(Overall) A respectable budget-priced RIS from a very hit-or-miss brewery. All of the flavor compounds suggest Russian Imperial Stout and the beer is overall drinkable and enjoyable with lots to savor. I especially enjoyed the depth of dark fruit subtleties and molasses, as well as the impressionable licorice which lends itself nicely to the beer, I find that all of these make a greater impression than the chocolate, which plays a minor role in this beer. Overall, it's enjoyable and nothing to pass over, a great example of a quality Imperial Stout at an outstanding price. 4
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall's
Czernobog Russian Imperial Stout
3.9/5.00
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina
3.96/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Pours an opaque yet still clear thick viscous jet black in color with moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation along the edges of the glass and very faint dark cola brown highlights. The beer has a two finger thick dense foamy dark mocha head that slowly reduces to a medium sized patch of medium thick film surrounded by a large patch of very thin film covering the remainder of the surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.
S: Moderate to strong aromas of sweet dark malts with light aromas of roasted malts. Moderate aromas of dark fruits (plum and fig) and dark chocolate.
T: Upfront there is a moderate to strong flavor of sweet dark malts with light to moderate flavors of roasted malts and a moderate amount of dark fruit (plum and fig) sweetness. There is a moderate flavor of dark chocolate and a light flavor of earthy + herbal hops. Light to moderate amounts of roasty bitterness towards the finish which does not linger for long.
M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light hints of alcohol warming in the finish as the beer warms up.
O: Easy to drink, especially for the RIS style, with well hidden alcohol. Enjoyable with a pretty decent balance of sweet dark malts and roasty bitter malts. Glad I grabbed this one but it would have been hard to pass up at the $5.99 a bomber price point.
Apr 03, 2016S: Moderate to strong aromas of sweet dark malts with light aromas of roasted malts. Moderate aromas of dark fruits (plum and fig) and dark chocolate.
T: Upfront there is a moderate to strong flavor of sweet dark malts with light to moderate flavors of roasted malts and a moderate amount of dark fruit (plum and fig) sweetness. There is a moderate flavor of dark chocolate and a light flavor of earthy + herbal hops. Light to moderate amounts of roasty bitterness towards the finish which does not linger for long.
M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light hints of alcohol warming in the finish as the beer warms up.
O: Easy to drink, especially for the RIS style, with well hidden alcohol. Enjoyable with a pretty decent balance of sweet dark malts and roasty bitter malts. Glad I grabbed this one but it would have been hard to pass up at the $5.99 a bomber price point.
Reviewed by Bisco42 from Ohio
4.28/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I thought this RIS was absolutely delicious. Served at room temperature, and into a Tulip. Two finger head that did not quit, remained for longer than most. Thick and nearly creamy in MF. Had all the delicious qualities that I was looking for and hid the high abv incredibly well. Reminded me a lot of Lagunitas' RIS.
This beer would be outstanding if it were to have cocoa and/or coffee added. Awesome for the price point too!!
Apr 30, 2015This beer would be outstanding if it were to have cocoa and/or coffee added. Awesome for the price point too!!
Rated by JamesBondGA from Georgia
4.48/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Not a bad Russian Imperial Stout, especially for the money
Mar 23, 2015
Czernobog 2014 from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
68 ratings
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