Courage Russian Imperial Stout

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

1983 bottle @ Kulminator. pours black with tan head. nose is a tad soy sauce with a nice espresso and plum finish. flavor some soy sauce but nice milk chocolate, espresso, and dark fruits. more fruity than US imperials. no alcohol noticed, thin body, pretty really tasty stuff.

Name: Courage Imperial Russian Stout
Date: March 15, 2004
Mode: Bottle
Source: eBay
Vintage: 1983
Appearance: black gold, texas tea, pours like oil
Aroma: fills the surrounding area with a sweet licorice and molassis aroma, a bit thin
Flavor: flavor is slightly alcoholic at first but quickly fades, headless like an oil slick, rich malt flavor with lots of licorice, only a hint of ripe plum, a touch of lactic oaky sourness that turns to bitterness in the finish

Name: Courage Imperial Russian Stout
Date: August 26, 2006
Source: tasting
Vintage: 1993
Appearance: black, headless
Aroma: sweet licorish aroma
Flavor: good chocolate flavor, touch of sourness

Name: Courage Imperial Russian Stout
Date: November 29, 2006
Source: tasting
Vintage: 1993
picking up some hot alcohol

Name: Courage Imperial Russian Stout
Date: March 07, 2007
Mode: bottle
Vintage: 1993
a bit thin, light roasted, touch of sourness, held up well after all these years, not much character left,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 4/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 4/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Bottle, RBESG Grand Tasting 07. Vintage 1975 rated here. I think I was heard to remark "F*ck me" when tasting this. After being sat in a cellar for a mere 32 years (12 more years than I’ve been gracing this planet), I was intrigued to say the least. Thank you so much to Gareth for this incredible find. Pours black, with a thin tan head, carbonation still there after 32 years. Nose is only the slightest bit oxidised, madeira vinous tones, raisiny, some cheddar, warm liquorice, coffee, chocolate. Wow. Mouth is so plummy, chocolatey, coating in a really satisfying way on the way down. Utterly utterly amazing to think this is 32 years old.

Comparing to the 1977: Much more oxidised, sourer nose, but still outstanding. Same source as the ’75, but didn’t hold up as well.

(RBESG 2007, Glasgow. Bottle) 1975 vintage. Pitch black, small head. Vinous aroma, raisins, viol, licorice and chocolate. Vinous licorice flavor, very smooth with chocolate notes and some bitter notes. Very smooth.

A Mes rate: 1975 Bottle at RBESG.
32 years old and still going strong. Absolutely unreal. Incredible body and warmth with amazing life in it considering its age. Solid black with a hugely impressive thick and tight tan head. So much character, depth and complexity it is difficult to do it justice. Slight cheese in the aroma due to its many many years in the bottle. Marmite, chilli chocolate, wonderful marzipan finish with outstanding length. Mouthfeel is utterly sublime. Thick chewy malts, viscous oily body. Damn, it sent me all over the place as you can probably tell from the state of this rate. Sampled next to a 1977 bottle and this had held up so much better even though they were from the same source. A fantastic experience and a huge thanks to Gareth for being so generous.

Drank this 1993 bottle with footbalm last year. All I can do is reiterate his review....YUCK. No doubt due to improper storage....this one had slipped way past the madeira vinous point. Yes, we were disappointed.

I had a 1983 at Kulminator. Beer was very good but the mere fact I was drinking a beer that was older than myself was what I was most impressed with. If you can get a hold of one of these dont worry about the shelf life. Tastes alot like Great Divides Imperial Stout with a slight edge to GD.

Courtesy dsnowden. 1985. Black, brown edges. Thin layer of tan film. Nose of burnt, roasted malt and rich butterscotch/caramel, and light dose of sour oxidation. Flavor adds a good amount of milk chocolate to the sam characters. Body is medium, smooth. Would love to have a fresh-er bottle. Where’s that stash of ’93?