Portsmouth Kate The Great Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Portsmouth Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

2008 sample from a bottle. Deep black, rich and viscous, zero penetrating light. Rich chococolate sryup and dry cocoa in the nose - heavily starchy but surprisingly decadent and soft, with just the faintest bit of dark plum fruit. Rich and massively thick, more chocolate covered dark stone fruit tasted, and the hugely thick and syrupy body coats the mouth with a vinuous film of semi-sweet and surprisingly smooth chocolate syrup. Tannic black malt in the finish, overall really impressive and worthy of priase.

Courtesy of Fonefan. It’s pitch black with a creamy, nougat brown head. The aroma has notes of dark fruits, roasted malt, licorice, earth, wood and hints of basement. The flavour has a light sweetness, notes of licorice, chocolate, wood, dark fruits and it gets almost vinous towards the end, where it also gets roasted bitter. It’s a nice and powerful stout.

Pours black as night with an ok brown head. Aroma is roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla and toffee. Roast coffee like flavor...slightly bitter. Medium full body and creamy. Highly drinkable...good brew for sure.

Bottled@Fonefan. Pitch black colour, big beigeish brown head. Aroma is licorice, alcohol, mild roastiness as well as some vanilla and cocoa. Flavour is licorice, alcohol, vanilla, dark dry fruits as well as some mild wooden and cocoalike notes. Strongflavoured, yet balanced imperial stout. Warms your guts, as well as all other intestines on the way down to the stomach.

Courtesy Beerlando. Black pour, nice dark khaki head. Slightly sweet aroma, light roast component, licorice, some background powdered cocoa. Nice heavy roast component, nutty finish, the alcohol is very well hidden. Very nice.

(22oz. bottle) Pours a dark brown body with a small tan head. Aroma of chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, and coffee. Flavor of roasted malt, chocolate, warm alcohol, caramel, coffee, and some vinous/port.

2008 vintage, tasted side by side with 2008 Southampton RIS. Pours absolutely pitch black and opaque. I don’t even see a glint of brown when held up to the sun. A thick, spongy, mocha colored head displays excellent retention and leaves dense, spotty lacing on the glass. This quite simply looks like the perfect RIS. The aroma is big and bold, showing a base of dark, massively roasty, bittersweet chocolate. Complimentary notes of mocha, espresso, licorice, and a hint of vanilla liquor complete the nose. Flavors show more of the intensely roasty chocolate and espresso, with just a hint of soy saltiness throwing things off a bit. The licorice is there, but some of the vanilla depth faded away. Medium-full and somewhat syrupy in the mouth, the palate’s only flaw is a touch of alcoholic heat that comes through. Overall, this is a damn fine brew with a few minor hiccups. Right on par with the Southampton.

Bottle, at BA Throwdown #2, courtesy Tony at Oldsmar Tap House. Dark brown pour, very little head and lacing. Big time roasted coffee in the nose, some chocolate and caramel. Creamy chocolate flavors, coffee, big roasted malts, caramel, nice malty goodness, cocoa in the finish. Crisp, smooth, drinkable, very tasty.