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Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout - Brandy Barrel Aged
Cigar City Brewing
- From:
- Cigar City Brewing
- Florida, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 11.5%
- Score:
- 96
- Avg:
- 4.37 | pDev: 11.21%
- Reviews:
- 61
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 20, 2016
- Added:
- Jan 17, 2010
- Wants:
- 119
- Gots:
- 4
No description / notes.
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Ratings by bsuedekum:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by tectactoe from Michigan
4.63/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
4.63/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
Super huge thanks to Jeff for busting this one out as a nice surprise. In a flip-top growler for around a year, hopefully it has held up okay. It pours out of the growler inky and oily, completely black in color, much like the regular iteration of Zhukov. Understandable, there is basically no head that forms; simply a minuscule, deep-mocha ring that surfaces at the circumference of this black-hole brew and nothing else. Very quiet and still in the glass.
Whatever was lost in terms of appearance can be forgiven as soon as you finally smell this beer - it's absolutely fantastic. Sensational brandy notes, both sweet and warming with fine hints of booze and apples. Rich, dense, fudge-covered chocolate cake, backed with mounds of dark fruits; dates and figs, rolled and covered in brown sugar. It sounds like a diabetic's nightmare, but the sweetness is really monitored so well.
Some warmth brings forth even more aromas; more molasses, more brown sugar, and more, sweet, sweet apple brandy. The coffee that was so heavy in the original Marshal Zhukov's stout seems to have lots it's magic here, but no matter - the apple brandy aging (and possibly a year in the growler) has turned the base beer into a whole new monster, at least aromatically.
I take a sip, and immediately I am both surprised and enthralled to find that the flavor actually does have some intense, roasted coffee notes in it - much akin to the regular Zhukov stout - and it blends perfectly with the other flavors here. Roasty coffee beans, chocolate cake, rich and dark fudge, burnt, sticky toffee, and a whole lotta wet oak in the background.
The apple brandy flows through the entire profile so perfectly. Warm, boozy, and ever-present, yet it's miles and miles away from ever being "hot". This is certainly only of the smoothest inclusions of brandy barrels I've ever tasted. Lots of silky, sweet prunes and dates in the finish, along with more apple-like, boozy brandy and mild after-notes of chocolate and coffee.
Even with virtually no carbonation (although there was still a *touch* left in the growler), this brew was insanely palatable. It was definitely huge on the palate; silky, chewy, thick, and beyond viscous, and there's not doubt that a year of mellowing out did nothing but help. I would imaging that just a touch more carbonation would be excellent, but I still don't have much to complain about at this point.
So out of the 20+ beers that were consumed this night, this beer was far and away the best in show. Just insane, really. Marshal Zhukov is an amazing stout, first and foremost, and tossing that sucker in apple brandy barrels just takes things to a whole different level and gives you a completely out-of-this-world, barrel aged stout. Again, such a huge thanks to Jeff for this nice surprise. What an amazing brew.
Jul 15, 2013Whatever was lost in terms of appearance can be forgiven as soon as you finally smell this beer - it's absolutely fantastic. Sensational brandy notes, both sweet and warming with fine hints of booze and apples. Rich, dense, fudge-covered chocolate cake, backed with mounds of dark fruits; dates and figs, rolled and covered in brown sugar. It sounds like a diabetic's nightmare, but the sweetness is really monitored so well.
Some warmth brings forth even more aromas; more molasses, more brown sugar, and more, sweet, sweet apple brandy. The coffee that was so heavy in the original Marshal Zhukov's stout seems to have lots it's magic here, but no matter - the apple brandy aging (and possibly a year in the growler) has turned the base beer into a whole new monster, at least aromatically.
I take a sip, and immediately I am both surprised and enthralled to find that the flavor actually does have some intense, roasted coffee notes in it - much akin to the regular Zhukov stout - and it blends perfectly with the other flavors here. Roasty coffee beans, chocolate cake, rich and dark fudge, burnt, sticky toffee, and a whole lotta wet oak in the background.
The apple brandy flows through the entire profile so perfectly. Warm, boozy, and ever-present, yet it's miles and miles away from ever being "hot". This is certainly only of the smoothest inclusions of brandy barrels I've ever tasted. Lots of silky, sweet prunes and dates in the finish, along with more apple-like, boozy brandy and mild after-notes of chocolate and coffee.
Even with virtually no carbonation (although there was still a *touch* left in the growler), this brew was insanely palatable. It was definitely huge on the palate; silky, chewy, thick, and beyond viscous, and there's not doubt that a year of mellowing out did nothing but help. I would imaging that just a touch more carbonation would be excellent, but I still don't have much to complain about at this point.
So out of the 20+ beers that were consumed this night, this beer was far and away the best in show. Just insane, really. Marshal Zhukov is an amazing stout, first and foremost, and tossing that sucker in apple brandy barrels just takes things to a whole different level and gives you a completely out-of-this-world, barrel aged stout. Again, such a huge thanks to Jeff for this nice surprise. What an amazing brew.
Reviewed by ColForbinBC from New Jersey
4.32/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.32/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On-tap, served in a snifter
This bad boy sits a sinister ink black in the glass. A true motor oil type of body when swirled. A thin dark khaki cap rises and falls quickly, leaving some sporadic bubbles along the edges. The nose is extremely bold and robust. Huge roasted malt, brandy, oak, molasses, licorice, vanilla, and dark Belgian chocolate. On the palate, it follows the nose. Huge roast notes up front, before sticky toffee, licorice, and molasses through the middle. Brandy notes all over the place with vanilla and chocolate presenting in the finish. Whoa boy. I can't get over just how bold this beer is. I wasn't the biggest fan of the regular Zhukov but this beer is phenomenal. I got a huge char presence in the regular Zhukov that seems to be much more subdued and tolerable in this guy. Definitely one of the most in your face beers I have ever had. Big, thick, full body with low carbonation. Lingering roast and brandy just never seems to go away.
Sep 21, 2012This bad boy sits a sinister ink black in the glass. A true motor oil type of body when swirled. A thin dark khaki cap rises and falls quickly, leaving some sporadic bubbles along the edges. The nose is extremely bold and robust. Huge roasted malt, brandy, oak, molasses, licorice, vanilla, and dark Belgian chocolate. On the palate, it follows the nose. Huge roast notes up front, before sticky toffee, licorice, and molasses through the middle. Brandy notes all over the place with vanilla and chocolate presenting in the finish. Whoa boy. I can't get over just how bold this beer is. I wasn't the biggest fan of the regular Zhukov but this beer is phenomenal. I got a huge char presence in the regular Zhukov that seems to be much more subdued and tolerable in this guy. Definitely one of the most in your face beers I have ever had. Big, thick, full body with low carbonation. Lingering roast and brandy just never seems to go away.
Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout - Brandy Barrel Aged from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating:
96 out of
100 with
104 ratings
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