Southampton Imperial Russian Stout

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Imperial Stout
Southampton, New York USA

Bottle. Nose-smoked pork, jerky. Taste-big ’ol wallop of metal, bacon, smoked ham, charred oak, port like notes. Lots of smokey and roasty notes all over htis bad boy. Some baking powder, coffee, and grit come out in the end.

This is one STOUT stout! Thick and sour with generous chocolate and burnt coffee flavors. Go for it...

As much as I like Southampton’s Belgium beers, this one was a slight disappointment. I like the aroma, very burnt, full of chocolate and coffee. Opaque black color, small brown head. Flavor was fairly acidic and somewhat alcohol hot. Two problems I’ve had with more than a few imps. but I won’t have expected that from Southampton. Finish is alcohol dry and tart.

Was a little disappointed in this beer. Aroma of coffee and chocolate. Taste was of chocolate and coffee. Somewhat fizzy and tart, which I did not enjoy.

Bottle: Courtesy of Crosling via trade. Excellent aroma of coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla cream, and roasted grain. Pours a dark brown, no transparency, with a nice tan head that lasts a minute or so. Initial flavors of dark chocolate, vanilla, and roasted grain. Finishes with a roasted coffee bitterness. Mostly creamy mouthfeel with a touch of fizziness. Cafe mocha aftertaste. Gets a tad more maltier as you get to the bottom of the bottle.

2005 Bottle Pours blackish with a thin cocoa-puff colored head. The aroma is a bit subdued: a hint of malt & chocolate When I took a sip, I initially got a tart taste on the tip of my tongue, which I didn’t like. Otherwise, it was dry, roasty w/ a clean finish.

2005 bottle generously opened by Eyedrinkale on 8/19/05 and drank by me the next morning for breakfast. Thick, inky black-brown colored beer, highly unfiltered and still pours a lovely tan head, well-retained and full of lacing. Smells quite restrained, dosent blow you away with hops or coffeeish roasted malt. Light anise, spanish coffee, prunes, raisins and a light milk chocolate. A bit of dry, earthy yeast in there too, with dry peanut brittle and green hops (herbal-floral, with just a touch of minty bitterness). Pleasant but dosent make me jump out of my seat and scream. First thing I notice upon drinking it, is how soft, milky-smooth and drinkable it is. Oily, rich fudgey chocolate and light roastiness. Hops come out on the end, with a green bitterness and flavorful, leafy, almost fruity and lightly herbal (mint, wintergreen). Towards the bottom of the bottle, gets a bit gritty, which I love, due to how unfiltered it is. A bit dulled towards the bottom of the bottle too, no doubt from the sediment. Only light fruit flavors emerge in this one, much less than in most other popular examples of the style. I really like that this is not overdone with hops bitterness and has more than just roast and dark chocolate. It’s a refreshing and drinkable take on the style. As the flavors build up on the palate, light black coffee from the salty roast really get intriguing, adding a touch of smokiness. Alcohol is well-concealed throughout the entire bottle. Moderate carbonation, perhaps too much for my liking. It’s wonderful that it isn’t overdone, but just being not overdone does not a top50 beer make, in my book, anyways. Thanks again Mike.

2004 bottle laid in cellar for a few months. Coca-cola dark colour and strong Southampton carbonation. Mellowed taste, and medium mouthfeel not a thick Russian porter. Easy drink, but its like a Coca-Cola in strong caramel, though some grais of cocoa, I am sorry fans, please don’t flame me. Enjoyable but overated.