Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Sprecher Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Glendale, Wisconsin USA

Bottle from River’s Bend. Poured a black color with a large frothy brown head that lasted and produced sticky legs and good lacing. Good roasted malt and dark fruit aroma. Full body with a smooth sticky texture. Complex sweet stout flavor with a medium fruity bittersweet smooth finish of moderate duration. Very well balanced stout.

Bottle 2006 with wax seal: Pours opaque black with a deep brown head that fades to a film. The aroma is very chocolatey and boozey with hints of licorice, peat and an alcohol hint. A bit thin for an Imperial Stout, but the flavor is ok. Lots of chocolatey flavors upfront. Decent malt depth in the flavor, with slightly salty notes of licorice. A bit boozey, with hints of wood in the middle, with a bit more depth in the finish with evident espresso bean roastyness, and dark chocolate. Nothing standout, but somewhat enjoyable.

Pours a black color with a brown head. Aroma is of roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, molasses, dark fruit and some alcohol to back it up. Flavor wasn’t quite as strong as I was anticipating but still definetely delicious with plenty of roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee. A slight bitter finish with some alcohol warming. Fairly decent brew.

Pours a thick black color with tan colored head. Aroma is of anise, dark fruit, some chocolate and coffee. Just from the smell it seems to lack that intense impy stout punch. Taste seems to follow suit with the aroma. Althought it’s not bad it really lacks substance. The taste is light licorice, coffee, dark fruit, milk sugars, and chocolate. Lightly carbonated and pretty cream it seems a bit thin.

Deep black color, thick tan bubbly head. Can smell the high alcohol content, Fair carbonation. Taste is malty, licorice, coffee

Plum and licorice aromas. In the taste all you get is the roasted, smoked flavors and a little coffee. After taste is sweet and slightly alcoholic. Otherwise this is an average Impy stout.

Another bottle straight from the brewery’s gift shop. Pours a very thick black, chewy (motor oilish)brew with a tan head that quickly disolves. Aroma of roasted grain, coffee, molasses and banana bread. Tastes of molasses, chocolate and pumpernickle bread. Quite different for an Imperial Stout. A very creamy palate and finish with a hint of black licorice and coffee. Ah, good and thick.

Thin dark brown head of fine bubbles. Reduces slowly. Minimal carbonation. Rich and meaty. Loads of milk chocolate, roasted malts. brown sugar, caramel and a hint of smokey soy sauce in the background. And I mean that in a very good way! Color is a very dark port red boardering on black. Roasted grains, bittersweet chocolate and a little acidic. No where near as sweet as the aroma. Quite the dry and roasty body. Nice alcohol warming. Body a little bit thinner than expected for a impy. Hint of tea leaves and hoppy bitterness. Finishes dry and with a little burn. Long roasty finish. A pretty good drinking impy. Thanks to clarkvv for this one.