North Coast Old Rasputin Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

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

Big wood, chocolate, thick, moderate to heavy alcohol, a great sipping beer. Had oone of my case of XI tonight. This will continue to age well.

Old Rasputin normally is a very harsh Stout, hitting you and reminding you it’s at 9%. This stuff mellows, and cuts the harshness, while sneaking in another 2% - bringing it to 11!!!!! Very much a chocolate flavor. This is quite possibly, the greatest beer ever made. Some beers deserve a 5. This is that beer. XII Version - Like any good beer, this changes batch to batch. Right now (7/09) this is pretty hot. I can taste some nice bourbon notes in this. At the same time it could mellow with a little age.

On nitro-tap, regular Old Ras is the finest stout in America. But bottled? It just doesn’t take well to bottling. But the bourbon barrel-aged Old Ras X is downright spectacular. This beer is everything an American beer should be. I wish I could take it to Belgium to show the beer-lovers there how fine an American bottle-conditioned ale can be.

I had the good fortune of having a great lunch at North Coast Brewery’s Pub and bought two bottles of the ORRIS Bourbon Barrel. I shared this with my cousin and daughter one evening and the aroma this Stout gave off upon opening was lovely. A distinct coffee, toffee and semi-sweet chocolate nose. The mid-palate is a fine balance of sweet, bitter and unctuousness. A lasting rich black coffee with hints of that smoky bourbon. A wow!

wow, perfect aroma of subtle bourbon vanilla, perfect dark flat pourt, subtle head and quality look. wonderfull flavor of roasted background and bourbon finish, very subtle and complex, nothing too overwhelming, a perfect balance and harmony. palate is extremelypure and smooth, wonderful. overall I loved it and could not wait to get more.

500 ml. Opaque black with a medium sized head that settles to a lasting half-inch of foam. Aromas of vanilla, caramel and chocolate. Flavor is Baby Ruth candy bar soaked in whiskey... mmm what a dessert. Medium body is dangerously drinkable and nicely dried by roast malt and alcohol. Yummy dessert and damn near perfect Imperial Stout.

Wow, just wow. When I first tried Old Rasputin I thought it was the best beer I’d tried becasue it was so hot and so thin and assertive. Then it grew on me and I got used to it being full bodied and mocha thick. I have to say that the higher ABV of this barrel aged version is the key to making this the best beer I’ve ever tried. It’s hot, it’s brutally roasted and flavorful. And most of all, it’s delicious and roasted to the point of which black coffee beans aren’t. It tastes like an evaporated flavor bomb reconstituted. Just fantastic, World Class. My new favorite stout.

Thanks to KnN for sharing. Wow! What a delicious brew! Strong aroma of bourbon and dark chocolate. Flavors of sweet dark chocolate, bourban, vanilla, and a little wood and dark fruit. Very complex flavors, smooth palate and the alcohol is well hidden. Amazing. I could sip this all night long.