North Coast Old Rasputin Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

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

A lot more dryness to this than expected from an Imperial Stout. Pours a solid black with a thick brown head that never entirely goes away. The aroma is dominated by fine bourbon, dark unsweetened chocolate, and dark roasted coffee beans. Lots of wood in the taste, plus more bourbon, really roasty malts, a few cherries, and espresso. It’s a creamy, smooth, heavy beer with a noticible alcohol burn that finishes really hot.

Pours black, slight head comes up and collapses, oily. Aroma is a great blend of chocolate and coffee, laced with liquor. Flavor is a spot on match, with all the elements of chocolate, coffee, wood, and bourbon working together. Great sipper, loved this brew.

Old Rasputin XII: Pours dark brown with a thick brownish head that disapates vigoously after a few sips. The aroma is so pungent that it fills the immediate area in which I am sitting. Huge Huge Huge chocolate aroma with heavy notes of bourbon woodiness and alcohol Slight hints of coffee. The taste is indicative of coffee, bourbon and chocolate. A little to much booze comes through in the flavor, leaving almost a vodka taste. The Palate is a little thin and watery. The aroma starts to die down over time and the booziness seems to shine through to a greater extent, leaving only traces of the sweet odor that it once was. Overall this beer is good, but a little to much of the alcohol shines through.

XII Anniversary 500 ml bottle purchased last summer at Holiday Wine in Escondido, California. Enjoyed at home with Gregis and Indra. Pour is deep black, really pure darkness, two inch tan head that falls with thick lacing. Aroma of roast, soy sauce, touch of black licorice, followed by a decent blast of vanilla bourbon and booze. Taste is the roast, soy, vanilla black licorice, and the bourbon barrel in pretty equal measure. As it warms, an interesting boozy sweet dark cherry comes out - almost a cherry cough syrup, but more pleasant than that sounds. The finish is quite hot, the alcohol burns in the chest. Palate is medium, almost towards the light side. As mentioned, really boozy in the long finish. High carbonation along with dryness in the finish make this a bit more drinkable than it probably should be.

Aroma of subdued chocolate, red fruit, and oak. Lots of oak. Taste is oak, sweet chocolate, and bourbon. Well balanced flavors. Mouthfeel is slightly dry and ascetic. Nice, but not worth the price tag in my opinion.

Bottle split with AndyReynolds.
Dark black with a brown head which isn’t as spectacular or long lasting as that of the original Rasputin. Aroma is mostly bourbon but a little lighter than some other BA stouts, which I actually prefer. A few hints of roasted malts shine through. Flavor is balanced but still showcases the bourbon character. Quite smooth and easier to drink than I expected. Very nice.

12th anniversary bottle courtesy of ericandersnavy. Pours a menacing, murky black color with one finger tan-yellow foamy head that settles slowly. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oak, molasses, dark ripe fruits, toffee. Flavor is just as wonderful as the aroma. Lots of dark chocolate, light roast, toffee, bourbon, oak, vanilla, smoke, brown sugar, booze. Full body with a boozy, chocolate, light roast finish. Nice ale.

Bottle - 16.9 ounces corked and caged. Old Rasputin XII. Midnight black pour with a tall, dense brown foam head. Aroma is bourbon, oak, vanilla, molasses, roasted malt, dark chocolate and sweet malt. Taste is big bourbon, vanilla and oak atop molasses, caramel, sweet malt, dark chocolate, and alcohol warmth. Body is thick, chewy and warming with a dense, creamy carbonation.Ends much the same way it began - big bourbon, oak and vanilla with more molasses, dark chocolate, light coffee and roasted malt. Very nice!