Stone Imperial Russian Stout

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

This is the 2008 release, and it was awesome. I’ve only had a few offerings from Stone, but they’ve all been amazing. This pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a brick red head. It almost reminds me of expedition stout, but not as heavy, It’s flavor is chocolaty,smoky, and has some coffee in it as well. Right on the finish there is a hint of cinnamon. This beer was fantastically crafted, and the price was right, which equals me getting a lot more. Cheers!

This beer has a weight to it, and density that is special. Milk and dark chocolate, coffee nib, excelent nose and dark rich head. Almost too much of a good thing. Finish is very long, roasted flavors, alc is also nice and helps clean things up. I guess these could oxadize and head south but a well kept bottle should drink well for 5-7 years.

Bottle at Nnudds tasting. The beer is pitch black with a medium brown head. The aroma is roasty with a sweet malty touch together with chocolate. Creamy and soft mouthfeel. Flavour is overripe fruit, dark chocolate and coffee. Very good stuff.

Pours black as night... a creampuff lighter brown head. Quite a nice looking glass, and it looks pretty thick. A huge roasted malt aroma on the front, with coffee notes and molasses. A little bit of a dark fruit at the very back of it all, but the other scents battle with it a little. Great to sniff over a few times to pick out specific aromas. Some nuttiness and hints of chocolate come through on top of the other features. This is an amazing smelling brew. Heavy, thick, and viscous paired with a little shimmer of carbonation in there. A rich malt flavour on the front, definitely roasted grains... followed soon after with a little sweeter prunish like flavour. This is all as it approaches the mid-tongue, where the coffee roast bitterness starts to become more noticable and comes out on the finish. Some dark, Belgian chocolate like flavours floating through there, and upon finish, it leaves a wonderful lingering flavour of it all coming together at once. Lovely. Considering how huge it is, it’s very drinkable. I’d like to try aging some as suggested to see how things go, as this is quite a fresh bottle, and I found it to be very smooth already. I’ll certainly be going back for more.

Bottled(1 Pt. 6 Fl.Oz.). -Limited Spring 2008 Release. From De Gekraakte Ketel, Amsterdam. Huge thanks to the guy in the shop for the friendly price!!! I was such an idiot and didn’t ask for his name.
I was really looking forward to this one. Black coloured, medium sized brown head, chocolate, coffee and licorice nose. Roasted malt, dark chocolate and bitter coffee taste with notes of dried fruits and dates. Notable but well balanced alcohol. Creamy. Excellent RIS. Once again huge thanks for this beer!!!

I couldn’t have found a better beer!!! Everytime I open one I enjoy it to the last drop. Perfection in a bottle.

Tap at Shallows on Indy southside. Dark and rich. Great roasted coffee character with the right amount of chocolate hints. Only improved as is warmed. Excellent.

No. 1000. Ogi didn’t want to say what he was keeping for my no.1000 and this was indeed a pleasant surprise. Huge thanks to him and to the Ratebeerian at De Gekraakte Ketel.
Poured a very very dark brown, almost black body with a brown-ochre head. Strong nose of coffee, dark chocolate, dust, liquorice and chocolate icecream. A very nicely balanced IS whose taste is an equilibrium betwen a coffeish and chocolatey roasty maltiness and a dusty, bitter aromatic hops that end the taste and stick in the long bitter aftertaste. Creamy. Some ash. More drinkable than most beers of its style and worthy of the high score.