North Coast Brewing Co -- Old Rasputin

North Coast Brewing Co.'s Old Rasputin Imperial Stout is, as far as I can tell, the beer that brought back this style almost lost to history... Like Rasputin, it wouldn't die.

9.0% ABV and solidly hopped at 75 IBU's

Review:

Old Rasputin pours black with a solid tan head. The Head retention is good and lacing occurs throughout your pour. The initial aroma carries highlights of chestnuts, roasted barley, chocolate and a hint of nutmeg covered eggnog. Toward the bottom of the glass, hints of stone fruit begin to emerge. In the category of taste, the progression of flavors starts with a mouth full of creamy barley and is followed by a full roasted malt, lighter roasted malt, dry bite and warm belly--in that order. That initial "creamy barley" flavor is hard to explain-- it is as if the beer is so "beery" that your tongue can't identify any other flavor than beer. Like I said, it is hard to explain. Anyway, the 75 IBU's of bitterness is perfectly balanced in this bruiser of a beer. 75 IBU's would make a respectable, hop forward IPA, but in this beer you don't taste the hops as much as you appreciate their presence in balancing out all of the obvious malt character.

(Side Note: According to my brother, this beer can be mixed with North Coast's Red Seal ale to make a delicious concoction that will hereafter be known as Old REDsputin.)

Overall Impression:
I've had this beer many times in the past. Each time I come back to it, it is like having a reunion with an old friend. You are sure that you like their company, but you can't remember exactly why. But, after some trepidation, you meet up and immediately find that all worries are lost, and the reassuring feeling that some things never change fills your soul... or in this case, your belly.

2275 people have ranked this beer on Beer Advocate. The average score is an A. I have no counter argument.
Go out and try this classic Imperial Stout.

Grade: A

 Barrel Man says,

"The barrel aged 

version of this is 

DELICIOUS!"

(bottle purchased at The Liquor Collection)

Widmer Brothers -- W'11 KGB Russian Imperial Stout

Widmer Brothers' W'11 KGB Russian Imperial Stout is the latest in the Brewmasters' Release series and is, "as dark as a torrid past," "as full as a well kept dossier," and "as complex as a conspiracy theory."   

9.3% ABV and 65 IBU's

Review:

This lovely seasonal pours black, and carries a thin, tan/cream head. The carbonation is obviously light (common for ales of this strength), but is adequate for releasing the pleasant aroma reminiscent of Whoppers malt balls. No hop aroma is evident. The flavor has highlights of slightly burnt sour cherries and after a few sips and some contemplation, I found the hop character to be earthy with a slight citrus astringency. I attribute this astringency to a high alpha acid bittering hop like Millennium or Columbus. But don't be alarmed if you aren't a hop-head. This is in no way a hop-forward beer. I had to sit, sip, and think hard to pull out those hop flavors. As a matter of fact, the more this beer warms, the more the roasted malt character asserts itself and dominates the palate.

(Side Note: Widmer Brothers is part of the Craft Brewing Alliance and is therefore partly owned by Anheuser-Busch.)

Overall Impression: 

This is a nice departure from the bland beers that Widmer Brothers usually put out. The beer that this company is best known for is their Hefeweizen, a beer that despite winning a few awards, I find to be boring and tasteless. KGB on the other hand is well crafted, and although it does lean toward being a bit one-dimensional, it is quite tasty, *has flavor,* and for the price, is one of the best buys on the market.

Grade: A-

Barrel Man says,

"easiest Imperial Stout to drink."

(bottle purchased at The Liquor Collection)

Deschutes Brewing Co. - The Abyss

 

Deschutes Brewing Co.. THE ABYSS

Ummm... This beer is famous. If you don't know about it, you probably don't like dark beers. When it is released, the brewery throws a party. When I see it, I buy it.

This will kick your ass with an 11% ABV, and  65 IBU's

Review:
I enlarged the photo so that you could look at the color of that head. It's kinda dark! I'd call it a toffee color. The aroma is composed of roasted malts and caramelized sugar. The flavor starts as toffee/caramel/chocolate, but as it warms you start tasting some chocolate covered cherries. Then, as you sip, enjoy, think, sip, smell, stare, sip, slouch, sip, slouch further, sip again, all the while warming your beer, you start to taste some nice vanilla notes. If, as a child, you liked to mix up your neapolitan ice cream, you will love this. If you like dark beers, you will love this. If you like complex beers, you will love this.

(Side Note: the bottle informs you that this beer is best after 11/15/11. That's right... next year! I can confirm that aging these for a year or two increases the complexity. By two, keep one for next year!)

Overall Impression:
Great dark beer. I endorse this quote from the bottle:
"It's dark. It's deep. It's mysterious. This imperial stout has immeasurable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich complex profile. The flavor of this special brew draws you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the Journey."

Grade: A

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods, Kahala Mall)