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Thornbridge Hall Courage Russian Imperial Stout
Thornbridge Brewery
- From:
- Thornbridge Brewery
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 9.4%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.26 | pDev: 9.62%
- Reviews:
- 5
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 19, 2021
- Added:
- Jul 11, 2012
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
4.21/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
330 ml bottle, as Thornbridge Hall Russian Imperial Stout, at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.4%. Black colour, large tan head. Exquisite aroma, strong vinous and oaky notes that nearly overpower the roasty and chocolate notes in the background. Full and rich mouthfeel. Strong flavour with loads of malty sweetness, blackstrap molasses, salty liquorice, tobacco, coffee, dark chocolate and oak.
Mar 19, 2021Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)
4.31/5 rDev +1.2%
4.31/5 rDev +1.2%
Bottle from Jeffo. Brewed April 2011. Bottled December 2011. Served in a snifter.
A - A tan foam settles to a collar and a few stray wisps on top. Dark brown body, with some tiny specks of lace at the edges.
S - Roasty, with hints of char, anise, dark chocolate, coffee, and a touch of dark fruit; there's only fairly low sweetness. Very well attenuated, with perhaps a hint of booziness as it reaches room temperature.
T - Taste is mildly sweeter, with more dark chocolate, molasses, and fudge and less of the char and roast. A bit of anise, with less alcohol presence and more balance to the flavor.
M - Silky smooth, with soft, lower carbonation. A touch of heat, but nothing untoward for the listed 9.4%. Pretty much spot on for the style.
D - This beer is terrific. It's a reference beer for this style and I wish Thornbridge made it more often (and made more of it).Wish this came in a bigger bottle too, as 33cl seems criminally small.
Aug 23, 2014A - A tan foam settles to a collar and a few stray wisps on top. Dark brown body, with some tiny specks of lace at the edges.
S - Roasty, with hints of char, anise, dark chocolate, coffee, and a touch of dark fruit; there's only fairly low sweetness. Very well attenuated, with perhaps a hint of booziness as it reaches room temperature.
T - Taste is mildly sweeter, with more dark chocolate, molasses, and fudge and less of the char and roast. A bit of anise, with less alcohol presence and more balance to the flavor.
M - Silky smooth, with soft, lower carbonation. A touch of heat, but nothing untoward for the listed 9.4%. Pretty much spot on for the style.
D - This beer is terrific. It's a reference beer for this style and I wish Thornbridge made it more often (and made more of it).Wish this came in a bigger bottle too, as 33cl seems criminally small.
Reviewed by riversider76 from New York
4.24/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours the darkest of browns with a one finger tan head. Excellent retention and lots of lacing. Aroma is of chocolate, and rich malts. Body is rich and smooth. Taste is of dark chocolate, with hints of fruit, and olive....yes olive. Sounds like a weird combination, but it works. Differant, but excellent.
May 26, 2013Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands
4.32/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.32/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Got this one at Geers in Gent a while back. The bottle reads that it was brewed to a Courage recipe from the 1850's, which makes this one all the more interesting.
From a bottle into a snifter
Brewed April 2011
Bottled December 2011
APPEARANCE: Pours out transparent brown and yields a one finger, medium looking, fluffy tan head with great retention. Head slowly fades to a thick foam cap. Clear black body and loads of carbonation evident. A good half wisp remains until the end and leaves lots of lacing down the glass. The head on this one is great, but the body is too transparent for top marks in this style.
SMELL: Roasted malts and dark fudge brownies. Chocolate, toffee and caramel notes, as well as some decent peat aromas. Some cream and vanilla makes this one smell like an enticing desert beer.
TASTE: Roasted malts, dark chocolate and brownies, as well as some nice peaty smoke flavors up front. Caramel sweetness with more chocolate though the middle into a bold and lingering finish full of roasted and peated malts, bitter dark chocolate and a touch of sweet cream and vanilla. Very flavorful and complex.
PALATE: Fuller body and medium levels of carbonation. Enough weight on this one and thick enough on the palate. Quite creamy, goes down smooth and finishes slightly sticky. Really good here.
OVERALL: This was plain decadent. Lots of wonderful aromas and flavors, and the peated qualities made this entire experience a real treat. This is one of the better imperial stouts I've had from this side of the pond; one of the better ones from anywhere actually. Would love to get more of this I see it again. Pretty awesome stuff. Recommended.
