North Coast Old Rasputin Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

Brewed by North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Fort Bragg, California USA

Brew #5 in the d-metal on 2/9/08 with narfy. Big shout out to Hoppymeal for trading this out my way, thanks man! Aroma was a sweet oaky bourbon swimming in a sea of chocolate and sweet vanilla. Remarkable. Wreaks of excellence. Flavor was a smoky ash filled bourbon chocolate bomb. Slight bittering, coffee grind, and warmth in the finish - completely delicious. Straight up liquid silk. With the fact that this doesn’t have any unpleasant heat - I can only expect it probably got absorbed sometime along the way making this really shine. I’m in love with the relationship an imperial stout and a barrel have. Good work. Brew this one again!!!!

Another bottle generously supplied by jarspag for Beer #5 of the 2/9 DM tasting at the Carlsbad pad. We’ve been waiting for some time now to crack this one open. Pour is solid black with a grayish-beige head and fine bubbles with quick, spotty lace. The bourbon barrel is all over the aroma on this one. Some citric phenols stick out, but its mostly oak wood with dark fruits, roasted honey and vanilla extract. Strong bourbon and charred wood is prominent in the flavor, with slight tartness, fruity rum notes and a port wine character. Palate is a bit thin, but oh-so silky smooth. The bourbon comes out more in the finish and lingers with the oak notes. Spot on!

Bottle from Davecooks. Pours a dark brown with a thin tan head. A little thinner than you would expect from the normal production version. Toffee, alcohol, and chocolate on the nose. Taste is UNREAL! Taste of sweet toffee and alcohol, fades to sweet chocolate, carmel, toffee. Finish is vey roasty then fades more to dark chocolate, bourbon, oak, carmel, then to bitter hops. This beer was truly amazing. Thank you very much Davecooks!

bottle sampled at an Evening w/ Pantanap. thanks to devon for this one!....pours a very dark brown with lighter brown edges and accompanied by a thin light brown head....an appealing nose which was made up of coconuts, vanilla, and bourbon. very rich chocolate. nice.....flavor was very bourbon-forward and a little hot. lighter chocolate notes and finishes off with a slight bitterness. it’s hard to find remnants of the regular rasputin but still pretty nice all around.

Rating #900! 2007 bottle. sampled at "An evening with Pantanap #3". big thanks to xnoxhatex for sharing this gem. We sampled this next to the regular Rasputin. Pours a dark black color with a beige head. First sniff. Wow this nose is rich. Complex and balanced with bourbon, chocolate, malt, and toffee. Smooth body. Creamy bourbon, chocolate, roast, and toffee. This is a little hot right now. But not overly so. Rich and delicious beer. Excellent brew.

07 bottle. sampled at "An evening with Pantanap #3". big thanks to xnoxhatex for sharing. sampled next to regular old rasputin but that bottle seemed off. pours dark brown with beige head. nose is really nice, balanced bourbon, oak, coconut, roast. flavor is roasty, dark chocolate, some booze, oak and bourbon, a tad harsh w/ booze in the finish. not mind blowing but a must try and really nice.

0.75 l bottle at Akkurat, Stockholm. Thanks oh6gdx and tbone_! Black color. Strong sweet aroma of bourbon and honey with notes of vanilla, almonds and cocoa. The same elements continue in the flavor along with warming alcohols and very long bourbon finish. The stout character is hardly there but the bourbon aroma and flavor is nice.

Thanks to Illinismitty for sharing this at decaturstevo’s tasting. A tall mocha head tops this dark black Imperial Stout. Nice soft bourbon nose. Smooth and well balanced. Bourbon again, with some dark roast malts and coffee. Well done.