Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout

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

The aroma has licorice, dark fruit, toasted malt, oak, mineral water, and sugar. The appearance is black with a nice brown head. The flavor is like the aroma but with an astringent bitterness. The palate is ok for the style but bordering on thin. This beer would rate higher but the aftertaste has burnt malt and rubbing alcohol.

Bottle poured black with a big, thick brown head. Aroma was weak roasty malt and chocolate. Smooth, creamy flavor of roasty chocolate and a hint of alcohol. Good beer.

Bottle Had a grain aroma present along with some licorice. Black body with creamy tan head and decent lacing. Flavor of roasted chocolate with a decent creamy texture to the body. Left a grainy aftertaste behind on the palate, good brew.

16 oz bottle, via Styles. Very black pour under a foamy one inch brown head of decent retention. No sediment in bottle. Aroma is roasty and chocolaty but also a little chalky and grainy. Lesser notes of caramel, licorice, and toffee. Flavor is very roasty and a little harsh. Notes of caramel, iron, licorice. Finish is pretty hot and astringent. Mouthfeel is thinnish with moderate fizzy carbonation. Finishes slightly oily in texture. Overall, this was just a little too thin and lacking in complexity.

Kind of odd the aroma. Raisins and other things. Other than that this is excellent. Has some chocolate, bittersweet I suppose. Really nice, thick and thasty. Suprisinglyh, not that hoppy for an imperial. I could drink this more often. Would only consider buying this and the barleywine in the giant liter bottles.

[22 oz. bottle] Slick black appearance. Tall coffee colored head, quickly diminishes to a swirling ring. Aroma is mostly coffee- some dark malty sweetness. Flavors are quite nice. Sort of musty chocolate in the finish.

This brew pours a very dark brown almost black color into the glass, its rich, thick texture evident from the way its folds into the glass. It has a malty, coffee and slight caramel aroma with a brownish tan head that mostly diminishes. Its is vey pleasing and creamy on the palate with a slightly bitter alcoholic finish. It is bold and thick enough to stand up to any meal, and makes a great accompaniment to red meats off the grill. The Czars never had it this good.

16oz bottle.
Pours a suitably sinister opaque dark brown/black with reddish tones. Thinnish saddle-soap-colored head forms on pour that leaves decent rings of lacing. Aroma is big on toffee, caramel, some coffee, and soothing alchol. Flavor is toffee and coffee up front with bitter dry grain following, and then a bit of what seems like lactose. Nice full-bodied mouthfeel with a thick chunky palate. Doesn’t rate well as an imperial stout -- seemed more like a good solid porter or even a sweet stout.