Old Rasputin XV Anniversary Barrel Aged Stout
North Coast Brewing Co.

BKotch from Texas

4.21/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Definitely better preserved than the XIV. Impressive. Good aroma and flavor. A little lacking on mouthfeel (carbonation, mainly), but overall, very worthy.

Jul 12, 2020

RyanK252 from California

4.02/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a snifter

A: Pours dark brown nearly black with a frothy rick khaki head that settles to a light layer and laces nicely.

S: Pretty rich umami notes to start, roasty malt, dark chocolate, nice barrel presence, bourbon and a little oak, rounded out with toffee sweetness.

T: Opens with a little umami, then the barrel comes out, bourbon, a little oak, roasty malt, dark chocolate, a hint of coffee, a bit of spice, and some toffee sweetness.

M: Medium to full body, moderately soft carbonation, and some light alcohol warmth.

O: Shared this with a buddy. It's good but I'm not totally blown away, especially given the price point. Age didn't totally smooth it out and bring everything together, nor did it really improve on the original beer. Wouldn't mind trying it again without the age on it. Might be one of those barrel aged beers that's at peak when it's released.

Aug 07, 2019

Bruno74200 from France

4.37/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pitch black. Nice beige lacing
Bourbon upfront in the nose, coffee, cacao
The taste is like an old quadrupel with dates, dark chocolate, chewy, nuts, good complexity
A bit thin but still a sipper

Jun 05, 2019

SD-Alefan from South Dakota

4.74/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours pure black with a slight skiff of tan head, still well carbonated.
The aroma is loaded with dark chocolate, roasted coffee, dark fruit and a touch of vanilla and leather.
The taste is incredibly smooth. Rich, deep dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, a hint of leather. Dark fruit near the finish with a walnut-like drying close.
Mouthfeel is creamy, smooth and even a bit bubbly.
Outstanding!

Nov 11, 2017

macrosmatic from Florida

3.94/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from (long-standing) notes. Poured from the bottle (I didn't note the size) into a Russian River tulip glass.

A: Very dark brown - nearly black. Opaque, with a fairly thin tan head and low level of visible carbonation.

S: Bourbon, oak, and vanilla. Notes of chocolate, roasted malts, and old rich leather. Nice.

T: Bourbon, chocolate, and vanilla hits up front. Oak dryness, with some drying bitterness from the roasted malts. Some dry tobacco as well. There's a sweetness from the bourbon, but it's completely outlasted by all the bitter and dry flavors in the hang.

M: Body seems a bit on the thin side for a RIS, but I wouldn’t call it watery. Average carbonation for style and the alcohol flavors fit nicely into the rest of the beer.

O: I felt like this was good, but I'm a little let down given the reputation and the cost of the bottle.

Oct 08, 2017

GuyFawkes from Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Draft version

Black/brown appearance.

Tan head; decent lace.

Sweet booze heat, oak & caramel nose.

Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Sweet booze heat, milk chocolate & oak flavors up front; the milk chocolate creaminess emerged as this warmed. Too boozy but slightly above average.

Nov 28, 2016

Stevem68 from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Points a rich dark chocolate color. Aroma is mellow booze with deep roasted malts. Flavor is mellow bourbon with a rich chocolaty finish. Has a rich smooth finish. Overall a really delicious beer.

Sep 25, 2016

805FIG from California

4.71/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours like black syrup, head very interesting with circular yeast floaters. Smell: very reminiscent of the rye oak barrels. Taste: nose is the ORS you are used to, but the finish has a bit of a spicy bite that gives the original beer a complexity it never had. I love the original ORS but it always felt a little short. The barrel aged steps it up and gives you the rye bite at the end to mix things up. At $24! a bottle its steep but I'm glad I got to try it. Love North Coast and hope they keep experimenting in this way. Experimentation transformed the smooth ORS to a complex and world class beer.

May 23, 2016

stevoj from Idaho

4.19/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Catch up rating from Saturday's RS bottle share. Sample rated was XV. Smooth, silky, oily, just enough burn on top of this already exemplary stout. Nice sipper.

Apr 18, 2016

Tele from California

4.47/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type: Bottle
Consumed: 3.20.16

A: 4.5 Pours pitch black with a one-inch tan head. Not much in the way of retention or lacing, but there are a few large bubbles clinging to the side of the glass.

S: 4.25 Fairly mild nose with bourbon, vanilla, cocoa powder, and light oxidation bringing a little cardboard on the finish. There’s also a slight cheesiness there too; the cheese and cardboard are a little weird, but not off-putting at all.

T: 4.5 Flavors are much stronger than the nose. Lots of brownies, cocoa powder, molasses, vanilla, and relatively mild bourbon. Roast kicks in next with a pleasant bitterness and tobacco flavor. Licorice, more vanilla, and molasses linger on the slightly bitter finish.

M: 4.75 The feel is really terrific. Creamy, rich, and good carbonation without feeling heavy.

O: 4.5 This is definitely a great BA stout that stays true to the base beer. Maybe not up to the level of others in the style, but worth checking out at least once.

