Czernobog 2014
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

Czernobog 2014Czernobog 2014
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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:
68
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:
Photo of ksimons
Reviewed by ksimons from Illinois

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, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

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, 2019
 
Rated: 4.33 by Alphakitty from New York

Dec 22, 2016
Photo of hreb
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
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, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by bigred89 from Maryland

Jul 31, 2016
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

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, 2016
Photo of dbrauneis
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina

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, 2016
 
Rated: 4.4 by KensWorld from Florida

Feb 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.3 by ChrisMyhre from Massachusetts

Nov 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.94 by cp45 from New Jersey

Nov 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by jaydoc from Kansas

Nov 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by JMS1512 from New Jersey

Oct 12, 2015
Photo of Bisco42
Reviewed by Bisco42 from Ohio

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, 2015
 
Rated: 4.32 by connecticutpoet from Connecticut

Apr 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.05 by Hopyard57 from New York

Apr 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Segelstrom from Pennsylvania

Apr 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by AGust82 from Connecticut

Apr 05, 2015
Photo of JamesBondGA
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
Not a bad Russian Imperial Stout, especially for the money
Mar 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.23 by paulish from New York

Mar 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.04 by tkdchampxi from New Jersey

Mar 21, 2015
Czernobog 2014 from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 68 ratings