Leinenkugels Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout

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

12oz gift bottle from CaptainCougar. Thanks Tom! Opened August of 09, Not sure what year it was bottled. Opens with a minimal hiss. Pitch black with a rusty orange head that rises up and then fades back down after a minute. Thick and oily mouthfeel, with some bitterness in the aftertaste. Chocolate syrup, bitter cocoa, and a slight warming all come together. The carbonation is rather light with the aging, but the smoothness is quite worth it. An excellent beer, the best Leinenkugel beer I can imagine existing.

12 oz bottle courtesy of my first trade with TheEpeeist. Chris, you are truly the man! Pours a thick viscous black with one of the darker brown heads I’ve come across in my day, moderate cakey, laces well and dies to a decent layer. Aromas evident off the bat, throwing some good roasted malt first and foremost, with coffee, dark chocolate coming in with light raisin and plum dark fruits mingling. Still, largely a roasty toasty wonderland. Initial is sweet on initial, with dark fruits and chocolate coming in, nothing too sweet, staying dark, moving to roasted and toasted malts, coffee grinds. The beer itself stays fairly sweet, rich, with dark fruits staying an important factor with the roasted malts. Hops have died out mostly, but I still feel some lingering bitterness not from the roast on the back. Warming as it goes down, it really coats the mouth with roast, but more interestingly that dark fruit and chocolate sweetness grow as you progress, almost getting a little too strong in sweetness. Interesting, overwhelming themes of cream, dark chocolate, and dark fruits.. sweeter than most.. a winner from the people at Leinenkugel’s and a beer I’m truly appreciative for getting a chance to try.

Pretty tremendous Impy Stout, with loads of chocolate, fruit, and sweet richness. No real complaints. On tap at Skyview’s.

Bottle poured into snifter. Poured black with tiny tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, light dark fruit, chocolate, sweet bitter notes also. Taste is similar with lots of big malt, light fruit, chocolate, and more of the light bitter notes. Like some others have mentioned, these probably shouldn’t be there, though they aren’t that detracting. This may not be a beer that ages too well, as this bottle is no more than 2 years old. Overall, a nice drinking stout with a big mouth and lightly bitter finish.

Thanks to ucusty. Bottle, late ’07. Aroma of semi-dark chocolate, cocoa, dark red fruits, caramel-drizzle malt, sweet alcohol notes that really work well with the rest of the beer. Flavor is sweet and super malty, really rich stuff, with tons of baker’s chocolate, and sticky, figgy notes. There are light acidic notes that seem they shouldn’t be there, though they aren’t terribly distracting for me at least. Warming finish with a moderate alcohol presence that is again very welcome with all the richness of the beer. Bitterness also comes through in the finish, adding another level to things. I was both excited and worried to try this, and at the end of the day, I found it to be quite excellent.

2007 bottle. Pours black with a small tan head. Aroma of rich molasses, toffee, bitter chocolate, raisin, sweet fruits, and sweet caramel malt. Flavor is sweet and a little boozy upfront with a roasty, chocolate finish. Lots of sweet malt (but not necessary roasted). Thick palate. Decent and complex, definitely a slow sipper. 8/4/7/4/15 (3.8/5)

Bottle, not sure which vintage. Pours a pitch black with medium dark tan head, lots of lacing. Aroma strong of roasted malt, lots of coffee, nice chocolate, and bourbon. Flavor matches, but alcohol is more present that I expected, slight sweetness, lots of spice, nice bitterness, and a bit of dark dried fruits also. Mouthfeel is warm, sticky and slick at the same time. Finishes bitter and dry. Quite complex, nice drink, would have been a higher rating had the alcohol not been so present.

Bottle 355ml. @ home.
[ Trade by BDR ]. Clear dark black color with a average to large, creamy, excellent lacing, fully lasting, light brown head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, dark chocolate, licorice, dark plum notes. Flavor is heavy sweet and coffee & burnt bitter with a long duration. Body is medium to full, texture is creamy, carbonation is soft. [20090706]