Iron Hill Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Iron Hill Newark
Style: Imperial Stout
Newark, Delaware USA

May 2005 - I wasn’t as thrilled with this as the other few reviews. Poured dark, dark brown (just about black) with a small head that dissipated quickly and some lacing. Maybe it was my allergies, but I didn’t smell much or taste the subleties listed in other reviews. Taste was dark roasted malt and a strong alcohol taste that wasn’t all that well masked. Bitter/sour...I dunno, I just wasn’t crazy about it...worth a try once, but probably won’t go back to it again. Update Jan. 2009 - Roasty and silky smooth with notes of chocolate. Not wow’ing or overly complex, but still pretty good.

Bottle, corked and caged and waiting in the cellar since release day in February. Boy, a lot of personal backstory tied up in this one. Huge aroma of coffee beans and roast malt, heavy chocolate overtones. Touch of malted milk balls lightens the overall effect, which is outstanding. Salt and dry overripe fruit underpin the classic impy nose. Opaque motor oil pour with a dark brown head. Huge roast malt taste, with less alcohol seeping in to influence the flavor than in most (whoa, only 9.5% abv? far too much flavor here). Dense layers shifting and sliding over each other on the tongue, loads of texture and really fun in the mouth. Candied fruit and light plummy, figgy notes. Very dry without saltiness. Full, robustly flavorful body with a dry, porterish finish and a good memory of the roast. Indeed, has a lot in common with a big porter. Touch of sandy hops swirling around toward the end. Still superb cold, but definitely one to let warm a bit. A degree of personal bias in this rating, but still an excellent brew, and well worth the wait (though not the price)!

bottle, courtesy of eclectic. Pours dark brown to pitch black, with a small brownish head, chocolate malty aroma, flavor is sweet chocolate, caramel, malty, some tobacco, very very nice. Thick and creamy on the palate. Very good stout. Thanks kevin!

Bottle. head disappears fast. some chocolate note. nice round taste for a heavy stout. long lasting aftertaste.

Bottle. Black coloured with a beige head. Roasted aroma of chocolate and vanilla. Roasted flavour of chocolate and vanilla with notes of liquorice.

Bottle. A black beer with a brown head. The aroma is of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee and rye bread, also licorice and a bit of alcohol. The taste is light roasted malt, vell balanced, chocolate, coffee, rye bread and licorice. Medium to full body with a plesant chocolate finish.

Bottle. [#100 American] Small creamy light brown head that mostly diminished. Spar lacing. Very dark color with reddish like glow. Aroma was very malty with notes of chocolate, coffee and some burned malty notes as well. Also some liquorish, berries, vanilla, prune and date was dominant in the aroma. Quit vinous in the bouquet that really adds to the complexity of this lovely Imperial Stout. Full bodied with a thick but still slick texture and a flat carbonation. Only a hint of alcohol as it goes down, but the warming feeling was there. Moderated sweet malty flavor with light bitter notes. Lingering and ever lasting liquorish finish. It edged out the Black Flag from Santa Fee.

Tap at Capone’s. Dark brown with a smallish head. Aroma of coffee and liquorice. Taste adds in prunes and perfumy hops. Bitter finish.