Mar 21, 2016

pbgnar from Illinois

3.76/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

9oz on tap

L - pitch black. Started out with a large light mocha head which dissipated to a small amount of foam laying on top of the liquid

S - honestly, this beer smells awful. Smells like an old leather couch that was left outside on a rainy night.

T - the taste is similar to the smell when it first hits the tongue but after swallowing, a fucking chocolate milk shake shows up. Serious leather belt notes fade to the creamiest, chocolatey-est beer I have ever had. Unfortunately after about half the glass, the old leather took over the good stuff and I'm now getting second hand loafers all the way through

F - nothing special. Kind of thin for a +10%

O - confusing. Would never drink this again but happy I had it once

Feb 10, 2016

joeseppy from Illinois

3.46/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cola pour that darkens to an abyss. Healthy taupe head that soon ebbs. Initial aromas of oak and raw vanilla. Bitter licorice root and unsulphured molasses. Malty and moderate hopness but there's a one-off happening here that is not appealing. There's an astringent bitterness. Maybe overcharred oak, burnt caramel, overripe prunes but whatever it just plain old and funky. Taste begins with a mellow sourness morphing into cocoa nibs and malty. Definite barrel influence with oak and vanilla. Black coffee with bourbon tinged marshmallow. Charred oak barrel too much on the finish. Mild hop pop. Vanilla extract in the back of the throat. Medium body with just nuff carbonation to get you cleared and ready for the next nip. Overall, there is always, IMO, a difference with stouts according to temperature and I took that into account when rating. As I let this sit out it becomes bourbon sweeter and quite actually to my liking. Aroma funk has not gone away and my cork was solid; so no air influence that I can gather. Regardless I am still underwhelmed especially with the price tag. I love and would rather drink the standard unbarrelled Rasputin. Would not buy again unless an acquaintance can convince me otherwise.

Jan 31, 2016

ryan1788a5 from Massachusetts

4.24/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

500ml bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Potch black with a sandy-colored head. The head settles down quickly, which is hardly a surprise given the barrel potency. Spotty lacing.

S: Even after three years of aging, the barrel still romps all over the place. Strong smell of bourbon and a big pull of wood. Woody vanillins and barrel-induced caramel as well. Once the nose acclimates to the shock and awe that the barrel brings, the underlying beer pulls through. Chocolate truffles, heavily roasted malts, char. Minty alcohols. Some earthy and piney hop notes still remain too.

T: Bourbon right off the bat. Lots of wood too. Woody vanilla. Chewy caramel and bourbon balls. The barrel kicks just as much as it did on the nose, if not more. As the base beer finally starts to pull through it brings lovely notes of chocolate truffles, bitter dark chocolate, French roast coffee, char, heavy roast, and so e earthy and piney hops. Roasted malts, French roast, and bourbon on the finish.

M: Thick body. Chewy with a thin creamy texture. Carbonation has a stiff scrub to it. Plenty warming.

O: The barrel is left in the driver's seat here, so be forewarned: it's a barrel bomb. You will need to enjoy an assertive bourbon character to really appreciate this beer. Even after three years of aging it remains front and center. A word on aging this beer while we're at it- three years tops is what I would give it. I opened a XIV recently that was very clearly over the hill. This one was still tasting great, though I have to say the extra time really didn't do much for it. It did calm down a little bit, but not a lot given the extended time. You're probably better off drinking it on the fresher side. Just let this beer be the big and bold booze bomb that it is. You need to love it for what it is and not what you want it to be.

Dec 31, 2015

Roguer from Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Very dark brew, topped by a mocha head of good size and very nice retention for the style.

Big, boozy aroma; this beer pulls no punches. From a distance, it smells like chocolate liquor; up close, strong notes of bourbon and roasted barley duke it out. Slightly sour overripe fruit; char; cane sugar; chocolate; burnt coffee; oak.

Flavor is far smoother than the big aroma indicates. It's almost creamy. Big bourbon notes up front, mostly drowning out the stout base. Bourbon notes rise, crest, and fall, yielding to a sweet, thick, roasted malt base. Toffee and chocolate, and a touch of fruit.

Huge roasty, chocolaty finish, just bordering on ashy; like chewing on an extra dark chocolate bar with coffee grains stuck in your teeth. Long aftertaste leaves a woody, vanilla-and-coconut bourbon finish with lingering chocolate and alcohol heat.

Fairly bitter brew, albeit not overmuch for a modern stout. Big, full flavor, but a little thin for my stout preference; not unexpected, as barrel aged stouts often run a little thinner than their counterpoints.

Subtle: this is not a brew that is subtle, in any way whatsoever. Huge bourbon notes; huge beer.

Nov 14, 2015

charlzm from California

4.2/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Consumed on October 28th, 2015 from a corked, caged 500 ml bottle. Poured into a Teku glass.

Moderate pour results in a clear, abyssal deep brown liquid with a three finger (!) biege head. The head eventually becomes a thick skin, providing excellent sheeting all the way to the end.

Aroma's a bit off, with overripe bananas and a metallic edge nestled in the vanilla and malted chocolate.