Sep 13, 2012From a bottle into a snifter
Brewed April 2011
Bottled December 2011
APPEARANCE: Pours out transparent brown and yields a one finger, medium looking, fluffy tan head with great retention. Head slowly fades to a thick foam cap. Clear black body and loads of carbonation evident. A good half wisp remains until the end and leaves lots of lacing down the glass. The head on this one is great, but the body is too transparent for top marks in this style.
SMELL: Roasted malts and dark fudge brownies. Chocolate, toffee and caramel notes, as well as some decent peat aromas. Some cream and vanilla makes this one smell like an enticing desert beer.
TASTE: Roasted malts, dark chocolate and brownies, as well as some nice peaty smoke flavors up front. Caramel sweetness with more chocolate though the middle into a bold and lingering finish full of roasted and peated malts, bitter dark chocolate and a touch of sweet cream and vanilla. Very flavorful and complex.
PALATE: Fuller body and medium levels of carbonation. Enough weight on this one and thick enough on the palate. Quite creamy, goes down smooth and finishes slightly sticky. Really good here.
OVERALL: This was plain decadent. Lots of wonderful aromas and flavors, and the peated qualities made this entire experience a real treat. This is one of the better imperial stouts I've had from this side of the pond; one of the better ones from anywhere actually. Would love to get more of this I see it again. Pretty awesome stuff. Recommended.
Reviewed by Thehuntmaster from South Africa
4.55/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
4.55/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
330ml bottle 9,4% ABV
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
Brewed: April 2011
Bottles: December 2011
Appearance: The beer pours a very dark mahogany brown, with a back light revealing very deep red highlights along the outer part of the glass. A rough pour yields a massive, creamy, tan brown head. The head retention is superb (to the point that it becomes a little annoying) and beautiful rings of thick lacing cling to the glass as the head slowly recedes.
Alcohol legs cling to the glass after each sip/swirl.
Smell: This smells delicious and quite different from other imperial stouts I have had recently. Notes include: Roasted malt, dark chocolate, lots of dark fruits, black liquorice, a very earthy quality, light soya sauce, molasses, marmite, dry dog food (yes, I actually like the smell of dog food!) and almost a touch of tartness. The alcohol is barely noted, but certainly adds to the aroma.
Taste: As with the nose, this is absolutely delicious! Notes include: Roasted malts, cocoa, melted dark chocolate mixed with cream, dark caramel, toasted nuts, dark fruits, black liquorice, some molasses, a distinct earthiness and a hint of soya sauce.
As in the nose, the alcohol is noted, but is certainly integral to the flavour.
Mouthfeel: This is possibly the best aspect of this beer! The body is just shy of full and lightly oily. The carbonation is perfect - medium/low level and is ridiculously smooth. I find my self continuously reaching for the glass to take a sip! Why is this not a 750ml bottle!
Overall: This is certainly a very unique (and delicious) imperial stout and one I will certainly try and track down again. I would be interested to see how well this one would age.
Jul 11, 2012Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
Brewed: April 2011
Bottles: December 2011
Appearance: The beer pours a very dark mahogany brown, with a back light revealing very deep red highlights along the outer part of the glass. A rough pour yields a massive, creamy, tan brown head. The head retention is superb (to the point that it becomes a little annoying) and beautiful rings of thick lacing cling to the glass as the head slowly recedes.
Alcohol legs cling to the glass after each sip/swirl.
Smell: This smells delicious and quite different from other imperial stouts I have had recently. Notes include: Roasted malt, dark chocolate, lots of dark fruits, black liquorice, a very earthy quality, light soya sauce, molasses, marmite, dry dog food (yes, I actually like the smell of dog food!) and almost a touch of tartness. The alcohol is barely noted, but certainly adds to the aroma.
Taste: As with the nose, this is absolutely delicious! Notes include: Roasted malts, cocoa, melted dark chocolate mixed with cream, dark caramel, toasted nuts, dark fruits, black liquorice, some molasses, a distinct earthiness and a hint of soya sauce.
As in the nose, the alcohol is noted, but is certainly integral to the flavour.
Mouthfeel: This is possibly the best aspect of this beer! The body is just shy of full and lightly oily. The carbonation is perfect - medium/low level and is ridiculously smooth. I find my self continuously reaching for the glass to take a sip! Why is this not a 750ml bottle!
Overall: This is certainly a very unique (and delicious) imperial stout and one I will certainly try and track down again. I would be interested to see how well this one would age.
Thornbridge Hall Courage Russian Imperial Stout from Thornbridge Brewery
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
12 ratings
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