Old Rasputin

Brewer: North Coast Brewing Co.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 9%
IBU: 75
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle poured into an English pub glass

I've done this beer before, but it's such a mainstay that it's worth a rereview from time to time. But first a little background.

From the brewer:

Produced in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia's Catherine the Great, Old Rasputin seems to develop a cult following wherever it goes. It's a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish.

A beer brewed in London for export to Moscow had to endure a long, largely over land voyage through potentially sub-zero temperatures. This meant a higher hopping rate (hops act as a preservative, lengthening the shelf-life of the beer), and a higher alcohol content to prevent freezing. The hops, in my mind, is what makes it a "Russian" Imperial Stout, as opposed to just a plain old imperial stout, or any number of aged or double, barreled or bourboned versions.

Now, on to the review.

I have a rule. If I have to spend more than 30 seconds trying to decide if something is black, or just a really dark brown, it's black. This is a jet black beer, no light is getting through. A rocky, latte colored head occupies a full third of the glass before settling down to a persistant finger with some light, sticky lace. There's a little bit of piney/earthy hop aroma up front, but that's quickly overpowered by darker smells as the beer comes to temp. Definitely some coffee, like a nice, dark roast, with notes of vanilla and chocolate to boot.

The taste is chocolate malt and licorice, with dark coffee behind, bitter and maybe just a little burnt. That bitterness does have a hop contribution, and tends to linger. In the mouthfeel, this beer is silky smooth and lightly carbonated to perfection. Goes down with just a slight warming in the throat and chest, but otherwise betrays no hint of alcohol. Very easy drinker.

This is a very easy beer to recommend. Big and bold, with lots of complexity and just the right touch of hops to balance it all out. All this for two bucks a bottle, and brewed year-round. A steal!

My score: 4.5/5
Beer Advocate: 95/100
Rate Beer: 100/100
Pintley: 4.2/5 

Breakfast Stout

Brewer: Founders Brewing Co.

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 8.3%
IBU: 60
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle poured into an English pub glass

A pinky finger of persistent, light brown head on top of a dark, dark brown, totally opaque slug of thick liquid. Decent lacing. Has the aroma of fresh brewed coffee, or maybe just the freshly roasted beans. Dark malts come through behind the coffee.

Tastes like black coffee. The slight hoppy bitterness and the tanin/astringent character of the coffee play together well, offering just the right amount of bite back in such a big beer. The dark malt flavors linger at the back of the throat. It has a nice, heavy body, but is super smooth. Correspondingly light in carbonation.

Fantastic beer. One to look forward to every year.

My score: 5/5

Beer Advocate: A

Rate Beer: 100/100

Pintley: 4.4/5

Older Viscocity

Brewery: Port Brewing Company

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 12%
IBU:
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter

Pours thick and pitch black, totally opaque, with a finger of dark brown head. Darker than most similar beers I've had. Fades quickly to a thin film and then a ring around the glass that likes to cling to the sides with every sip. Plenty of bourbon on the nose, plus notes of black coffee and dark roasted malts.

Taste follows nose with bourbon up front. Flavor is very dark, strongly roasted, with just a slight hop bitterness. Coffee is not as strong as in aroma. The beer is super creamy smooth, and easily coats the inside of the mouth. Lightly carbonated. Alcohol warmth is noticeable, though not as strong as I would expect from 12%.

A great beer, though I've yet to find a bourbon barrel stout that I don't like. This one does stand on it's own, though, with little to no chocolate coming through and the super dark, roasted malts playing center stage. It definitely reflects the old motor oil theme they're going for.

My score: 5/5

Beer Advocate: A

Rate Beer: 100/100

Pintley:

Dark Truth Stout

Brewer: Boulevard Brewing Co.

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 9.7%

IBU: 60

Serving type: 12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter

Pours espresso dark with a finger of dark brown head that clings to the glass. Aroma is subdued at first, but strengthens as the glass empties and warms. Smells like dark roasted coffee and dark chocolate. Some roasted malt is also present.

Taste is also intensly roasted and toasted with semi-sweet chocolate. A touch smokey. Maybe some dried dark fruit. The chocolate turns milky by the end of the glass. Mouthfeel is very creamy, light in carbonation. A nice, heavy body. There's no burn of alcohol in the taste, but a noticeable, pleasent warmth in the chest and stomach.

This is a great entry from Boulevard's Smokestack Series. A definite sipper with a pleasent warmth to remind you of what you're drinking. I drizzled a few teaspoons of this over a slice of chocolate cake that had gone a little dry, and it did wonders for it.

My score: 5/5

Beer Advoacte: B+
Rate Beer: 97/100

Pintley: 3.9/5

Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works

Destihl is a self described gastrobrewery opened 2007 in Normal, IL. I've only known them to serve excellent food and beer (all brewed on site). My most recent visit was April 23, when my wife, son and I were in Bloomington for Easter.

Beers come in 4, 12, and 16 oz. sizes. I opted for a 12 oz. of the current cask ale, their Jacob's Ladder American Brown, plus a number of 4 oz. samples. Keep in mind that the beers here are in order of consumption; my senses were probably getting strained by the end, not to mention the effects of alcohol.

Von Linne Apricot Wheat--A super tart beer. Very little to no malt or hop flavor, but tons of apricot. Almost less a beer than a very light, slightly carbonated, apricot liqueur.

Jacob's Ladder American Brown--Had this one on cask. Pine and earthy hop notes up front, with caramel malt behind. Light in carbonation and super smooth.

St. Dekkera Single Barrle Reserve--This was actually my first taste of a sour ale. It hardly seemed like beer at all. Very sour, no carbonation. There is a little malt there to balance the sour, but it's definitely in the background. And then there's this savory, almost cheesy note that comes through under the tongue. Very intriguing. Can't say I'm a true believer in sour ale, but this makes me curious for more.

Antiquity Rye Wine--This one is super peppery on the nose and palate; hard to believe that's all from the rye and not straight up black pepper. Otherwise, a fine barleywine.

Cerise Stout Imperial--The server brought me a little sample of this one after I opted for the first sour ale. A sour stout with cherries. There's an aroma of hot tub water. The super tart cherry flavor comes through with the sour. It has the smoothness of a stout.

Bamberger Rauchbier--Lighter (in color) than I was expecting. Very smokey. This was the last beer of the night and it was hard to get much out of it besides the smoke.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout

Brewer: Founders Brewing Co.

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 11.2%

IBU: 70

Serving type: 12oz bottle

Ap: Dark, dark brown. Not black, but totally opaque. Head is dark tan/brown, slow to form and quickly fades to a thin ring around the glass.

Ar: Heavy notes of coffee and bourbon. Hints of chocolate.

T: Dark roasted coffee, bourbon. Strong flavors hide the bitterness. Little to no alcohol warmth.

M: Heavy body, but smooth as silk. Light in carbonation.

I: An incredible beer to be sipped like fine whiskey, or straight espresso (or both at once).

My score: 5/5

Beer Advocate: A+

Rate Beer: 100

Pintley: 4.6/5

Had to drive nearly half an hour to find this beer. People in Pekin must not know good beer, 'cause everywhere on my side of the river was fresh out. Definitely worth the trip.