Old Rasputin XIV Anniversary
North Coast Brewing Co.

13 year old caged and corked bottle, poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing nearly opaque black in the glass with a fine, half finger khaki head with great retention and nice lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, molasses, cocoa, mild bourbon, dark dried fruit ane woody oak. Flavor follows, with dark toasted malt, dark molasses, mocha coffee, light bourbon, dates, and woody oak; which is slightly astringent and some oxidation in the finish.. Medium bodied with moderate creaminess; nice mouth feel. Another surprise find in the back of the basement, in a box marked "duplicates". I obviously never reviewed this at the time, as made clear by my comment on the much newer, XXIII version "this is the first barrelled Old Rasputin I've ever seen". Whoops, I missed my chance to try this fresh by 10 years and frankly was not expecting much. However it held up quite nicely. The flavor is definitely attenuated and not as rich in malt depth as the later ones I've tried, but quite drinkable and still a very nice stout. Not too surprising, I've noticed that North Coast brews age very gracefully and this is a good example.Faded but still enjoyable. In addition, it looks as fine as the fresher ones and has a nice creamy body still. I've learned my lesson and am not deliberately aging stouts any more. Glad a few are still rewarding. 13 years is amazing. If this was a fresh stout, I would not rate the flavor as high, but for its age, it is fair to give it and extra 1/4 point.

 

 

 

 

Bottle. Khaki head. Lace. Black color.

The whiskey seems to have come from not the best barrels. Has a sharp whiskey flavor and charred notes. Notes of chocolate, fudge, vanilla, caramel, and toasted notes. It’s solid, but maybe a bit faded.

8.5 years old is tough to overcome. Nice flavor, well-disguised abv, aroma is a bit diminished, but mouthfeel is gone. Still drinkable, though. Sorry I let it get to the back of the cabinet.

A special beer to cap a crazy week stuck at home. Cork was loose and likely flat...

Pours a small fizzy dark colored head with lower retention, nice long legs, jet black color

Nose brings loads of dark chocolate and cocoa, roasted coffee notes, rich cocoa and candy bar like, then vanilla barrel, light bourbon, bit of baking spices and toasted oak, dark fruits like raisin and some oxidized brandy notes, alcohol is very smooth, little caramel and nougat

Taste brings loads of dark chocolate again, big rich cocoa and more of the nougat and caramel, a touch of roasted coffee, not much, vanilla barrel with a little oak, baking spice, and light bourbon, more oxidized port or brandy like characters and some dark fruits with a little raisiny note, smooth alcohol almost none actually, fudgey as it warms, smooth and rich, mild bitterness throughout, mild sticky finish but a bit dry and a flash of aclohol and more oxidative notes

Mouth is fuller bod, rich and smooth, med-light carb, very little smooth alcohol

Overall pretty nice, but not bourbon was not much probably due to the age, but base stout was nice and aged well with good oxidative effects, enjoyable and dangerously smooth

 

 

 

 

Poured from fridge temp. Pours jet black with some carbonation. Smell is sweet bourbon, licorice, vanilla, smoke, and chocolate. Taste is incredibly smooth. Velvet chocolate, bourbon, licorice, and almost no alcohol heat. Very smooth after 6 years. Taste is amazing. Mouthfeel is great - thick and creamy.