Stone Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Escondido, California USA

To celebrate my rating number 11,300 I enter this much sought after top-50 beer. A pitch black beer with a thin brown head. The aroma is sweet malty with notes of roasted malt and bourbon. The flavor is sweet with strong notes of bourbon as well as medium notes of wood, roasted malt, and alcohol, leading to a dry roasted finish. The alcohol burns in the top of the throat.

Bottled, thanks Marsbiblursi! Very viscous dark black, no head. Rich aroma of vanilla and wood flakes. Sweet and thick, viscous and oily. Mildly warming with some licorice and coffee. While the bourbon in itslef is not very obvious I do get quite a lot of wood and vanilla. Alcohol warms in a really bitter finish. Intense, yet not aggressive - abit on the syrupy/oily side.

From tap at Stone Bistro. Pours pitch black with a short lasting head. Sweet fruity and dense roasted malt aroma. Flavour is fruity, dense caramel and mild chocolate. Holds a nice note of vanilla too. Warming alchol finish.

Date: 02/09/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Extreme Beer

black, frothy tan head, light bourbon aroma, rich roasted malt flavor well balanced with the bourbon character, nice chocolate coming through,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

(thanks kmweaver) Small brown head atop black body with dark brown edge. Aroma is moderately sweet, vanilla/Bourbon, chocolate, marshmallow, some bubblegum, coffee/roast, light burnt, wood. Taste is moderately sweet, chocolate, roast/burnt, Bourbon/vanilla. Light alcohol burn. Low carbonation, medium body, possibly a trifle thin for the beer.

Thanks Brad for sending this one my way! Poured a dark black color with a thin sized off white head. Aromas of bourbon, vanilla, woody, chocolate, some dark fruits, and I was getting a light smokiness. Tastes of bourbon, vanilla, wood (but lighter than in the aromas), dark fruits, chocolate, and caramel. The bourbon is there but not over powering. Alcohol content overall well hidden.

Objectively speaking: From a 1L growler brought back by François. Thanks! Another bourbon barrel aged imperial stout who uses the powerful weapon that rarity is against Ratebeer’s Bayesian scale!
I like: No annoying vegetal (spent grain, corn syrup) character from the barrel, more like pure wood and vanilla components. Rather rich body for a beer that went through a barrel, no apparent thinning. Roastiness manages to pass through the bourbon. No cloying factor.
I dislike: It’s hard to figure out what sets it apart from its concurrents enough to justify a current 4.4 average. No bottles available to age up the edges (Some flavours head in totally opposite directions, namely the bitterness). Not very balanced as this stage (still intensely bourbony) and to me, not superior to their regular impy.

Draft… RBSG ‘08… This beer rocks!… Pitch black ale with a very small, creamy, khaki-colored head. Chocolaty, vinous aroma with notes of vanilla and controlled bourbon. Full-bodied and ultra silky with restrained carbonation. The finish is charred and chocolaty with discreet, elegant bourbon. About as good as it gets!