Portsmouth Kate The Great Russian Imperial Stout

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

Draft at the brewpub. Pours a dark brown black body with tan head. Aroma is sweet and boozy, chocolate butter and cream. Creamy chocolate, toffee, roastiness, very malt and boozy probably more then whats listed. Very hot and still quite great. Some time would probably do wonderful things glad i have an 06 original release, hehe.

On tap at the brewpub during the KtG release: Well, there were some really great beers on tap for the release but this Kate did in fact prove to be great for me. Thick, rich, concentrated, powerful...and surprisingly balanced. This pours thick in the glass and remains thick in the mouth, coating the entire palate. There was a nice mix of chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, vanilla and some dark fruit. Hopefully the bottles will live up to the tap! While I may not rate this a perfect 5, the day and event made this a perfect experience!

On tap at the brewery I guess it time I finally review this wonderful elixir. The barkeep brought me my tulip style glass the body was Jet black almost looks like molasses topped of with a coco colored head that turns to thick lace that slides down the glass while you drink it . Aromas of roasted malts so you get your typical coffee and chocolate notes but you have to let Kate warm for her true colors to show in the nose I sat one glass aside while I drank my first and the second glass really had wonderful vanilla notes along with the port oak note as well . Coco flavor’s my wife said at one point it was choc full of chocolaty goodness so it kind of reminded her of ovelteen slight bitter roasted aftertaste to help balance out the malts This is the 4th batch I have had and I will say I think this one is a little bigger in the alcohol then the rest maybe it because it warmer out but it did sneak up on me this time Thick, rich and full are words that come to mind when describing the mouthfeel almost no carbonation after the pour. I ended up with getting my usual 6 glass per batch even though she didn’t stay around as long but I normally don’t drink two of them in one day either I did this time around. my common practice it to nurse a glass for about an hour it is one of those brews you just hate to finish I gets better at room temperature so I always take my time anyways .Now I will tell you this is a beer geeks beer so its not for everyone. I have seen people send it back, and a few of the regulars just can’t drink it. Although lately they are in the minority

On tap at the 08 summer release in a tulip. Pours jet black with good size tan head. Aromas of roasted malt- chocolate and tons of coffee. Some alcohol too. Tastes similar with a tinge more of espresso and some hop bite. Some dark fruits and cherries. Overall incredibly drinkable for a RIS

On tap at the June ’08 release. This one pours black with a dark tan head. Aroma is chocolate, dark fruits and coffee. Flavor is mostly chocolate with a little bit of booziness just under the surface. Starts chocolate with just a touch of coffee and raisins on the back end and a bit of alcohol. This is probably my second- or third-favorite IS that I’ve had. Real tasty.

On tap at the brewery on 5-24-08 for Kate’s second release. Smuttynose big beer tulip. I was quite skeptical of this brew from the get go. A world class beer in my own state? Impossible. What I came to learn was quite different for this brew spoke for itself. Pours motor oil black with one finger tan head that lasts throughout. Aromas of heavily roasted malt, chocolate, caramel, vanilla and a dash of hops. Powerful, pronounced, and complex. First sip was absolutely heavenly. Initial blast of flavors include gratuitos amounts of roasted malt, subsiding into complexity and character which I have seldom seen. Chocolate, caramel, plum, raisin, and port were quite evident, as well as the perfect amount of sweetness from residual sugars. Hop character is present, but by no means overwhelming, and balances out the sweetness to create a great moderation of flavors. Perhaps one of the most flavorful brews I have sampled to date. Palate was thick and fufilling with an impenetrable mass of a body that sat on the tounge with the weight of an anvil. Texture is smooth and rich, perhaps complemented by the expert balance of flavors. After swallowing my first sip, I could think of nothing but another- the flavors are so intense and powerful while maintaining a rich, though supple mouthfeel. Alcohol is un-noticable despite its rather high content. So well balanced- this beer has just about everything going for it. Expertly crafted- a delicious treat for sure.

Draught at the Brewery for the KTG 08 Release. Poured into a tulip glass with a rich oily opaque black color with a small dark tan head. Nose of roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, alcohol and touch of dark fruits. Initial taste is rich and heavy roasted malts and chocolate being dominate. Vanilla, dark fruits and coffee moving into the mid palate. Finishing with continous roasted malts, chocolate, and light spiciness from the alcohol. Good balancing bitter hops. The body is medium to full, but indeed not a full body. Palate duration is excellent. Head retention is very good with excellent sheets of the lacing. Alcohol is only touched upon in the finish, as the beer warmed, alcohol presence only increased slightly. Other wise it very well masked. It was a true pleasure.

5-24-08 bottle
Bottle shared by lb4lb thanks to Pastor!
Nice thick black pour with a nice tan beige head. Smell is roasted malt and chocolate and dessert like - but isn’t very big or bold in terms of what I was expecting from the hype. Flavor is sweet, malty, and almost spiced. Overall, a great beer and nice creamy smooth solid impy stout.