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 | Beer News
Stevens Point Brewery Releases Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout
Posted by: Jason on Monday - February 08, 2010 - 23:16 UTC
Topic Origin: Beer Releases |  | STEVENS POINT, WI (February 2010) - Stevens Point Brewery's Whole Hog Limited Release Brewmaster's Series welcomes Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout to its portfolio of big, bold beers.
A rich, luxurious brew fit for royalty, Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout will be available in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles starting February 1 wherever Point beers are sold.
Russian Imperial Stouts are growing in popularity in the craft-beer segment, according to Joe Martino, Stevens Point Brewery Operating Partner. "Russian Imperial Stouts are especially popular on the West Coast, and enthusiasm for the style has been steadily spreading eastward," Martino said. "As the boldest, strongest style of stout, Russian Imperial Stout is the perfect year-round addition to our Whole Hog Limited Release Brewmaster's Series, which is dedicated to delivering the best of the big, bold beer styles to Point's loyal drinkers."
Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout and its partner brews, Whole Hog Six-Hop India Pale Ale, Whole Hog Imperial Pilsner and the spicy seasonal Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale, are handcrafted in small batches to appeal to the most discerning craft-beer aficionados.
Russian Imperial Stout
Russia's famous Czar Peter the Great reportedly became a fan of English ales and stouts during a lengthy visit to England more than 300 years ago, and British beer exports to czarist Russia followed. The Russian Imperial Stout style evolved as English brewers intentionally brewed stout destined for Russia heavier, hoppier and stronger to better withstand the rigors of a long sea voyage through the stormy Baltic Sea to St. Petersburg, where strong, robust beers are well-suited to the cold sub-arctic climate.
Later in the 18th century, the strong English stout brewed for the Russian market caught the fancy of another Russian royal "Great" - Empress Catherine II, who ruled the world's largest nation from 1762 to 1796 - and it became a permanent favorite at the Russian Imperial Court, acquiring the name the style bears today in the process.
Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout is brewed with roasted barley, dark roasted malt, crystal malt and two-row pale malt balanced with Cluster and Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest. The result is a very robust, complex brew bursting with a bold, semi-sweet malty flavor followed by a warm, smooth finish, according to Ken Carlson, Stevens Point Brewery's Director of Brewing. "Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout is coffee-black in color with a dense tan head; I like to think of it as the espresso coffee of the beer world," Carlson commented.
With an alcohol content of 8.6% by volume, Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout will leave behind a smooth warm finish, Carlson said. "We age it longer than most of our beers in order to fully develop its flavor and body," he said, adding that time will continue to mellow the brew in the bottle.
Point's handcrafted specialty beers
The Whole Hog Limited Edition Brewmaster's Series represents the epitome of the brewmaster's art and crowns the Stevens Point Brewery's specialty portfolio, which also includes four hand-crafted seasonal specialty beers and six year-round brands.
The seasonal specialty lineup features St. Benedict's Winter Ale, a rich, dark Belgian abbey-style ale for winter; Point Einbock, a Bavarian-style bock beer for spring; Point Nude Beach Summer Wheat, a crisp, refreshing wheat ale for the summer; and Point Oktoberfest, a Bavarian-style Märzen beer for the fall. Year-round specialty beers include Point Amber Classic, an American-style amber lager; Point Belgian White, a Belgian-style wheat ale flavored with orange peel and coriander; Point Horizon Wheat, an unfiltered wheat ale; Point Cascade Pale Ale, a hoppy American-style pale ale brewed with Cascade hops from Washington's Yakima Valley; Point Special Lager, an American-style pilsner that won the gold medal in the American Premium Lager category at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival; and Point Burly Brown, an American-style brown ale.
Stevens Point Brewery also brews the James Page specialty beers: Iron Range Amber Lager, Voyageur Extra Pale Ale, Burly Brown Ale and White Ox Wheat Ale.
The Stevens Point Brewery
Stevens Point Brewery, founded in 1857, is one of the oldest breweries in the United States. Stevens Point Brewery uses only the highest-grade barley malts, specialty malts, grains and the choicest hops to brew its handcrafted beers.
In addition to award-winning beers, Stevens Point Brewery produces gourmet sodas, including Point Premium Root Beer, Point Premium Diet Root Beer, Point Premium Orange Cream, Point Premium Vanilla Cream and Point Premium Black Cherry Cream Soda.
For more information about the Stevens Point Brewery, visit www.pointbeer.com or call (715) 344-9310. Tours of the brewery are available, with schedules listed on the Web site.
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Jason
Founder & Chief Executive Advocate
BeerAdvocate
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