North Coast Old Rasputin Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

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

Poured dark brown with very little head. What there was of the head was tan to brown in color and the body didn’t look anywhere near viscous as it fell into the glass. The aroma is dominated by bourbon with plenty of chocolate to take the edge off. The flavor is a piece of chocolate dipped in bourbon. The mouthfeel is light in body for what this is. Warming alcohol towards the finish feels right at home. Good. Not great. Certainly not great when you factor in the price of the bottle.

500 mL bottle. Pours a dark chocolate brown with a tan head that disappears leaving just a thin foamy tan residue on top and a little lacing on the glass. Aroma is vanilla, oak, light bourbon... very creamy and smooth. Taste is mostly dark chocolate and bourbon... doesn’t seem to have as much fruit and raisin as the original (I’m sure the bourbon flavor overpowers that a little bit), but I prefer the dark chocolate bitterness over the sweeter flavors anyway. Rasputin is definitely a beer that can stand up to the barrel... it’s just too bad it’s so pricey!

Overpriced 500ml bottle. Will not take that into account though, so, here we go... pours black with a small khaki head. Aroma is a very nice milk chocolate/bourbon duet with a lot of soft oak notes. Very pleasant really. Malted milk balls. Really no harshness imparted from the wood or the spirit which is nice. Some coconut in there too. This is similar to Goose Island’s though a little less intense and more milky. Great Lakes Barrel Aged Blackout comes to mind too, from the nose at least with a bit more bourbon. Coconut increases with the temperature rise. This is just a splendid nose, really. Flavor is similar though the body is a bit thin. The regular Rasputin doesn’t seem to have the body to be able to hold up to the barrel and unfortunately this holds true. The flavor is nice but nowehere near as good as the aroma and the body leaves a lot to desire. This was not bad but it could have been so much better.

Tap at Blind Tiger: Opaque deep khaki dense head. The aroma has a huge dark fruit richness- lots of rum raisin and vanilla/bourbon character. The chary black malt base comes through a bit. Silky/creamy on the palate. Big booze presence in the flavor and body. Lots of vanilla/raisin/rum qualities with that underlying tarry black malt and roast giving off mocha undertones. A bit too much bourbon for my taste- plus this Imperial Stout in it’s self is fantastic.

500ml bottle from Draegers in San Mateo. turns out I can get this in NJ anyway! black body, dark tan/light brown thick fluffy/rocky head. aroma is dark chocolate, some vanilla, bourbon, a little prune. some oak and molasses too. body has lively carbonation, dry boozy/bourbony malt, chocolate liquer, and oaky flavor, balanced by baking chocolate, roasted malt, and a little bit of piney hops. great blizzard beer!

500ml bottle, XII, from once upon a vine south. pours a slightly oily black witha half-inch dark beige head that quickly disapates leaving a nice ring of lace. aroma is excellent with dark chocolate, fudge, cold coffee, and roasted malt notes backed by big, oakey bourbon, mild vanilla, licroice, and hints of coconut and smoked wood. flavor is wonderful as well and follows the aroma beautifully with sweet chocolate, roast coffee beans, and mild toffee malts up front backed by huge, woody bourbon and vanilla notes with hints of dark fruits and smoke/ash. palate is medium bodied and maybe just a tad thinner than most bourbon barrel impys with a wonderful, oaked bourbon finish. overall, a top notch example of bourbon barrel aging that need not be at such a high price point.

bottle shared with kegbear. Very good malt, vanilla smell. The initial taste is some chocolate with definite vanilla cream coming out in the finish. Incredibly smooth. This is a very solid beer!

Bottle from Dilly Deli. Poured black color with an average creamy creamy brown head that mostly lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, woody and small alcohol aroma. Medium to full body with a rich smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium to heavy roasted sweet chocolate cream flavor with a medium to heavy sweet smooth finish of moderate to long duration. Another standout brew.