The Duck-Rabbit Rabid Duck Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Farmville, North Carolina USA

Brewed in the USA......Pours black with a thin beige head and some mild carbonation. Aroma of chocolate, alcohol, dark fruits and licorice. The taste has a strong bitter chocolate feel with dark fruits, vanilla, smoke and alcohol. The mouthfeel is medium in body with a lingering bitter finish. Not bad, but the 10% is in your face.

I’ve heard quite a bit about this brewery, and this is the first offering that I’ve had the pleasure of sampling. This imperial stout was enjoyed on draft at the Craft Ale House, and was absoutely, incredibly delicious. This is definitely one of the better imperial stouts out there. This first taste of this newer brewery definitely makes me want to sample more from them. This stout pours an opaque black color with a big and thick dark brown head. The head leaves an enourmous amount of lacing around the glass. The aroma features hints of chocolate, cocoa, cream, hops, caramel and dark roasted coffee. The body is thick, but creamy, smooth and extremely drinkable. You could definitely get in trouble with drinking a few of these. The flavors were wondefully delicious and well-rounded, with notes of roasted coffee, toasted bread, caramel, cream, vanilla, dark chocolate, whole milk and just enough hops. The finish was like drinking cappacino, with a smooth and coffee-like flavor, with a touch of hops, chocolate, cream and a slight hint of caramel. I will definitely seek out more beers from Duck-Rabbit. This was an incredibly delicious and well-rounded imperial stout.

Bottle, from Bruisin Ales. Pours black with a small brown head. Aroma has dark fruit, licorice, and smoke. Hmm, not a whole bunch of typical coffee-chocolate, which is intruiging. Flavor is smoky-plum, a powerful mixture that quickly fills your mouth. Finish has an almost sour hop-bitterness, more woody smoke, and a lingering boozy warmth. Very tasty, though my criticism is that the palate throughout is quite thin. From the moment you begin swirling this brew in glass it becomes clear that this is not to be a viscous, creamy blend. Drinks well start to finish though.

Pours black with a mocha head. Smells and tastes of coffee with notes of hops. I suppose this helps preserve it but I think it adds a good amount of welcomed bitterness.

Bottle thanks to durhambeer!
Black, no head. Nose is very sweet and contains roasted malt, baker’s chocolate, and a lot of raisin and dark fruit... very nice. Flavor reminiscent of a less-complex Darklord, lots of dark fruit and sugar, chocolate and cake in the finish. A little too much alcohol. Moderate body, slightly salty, rather warming. As an Impy that prefers complexity and coherence to coffee and bourbon, I approve. It’s not among the best, but it’s in a direction I prefer to most others.

Black colour with a light brown head. roasted, fruity aroma with a dark fruit and chocolate sweetness. Light roasted and alcohol sweet flavor with notes of dark fruit and coffee.

My first brew from Duck-Rabbit and I must say, it was quite delicious. Aromas of milk chocolate and toffee rose well from the paper thin dark brown head that makes it an RIS. The flavor was of bittersweet chocolates that left a very memorable taste on the tongue. While not the greatest beer I have had the pleasure to drink, it deserves a place in one of my various Top lists.

Bottle, thanks to thomas for shaing. Black coloured with a medium sized beige head. Sweet and roasted aroma of caramel and dried fruits with notes of chocolate and cocoa powder. Sweet and roasted flavouur of chocolate and cocoa powder with notes of dried fruits and berries. Roasted finsih.