Leinenkugels Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout

Formerly brewed at Leinenkugel Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
Style: Imperial Stout
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin USA

Pours black with brown foam that has limited retention but creates some lacing as the beer goes away. Aroma of caramelized sugar, alcohol, and hints of chocolate, soy, and spice. Maybe dried fruit. Flavor has noticeable hop and resinous alcohol character. Mince meat pie! Body is creamy without too much carbonation. Not flat, not astringent. Overall a very fine offering--boozy and hard-hitting but complex and balanced all at once.

Pours, a deep, flat black with a tan, chalky head. The nose was a bit lacking in my opinion, some chocolate and roast, but mostly bitter/smokey, maybe anise as well. The excellent, chalky, burnt malt, chocolate, syrup, and a lot of dark, rich fruit. Interesting combination of flavors. Alcohol is barely noticeable. Mouthfeel is big, thick and a soft. Really good beer, and a pretty unique imperial stout.

12 oz bottle. Pours a flat black body with a nice one finger chocolate brown head that faded to a thin film. Nice rich nose with heavy roast, chocolate, molasses, anise, almost a touch of smoke even. The flavor is a little too sweet for my tastes for the style. There’s a good bit of almost a syrupy molasses flavor that makes it seem like everything didn’t ferment out as completely as it should have. Otherwise, some chalky burnt malt, moderate malt derived bitterness, and way too much fruitiness going on for me. The alcohol flavor emerged more and more as the temp rose. Mouthfeel is thick, oily, and a bit sticky with nice soft pleasant carbonation. Overall, this was an odd one for me. Finishing off a whole bottle of this was a bit challenging. The cloying sweetness just became too much.

Bottle. Very still oily looking opaque body. Nose-LME, fig, raisins, light alcohol, big perfume, tea. Taste-biscuit, fig, harsh wood, cracklings, medium to high sweetness, grape juice, charred wood, burnt marshmallow, bitter coffee, sticky, lots of sweet creamed coffee. Very good creamy coffee, albeit a little sticky and sweet.

Bottle courtesy of Miketd! Bottle pours pitch black with a chocolate looking head. Has wonderful smells of chocolate, caramel, and sweet molasses. Has a medium to heavy mouthfeel. Tastes like I’m chewing on roasted caramel, chocolate, dark malts, and some sweet molasses on the finish. Overall this is big, bold brew that I really like.

on tap in Appleton. Very smoky nose with some malt. Definite malt and smoke taste but it is more balanced than some smoky beers. I was told this was a fairly fresh batch and would love to try some that has been aged. Good would buy again

Dark viscous pour with a beautiful mocha head that fades quickly. Mocha, molasses in the nose. Same flavors, with good bittering to balance the huge malt bill. Some alcohol bite in the aftertaste. Big beer!

Pours a dark brown with a thin head with good retention and a wonderful aroma, with notes of alcohol and cherimoya. Yum yum, tastes like mincemeat in a glass, fruity and sweet. Nice bitter hops in the finish, more cherimoya, nice and resinous. Thick, syrupy body with good carbonation. There is so much beer in this beer! Thanks to Ughsmash for the secret Santa gift!