Stone Russian Imperial Stout - Stone Brewing Company

Style: Russian Imperial Stout ABV: 10.8% Release: Summer

A 2006 bottle, cellared for approximately a year. Pours an opaque black so intense it's as if it sucks up any and all light within a 5 ft radius. Gorgeous. Epic head of chocolaty tan that persists long, leaving complex webs of lacing in the goblet in which it sits. Nose is good, but not as epic as I would have imagined. Dark, roasted grains, espresso, baker's chocolate, and a slight sweetness. Nothing wrong with it, just didn't knock me over. The palate is consistent with the nose, except the tastes are so intense they nearly overwhelm the senses. Incrediblly rich, thick chocolate, espresso, and dare I say ... tobacco-like flavors are evident here. The beer is remarkably dry though all of this thickness and the hops have held up well, keeping this formidable liquid from becoming cloying. Mouthfeel is super thick and coats the mouth. A man's beer throughout. All in all, incredible. I need to get my hands on several more bottles so I can cellar them longer and see what happens to the flavors and aroma as the beer evolves over time ... this can only get better with some additional aging, I'd think. Excellent.

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