Stone Imperial Russian Stout

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

The Stone IRS is a treat that I look forward to every year when I have to pay the tax man. I love Imperial Stouts and this one is a very good example of the style. I enjoy the overall flavors of this beer. Not my favorite, but with the wide availability in So. Cal. I must say this is amazing.

2009 Bomber. An amazing stout! This beer pours one of the blackest of blacks that I have ever seen in a beer. Purely opaque! A decent dark tan head forms. Very thick and black. The aroma is powerful showing off nice roasted malts and lots of chocolate. The flavor is much of the same, thick roasted malts, a nice chocolate background, some fruit flavors, and decent licorice notes as well. A big beer, no doubt. Again, very thick and syrupy, almost chewy. Excellent!

22 oz. bottle spring 2009 release - Poured black with large brown head. Aroma - Much lighter than I expected, I was expecting huge coffee and roastiness. I got more black currants and anise. I feel ripped off!!! Flavor - Definite black currant and alcohol taste. I tend to agree with Pawola22 about this beer being delicate. I just expected more flavor!? Palate - I am wondering why everyone says this beer has a heavy palate. The mouthfeel is kinda thin and does not poor thick at all. The finish is slightly dry and has alcohol aftertaste. Overall - WOW am I in shock!!!! I have been waiting to try this beer for quite some time and I am not impressed!? I bought 4 bottles thinking this beer would be as good or better than Expedition Stout and I was wrong!! Re-Rate 4/21/09 - I tried another bottle to see if maybe my taste buds were messed up. This beer is ok but has this charred wood taste that I don’t like. Hopefully some age will make this beer taste better. 8/16/09 - Tried another 22oz. bottle and liked it alot more, age is a must. Do not drink this beer fresh! I would give this beer a 4.0 if I had tried it with some age.

22oz bottle. Pours a super dark near black with a good sized tan head. Nose is licorice and bittersweet chocolate on the nose. Some coffee as well. As with other Stone beers the hops are present in this beer. Not a hoppy IS but its perfectly balanced where most IS lead towards the sweet side. Excellent roasted dark chocolate flavor with some rich toffee and caramel notes. Finishes with a refreshing bitter roastiness.

Spring 2008 12 oz. bottle from Grape & Gourmet. This is everything you would expect from an Imperial Stout. While it does not overwhelm me with how good it is, it does not disapoint either. Certainly this should be the starting point for Imperial Stouts. Only a select few have been better.

Bottle from Golden Hill Market. Pours oily black, nice milk chocolate brown head, ’bout an inch.A little bit of lacing down the glass. This one’s a beaut. Coffee grounds, dark chocolate, roasty notes on the nose. "Flavor explosion" (girlfriends words) of chocolate and coffee, roasted barley, some caramel. Nose opens up with a warm hand around the glass. Alcohol les doticable with time. This is a fantastic beer to forget about finals with.

On tap at Redlight. Pours BLACK SON!! This is incredibly thick and tasty. Deep dark chocolates and black licorice. Coffee comes through once you get over the initial chocolate and malt overload.

First off I have always loved this beer. It got me started on this big huge beers we call imperial stouts. The bottle I had was a bomber from 09. So nice and hot. Pours dark like worn out motor oil with a consistency that well is even thicker than that. Full bodied for this guy is putting it lightly. On the initial flavor you get coffee, malt, toffee, roasted malt, chocolate and a sweet yet very subtle kind of fruit flavor. Maybe the anise they have talkeda about with this one? As this is hot I am getting what I affectionately call that bit of mystery in there that I can only guess will transform into something even better over time. I had an 05 last summer and thought I was in beer heaven if there is such a place. From vintages past chocolate seems to come out with age more then other characterisitcs that I have been able to tell. I noticed coffee, malts, chocolate in the aroma. Huge aroma that smacks you in the face. I feel an outstanding representation of an imperial stout. Wonderful does not even do this guy justice plus it is super easy to get around my area. I would have done 5 but it is so hot that I had to take .2 away because in about 2 years...we all know.