This beer comes to us from the North Coast Brewing Company in California. It's got one kick-ass looking bottle too, and it better be for the price I paid for it.
Now, this is my first experience with a Russian-type stout, so I didn't know quite what to expect. But to cut to the chase: this beer absolutely blew me away.
Pour: Very dark brown/black, opaque. Dense, foamy 3-fingered tan head with good retention and all sorts of neat lacing on the glass. One of the prettiest stouts I've seen.
Smell: In a word, the aroma is
strong. The most dominant thing on the notes are roasted chocolate malts ...and it's got a ton of them. Under that is a pretty potent coffee note, some fruity smells, and a bit of molasses. A little bit of the alcohol fumes come through in the nose, and actually not as much hops as I was expecting.
Taste: I don't know if beer can make one cry, but you might shed a tear or two over this one! Rich, dark chocolate malt taste immediately hits you. Lots of coffee and a bit of milky sweetness in there too. The fruits that were present in the aroma are also present here to a lesser degree. Hops were much more present on the palate, and balanced out the flavor of this beer absolutely perfectly. A small, yet noticeable alcoholic aftertaste. One of the most balanced beers I've ever had.
Mouthfeel: Creamy and heavy yet smooth as silk. Fairly low in carbonation. About like drinking slightly carbonated milk.
Drinkability: It's a filling beer, but very easy drinking. I could have a couple of these at most though, probably.
Final Notes: What can I say? This was an amazing beer in every way. Nice palate that's not overly complex (don't expect a stout to be though), has tons of flavor, a strong smell, and the lacing is simply eye-candy. I will say however this is definitely not a beer for the faint of heart. Also, it's 9% ABV, so one that really needs to be treated with respect. This would make an awesome beer to drink in front of the fireplace or out by the campfire in wintertime. This is the first beer I think I've ever rated "A+." It's that good.
Recommend
Comments (6)
wow an A+? really? that's amazing. haha my boyfriend totally wants to try this after reading your review :P
I could tell just from the picture that that beer had to have been damned amazing.
I am going to make it a quest to find it.
a great stout-well written.
It looks like a very refreshing stout. Mmm... Gotta try this!
I am going to have to keep an eye out for that one. Anyone know where I can pick one up in the Indianapolis/Cincinnati area?
I love imperial stouts, although I don't know if I've ever had a Russian one. There was (is?) a brewpub in Providence,RI that I used to go to that made their own, it was amazing. Smutty Nose does a good one too. With such a glowing endorsement I'll have to look around for this one.