Shadow Of A Doubt
Russian River Brewing Company

Shadow Of A DoubtShadow Of A Doubt
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Russian River Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Imperial Porter
Ranked #85
ABV:
9.6%
Score:
92
Ranked #5,117
Avg:
4.13 | pDev: 7.26%
Reviews:
71
Ratings:
403
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 29, 2024
Added:
Mar 13, 2013
Wants:
  32
Gots:
  39
Named after the great Hitchcock movie filmed in Santa Rosa in 1943. This This imperial porter packs a rich chocolate and light smoked malt character with a very soft, dry finish.

Original Gravity: 1.082
Alcohol by Volume: 9.86%
Color: Black
Bitterness: Mild
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by suckaj:
Photo of suckaj
Rated by suckaj from Florida

4/5  rDev -3.1%

Aug 03, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by NickThePyro from Washington

Feb 29, 2024
Photo of BillRoth
Reviewed by BillRoth from Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A rich robust porter brewed in classic English Porter style but bumped up to a decadently smooth creamy Imperial. Haven’t enjoyed an Imperial Porter like this since the very earliest releases of BP’s Victory at Sea on tap back in the day.
Wonderful flavor and body. Loads of non- adjunct chocolate and roasted malts with hints of smoke.Yet no roasty bitterness; no alcohol burn.
Will look to get this often in the future.
Feb 22, 2024
 
Rated: 4.43 by FLBeerGuy from Florida

Jan 26, 2024
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
really outstanding, and im not just saying that because its russian river. sometimes we have a tendency to call average beer amazing here because of who makes it, all of us want to hard to get stuff from the legends to be mind altering, when sometimes its just okay. that is not the case here, this is masterful from one of the masters, stoked to have been able to share in this bottle with my colleagues and friends. a sturdy no frills porter, wintery all the way, drier than many at this strength which is a plus, and frothy and creamy in feel. gorgeous pour from the bottle, more than an inch of lathered up tan head on top of a moderately viscous matte black body, super refined. the aroma and flavor both carry a hint of smoke, bitter dark chocolate notes, and very little of the usual sweeter and richer mid malts, which is cool, the roast really runs this, maybe some oats or something softening the texture and lengthening this, really almost luxurious feeling, with espresso, cocoa nib, and light tobacco character all opening up with it as it sits a minute. lots of body but not heavy, subtle graham cracker, char, and burnt toast. really good, insanely well hidden alcohol too, this is smooth and gentle feeling, pillow soft. as good as the style gets, expertly crafted no doubt, killer attention to detail and water chemistry and all that, and no need for milk sugar, bourbon barrels, vanilla, and all the other junk everyone seems to want to put in these in this day and age, i would chose this again and again over the alternatives if it were available to me on a regular basis. elite quality!
Jan 09, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by Gagnonsux from Texas

Dec 31, 2023
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque in the glass with a one finger milk chocolate head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, bakers chocolate, hints of dark fruit. Flavor is dark toasted malt with moderate char, coffee, bakers chocolate, wisps of dark dried fruit; Smokey dry finish with lingering bakers chocolate and a little hop bitterness. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. I'm always up for a new Russian River brew and pleased to see something dark from them, my first other than a dark Belgian years ago. And it’s a fine, dry stout with lots of roasted malt flavor and good smoky char. Smokier than expected, but a welcome surprise. Nice chocolate and coffee character and a pleasing, dry chocolate and smoked malt finish. A touch of bitterness that could be hops, but fits with both the dry chocolate and coffee. So glad Russian River is back in our market.
Dec 24, 2023
Photo of johnnnniee
Rated by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

4.09/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Sampled at a tasters choice get together on 11/19/2023. A big thanks to whomever shared this.
Nov 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Nov 18, 2023
 
Rated: 4.42 by cambabeer from New York

Nov 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.62 by LA2ED7

Oct 16, 2023
 
Rated: 4.18 by Holderness from Massachusetts

May 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.59 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Mar 04, 2023
Photo of BalancingBrooms
Reviewed by BalancingBrooms from California

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Black with a slight brown edge with a one finger mocha head. Nose is bakers chocolate, coffee, and slight roast. Taste opens with coffee with sugar followed by a milk chocolate that fades into a slightly bitter chocolate with a hint of fruit pit. Body is medium with similar carbonation. Ends dry with a lingering ash. Overall a wonderful porter that is well balanced and too easy to drink.
Dec 31, 2022
 
Rated: 4.2 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Dec 12, 2022
 
Rated: 4.53 by Dsimenson from California

Dec 03, 2022
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
510ml bottle cost $7.00 USD at a beer store in Northeast Colorado.

"Imperial porter." 9.6% ABV.

Hints of subtle smoke. Rich caramel. Rich dark malts. Residual sugars are high in this one, but it's just slightly smokey and bitter enough from smoked malt that it never feels too sweet. Bitter baker's chocolate, faint raisin, port wine grape, stonefruit, pomegranate seed.

Its rich taste obscures its high ABV. It's a rather drinkable imperial porter as a result. I don't know that it's better than Californian favourite Victory At Sea in terms of imperial porters, and if I'm going smokey in a porter I'd sooner buy Alaskan's Smoked Porter, but this is a nice addition to the Russian River lineup.

B / GOOD
Nov 24, 2022
 
Rated: 4.74 by Beecham from California

Nov 16, 2022
 
Rated: 4.25 by vincechan from Canada (ON)

Oct 22, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by BabaBeer from California

May 29, 2022
Shadow Of A Doubt from Russian River Brewing Company
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 403 ratings