Laika Russian Imperial Stout
Straight To Ale

Laika Russian Imperial StoutLaika Russian Imperial Stout
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From:
Straight To Ale
 
Alabama, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
ABV:
9.75%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 10.89%
Reviews:
47
Ratings:
185
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 18, 2021
Added:
Dec 22, 2010
Wants:
  39
Gots:
  29
Named for the Russian space dog, Laika is a huge, chewy beast of a beer. Dark, rich and robust, it has a wonderful body and a flavor that has notes of chocolate, coffee and toffee. It is a fantastic dessert beer. It is part of our Right to Brew series, which we make in conjunction with local homebrewers, scaling up their recipes and producing them to help bring attention to the ongoing fight to legalize homebrewing in Alabama.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Javelin185:
Photo of Javelin185
Reviewed by Javelin185 from Alabama

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bomber poured into pint glass

Pours very dark almost oily with a very rich dark Carmel head

Smell very rich strong chocolate with a slight hint of some type of berry and maybe a little toffee

This is a delicious beer that I would put in the dessert beer category.
Feb 22, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.29 by BMBCLT from South Carolina

May 18, 2021
Photo of GarrettB
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado

3.62/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
May 14th, 2016 - The rich smell of brownies bounds out of the glass like an excited dog, followed by soy sauce and teriyaki. The flavor isn't quite as sweet, though offers a hint of dry chocolate. The malt profile os quite dry too, tasting overall like a very fancy, very bitter and dry chocolate bar - the top shelf stuff at the grocery store, with the arcane typeface.
Sep 28, 2020
Photo of dcscientist
Reviewed by dcscientist from Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
You know what you're getting here - a heavy, dark Russian imperial stout. That works for me. They've done a few other iterations of this one, but this is the original base beer, and it has some flavors that don't come out in the other versions. It's clearly best to do a side-by-side with those other ones and see which is your favorite. I think this one is right in the middle of their dog pack.
Sep 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.63 by WickedBeer from Alabama

Mar 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.46 by mholdefer from Alabama

Jan 31, 2019
 
Rated: 4.02 by bigedal60 from Alabama

Dec 21, 2018
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I tried this beer at the brewery. This beer pored an opaque dark with tan head that is not leaving much lace. The scent had hints of bittersweet chocolate, caramel, molasses and vanilla. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with bittersweet chocolate, caramel, molasses and vanilla. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it is a good beer.
Oct 27, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Mar 25, 2018
 
Rated: 3.3 by RochefortChris from North Carolina

Jan 29, 2018
 
Rated: 4.27 by jnorris404 from Alabama

Dec 10, 2017
Photo of MMOSNN
Reviewed by MMOSNN from North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Look - a deep oily dark brown with a small mocha head with little retention.
Smell - huge roasted malts, bittersweet chocolate, caramel, molasses, vanilla, and a strong foundation of booze rounding it all out.
Taste - basically follows the nose but isn’t as rich and robust, and the roasted malts, coffee, molasses, and vanilla are the strongest notes.
Feel - medium carbonation and kinda thin body for the style.
Oct 31, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by HopsForBrains from North Carolina

Oct 15, 2017
Photo of outdoor7or24
Reviewed by outdoor7or24 from Georgia

3.87/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz can poured into pint glass.
A: pours a coffee black with hints of coca cola brown, off white one finger foam head that slowly fades
S: roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee
M: creamy rich heavy body
T: sweet chocolate malt, roasted malt, nice sryupy feel
O: good brew, the alcohol is well hidden;
Apr 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.29 by AngusOg from North Carolina

Mar 06, 2017
Photo of dbrauneis
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina

3.99/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A: Pours an opaque yet still clear thick viscous jet black in color with moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation along the edges of the glass and faint dark cola brown highlights. The beer has a three finger dense foamy dark mocha colored head that slowly reduces to a large patch of thick film covering the entire surface of the beer with a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of roasted malts, moderate aromas of bittersweet chocolate, and moderate aromas of caramel sweetness. Light to moderate aromas of earthy hops.

T: Upfront there are moderate to strong flavors of roasted malts with moderate flavors of dark bittersweet + milk chocolate and caramel sweetness. That is followed by light flavors of charred malts and a moderate amount of earthy hops. There is a moderate amount of roasty bitterness in the finish which lingers for quite a while. Hints of booziness in the finish.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: This is a big, rich imperial stout which is very enjoyable but definitely a slow sipper. A bit boozy but not overwhelmingly so. I could definitely see myself enjoying this one again.
Feb 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by Lance_Hathorn from Alabama

Feb 03, 2017
Photo of Scott17Taylor
Reviewed by Scott17Taylor from Iowa

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours dark black with very small mocha head.
The aroma is rich dark malty sweetness, dark fruit, char, chocolate, and a little tobacco.
Flavor is dark rich malts, espresso, with a dark dry chocolatey finish.
The mouthfeel is a little thin for the style, but overall is great.
This is an awesome beer, I have no idea how it's even possible it has an 89 on here.
Feb 01, 2017
Photo of Lembeh
Reviewed by Lembeh from New York

4.32/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Got this in a 12oz can from a buddy, pours a dark black tar color with a nice dark tan head. Aroma is a bit weak with nothing much than faint roasted malts. The beer tastes outstanding though, nice bourbon characteristics with some good amount of alcohol heat, vanilla and charred notes. Mouthfeel is thicker than most stouts but not as viscous as I like my heavy stouts to be. All in all this is a very good dark and dialed up stout that's sure to make stout fanboys happy.
Jan 02, 2017
 
Rated: 2.65 by Azpittil57 from Arizona

Dec 31, 2016
Laika Russian Imperial Stout from Straight To Ale
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 185 ratings