Courage Russian Imperial Stout

Formerly brewed at John Smiths (S&N, Heineken)
Style: Imperial Stout
Tadcaster, England

Vintage 1983. Black coloured. Very intense and complex. Loads of fruits and some nice smokiness.

5/28/04. Poured out of tiny-ass bottle (6 oz.?), shared with hopsrus on RateBeer 5/28/04. 1959 Vintage. Wow. What a treat-- this beer is almost twice as old as I am! Pours a very dark black, no head at all and no carbonation or lacing. Hard to ask for much life after 45 years (!!), but amazingly, this beer brings it in new and interesting ways. Aroma is vinous, even a bit vinegary to the point that I thought the beer was going to be badly off. Subsequent wafts revealed a dark burnt, charcoal briquette aroma that put my mind (and sinuses) at ease. Flavor is vinous again, ridiculously burnt and roasty as well. Simply the most interesting burnt character I’ve ever experienced-- some bitterness and harsh pepper, but it works surprisingly well. For all you people who insist that oxidation flavors can never be a good thing in a beer, you have to try a very old Courage like this one. Supremely intriguing imperial stout-- I can’t believe they made this thing 45 years ago. Medium body with smooth, even a bit runny texture and then the crazy bright charcoal kick all over the mouth. Very little sweetness or chocolate, but the change is a very welcome addition to the range of imperial stouts I’ve had the pleasure to experience. Not quite like a beer any more, at least not like any beer I’ve ever had before. It’s like a delicious charcoal and vine flavored black wine. Thank you very much, John!

Vintage 1959. Shared this one with Cquiroga on his visit. This the forth bottle of Courage I’ve had and possible the best. The aroma was alcoholic, vinous and and burnt. The flavor was catty(blackcurrents) and burnt. Slight acidic. Mouthfeel was warm. Finish was slightly acidic and dry.

Vintage 1992, 12 years old
Dark heart, thin brown head. Deep aroma of liquorice and roasted malt, sweet and mature; malt, caramel, Porto wine; light raisins, cinnamon and mace; very light phenol. Wonderful liquorice gum, notes of roasted malt, cinnamon, cookies; still well sweet but not cloying. Balanced final, a bit short and requiring a stronger bitterness.
Great for its balance; could be improved by a better hop touch.

170 ml bottle, 1993, at Monk’s Cafe, Philadelphia. At last! I have an ’83 waiting, but that must be shared with others; this beauty gets nothing but my greedy lips and gullet. Still a hint of fizz as the bottle is opened...coal-black with the merest hint of garnet, still, with a wisp of lacing. Big, extremely complex and entrancing aroma: chocolate-raisin dominates, but makes way generously for an oaky vanilla/port subtext...later on hints of cherries, tarragon and figs dance for my amusement. Dance, fruits, dance! In the mouth, it’s chocolate liqueur and a dollop of kirsch, warming alcohol, and grapes. As expected, a bit thin, and certainly oxidized though this bothers me very little; I get no soy as many have commented. An extraordinary beer, probably close to perfect in an "ideal" sample.

WCC2-(1989) Very dark brown body with no head at all. Smells very sweet. Tastes a bit like a port wine with some soy sauce squirted into it. Soy taste kind of kills it for me.

1989: Aroma of dark fruit, soy, molasses, brown sugar. Taste of brown sugar, terriyoci steak, and molasses. Palate was medium. Nice but it is a bit to salty and meaty.

WCCII. 89' vintage. Well I have to say that like some others at the WCCII party I was somewhat disappointed with this one. Opaque brown black with zero head. Palate is thin bodied, quite dry slightly mouth stripping. Light smokey, earthy, soya sauce vegemite like aroma. Flavour is more lightly salted soya sauce, medium strong roasted malt/grains and very very dry strong bitter finish. Maybe the 83 vintage is the one to go for.