North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

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

black liquid with creamy tan head. rich aroma character (cofee/malt). a bit of a ting on the palate but tasty... rich finish!

12oz bottle. Pours black with a chocolate head. Decent carbonation. Aroma is of roasted malt, chocolate, syrup, and hops. Taste of hops, and chocolate, dark fruits, with alcohol. Very dry finish, surprisingly medium mouthfeel. I was expecting something to chew on but exceptionally drinkable

Dark brown, tan head. Cocoa/hop aroma. Flavor is intense coffee, chocolate, licorice, wood, burnt malt. Not as sweet as most imperials. Agressively hopped with a long bitter finish. Serious stuff indeed, a beast of a stout!

Tasted 2008-02-01. 4 years old. Pours black!!! with grey/brown head. Dusty aroma (can you feel me?) of cocoa and more cocoa. Some port wine wine and cellar scent in there too. It smells good! Though it leaves me very curious as to whether it will taste good. Could easily go either way. Well it went... somewhere above the middle. Definately great, but not as great, as I hoped. It is mellow but yet powerful; great balanced bitterness. Very complex. The CO2-level is perfect. Thumbs up to the crown cap! I’ve had this beer fresh, and I like it better after 4 years. It seems it could go longer. Outstanding!

I was having a bad day so I broke this out. I’m happier now. What a wonderful taste explosion. It makes you warm to drink it, something inherent in its Russian influence no doubt. It has a wonderful velvety smoothness that allows all the flavors to roll over the tongue. This is a great beer.

Poured black and viscous out of the bottle and was topped with a medium brown head. Aroma is brown sugar, alcohol, chocolate, and something I can’t quite place maybe vanilla? Flavor is intense coffee, chocolate, caramel, sweet but balanced by the bitter. Old Rasputin is oh so good and a beer I keep coming back to.

Great beer is all I can say. Not sure if its as good as Storm King. Need a side by side comparison.

From a 12 oz bottle, poured into a small lager glass. Not the ideal glass for this baby, but what the hey! Pours as black as the ace of spades. Appears lightly carbonated, not a big head on this pour. My best stout to date. Not an actual coffee or chocolate stout, but very full bodied. Well roasted malt evokes both coffee and chocolate flavors. The alcohol is evident, but not intrusive. Mmm, mmm, good!