North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

I used to love this beer a lot more. From bottles at Papago Brew to bottles from Whole Foods West Hollywood, this was a great "hey, I feel like a stout" stout. But since drinking this on tap at Lucky Baldwin’s and Father’s Office, I have grown much less impressed. Maybe it’s my exposure to Darkness, Abyss, two incarnations of Dark Lord, etc. that have dulled my taste; maybe the fulfilled demand actually has made the beer less potent, less balanced, and more ’sharp’. Either way, I long for my first sip of this beer at the Pap in Scottsdale, for on that night it left me wide-eyed.

Bottle, 12 oz. Pours solid black with a large tan head. Excellent lacing. Aroma of roasted malts and chocolate. Oily think on the palate. Awesome!

Given the stong reviews for this beer I found it to be a fairly large dissapiontment...In terms of flavor i got some coffee but the taste was dominated by an overly roasted (maybe burnt) malt flavor. Also I find an unpleasent bitterness at the end. Ill probably come back and try this one again at some point just to see if i like it any better. Not even in the same league as Speedway or Stone RIS

One of the world’s great stouts...a modern classic. It has everything I need in a stout...beautiful mysterious dark colour topped with a brown head, sumptious roasted choco flavour, a nice big hearty mouthfeel and a massive finish. The high alcohol level is well balanced but a slight tingle comes through in the end to play. Killer label design to boot. A winner from North Coast. Divine stuff.

Bottle. Something slimy came out as I poured it. I fished it out of the glass and could not ID it. Having waited for so long to try the beer, I still drank it. Opaque, black with small, tan head. Aroma of heavily roasted malt with notes of bitter cherries for some reason. Chocolate and coffee were also wafting.. Flavor bitter with tangy, roasted finish. I wonder what the slimy thing was, but the beer was good.

It’s hard to beat Old Rasputin. Full flavor with lots of coffee and malt. It pours out black and has a nice thick feel in your mouth. I like to drink this when my wife gives me a haircut. This should be served in every barber shop.

(Bottle) After being relatively unimpressed by this brewer’s other beers, I was surprised: I’d place this one in a totally different category from the rest of their beers. Aroma alcoholic, a hint of vanilla and perhaps some dried frutiness. Not as aromatic as it could be. Quite bitter, although I could take a little bit more. I like the other reviewer’s remark that the one thing that this beer seems to lack is complexity. There aren’t really that many flavors emerging, and the aroma isn’t that strong. There’s some bitter roast, especially in the aftertaste, and there’s a hint of caramel. Texture is almost perfect...this has a rich body with a coarse sort of carbonation; no head. If anything, it comes across as possibly too heavy. An outstanding beer, even if I have a few minor complaints.

So let me say that I agree that this is a tasty beer and readily in my area. I should be swingin’ from a chandelier!!! Unfortunately, I’m going to have to disagree with everyone on this brew. Dark mahogany bordering black with a nice 1 inch latte head. This beer smells of Starbucks and tastes of espresso. Somewhat creamy in the mouth as well. There isn’t, however, any complexity. Seems fairly one dimensional. Would drink again for sure, but wouldn’t seek it out.