Flavor is better than aroma. Roasty malts start off the flavor parade, followed by a salty, rich milk chocolate. A dash of vanilla marches alongside. Wood is noted. Not too sweet and bitterness is mild. Strangely missing is any trace of bourbon.

Mouthfeel is a little thinner than the benchmarks but is nicely creamy. Alcohol heat is still present and insistent despite 3 years on this bottle.

A very good effort, but when Parabola is better and cheaper...

Oct 29, 2015

mrn1ceguy from Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Had this with a couple years on it (in 2015). The beer is dark black with cream lacing. The nose is rather muted w/ not much bourbon on the nose. The taste is stout & heat, desipite the age. Bourbon is not very strong. Finish is alcohol heat, a little too much despite a couple years. Overall a solid beer but was hoping for more with the age.

Sep 29, 2015

ThrewRedButter from Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L - Pitch black with a half a finger of tan head.

S - Overpowering (in a good way) bourbon with a slight alcohol smell. Oak, char, minuscule chocolate

T - A nice dark fruit and dark cherry are here first. Sweet, sticky bourbon, roasted malt, and dark roast coffee. A tiny bit of alcohol, but it's not distracting from other flavors.

F - I just admit that it's not as thick as other BA stouts, but it's by no means too think or watered down. A small alcohol presence, but not anything you can't overlook. Some lingering bourbon and roasted coffee. Drinkability is actually absurdly high as I slug down my bottle with disregard to the abv.

O - A very solid BA stout. Big roasted notes and coffee with subtle chocolate and an in-your-face bourbon taste. with some age this has NO alcohol presence and ridiculously high drinkability. It's a winner.

Sep 06, 2015

mdfb79 from New York

4.27/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

From 08/06/15 notes, shared by BeerLawyer85; thanks Ross.

Pours a pitch black with no real head or carbonation evident. Nice coffee in the nose actually, nice bourbon in the taste. A little thin, no heat.

Overall a very good BA stout, but I have found after 1.5-2 years, these BA Old Rasputin's really get oxidized and fades a bit. The XII was MUCH better side by side. Still a good beer, but best with 1-2 years on it IMO.

Aug 07, 2015

StraightNoChaser from Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

look: Deep dark, nearly opaque brown. Some cola highlights barely peek around the edges when held to light. Fairly full mocha head on the pour that mostly recedes, but lingers around the rim.
smell: cocoa, vanilla, and subtle roasty char. Delicate oak and bourbon. Added all up a damn fine and decadent nose.
taste: All the flavors of the nose. Blooms into a rich full taste and the finish is a slightly spicy bitterness.
overall: A work of art.

Aug 02, 2015

pat61 from Minnesota

4.91/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

from notes. L: Brilliant deep coffee brown under a 3” tan foam collar with a very fine bead. Persistent and lacy.
S: bourbon, vanilla, fruity, sweet chocolate
T: Chocolate, coffee, dark dried fruit, vanilla and bourbon. Slightly tart finish. Nothing burnt or harsh.
F: Chewy, medium low carbonation.
O: Rich, alcoholic, decadent, drink it instead of desert or savor with a Partagas.

Jul 14, 2015

draheim from Washington

4.41/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500mL into a tulip. Pours a deep brownish black w/ a 1-finger tan head.

Aroma is bitter roasted malt, strong bourbon, vanilla, toasted coconut, wood smoke, dark stone fruit.

Taste is rich dark bitter chocolate, bourbon, charred oak, vanilla, caramel. Great balance, nice complexity.

Mouthfeel is velvety smooth, medium to full bodied.

Overall a really nice barrel-aged imperial stout. Quality of the barrel is evident, which isn't always the case with this kind of beer.

Jun 14, 2015

cbutova from Massachusetts

4.09/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks big time Steve.

A- Split four ways from the 500ml with a pitch black body and a small light mocha cap. The head ends up as a foamy belt and lacing is mostly spotty with a few sheets.

S- A bit more tame than the other variants I have had out of this series; at least at this juncture. Mostly what I get is a chocolatey roast malt profile and a smoothed out, semi-oxidized Bourbon barrel profile. Time seems to have smoothed this out.

T- Large Bourbon barrel similar to what I find in the other variants with a wet and smoothed out woody oak flavor, peppery spicy whiskey and plenty of vanilla. Chocolate truffles, cocoa nibs and charred grains from the classic base brew. Somewhat sweet.

MF- Thick and slick oily body with a certain lack of carbonation but nowhere near flat. Texture is slightly foamy and creamy. Slightly hot finish.

Just seems to lack some of the complexity I find in the other ones. Not directly comparable but its unavoidable. Thick chocolate and a bold barrel.

Jun 10, 2015

bhyndthebottle from Oregon

4.39/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Big pillowy head that dissipates well leaving nice lacing.smell is amazing with great bourbon notes of oak and vanilla. Smooth. Taste is not as bourbon, with almost no heat. Notes of vanilla and light, creamy chocolate milkshake. Mouthfeel is a little light overall, with a little bit of a disappointing finish. Not sweet and not dry. 12% ABV is really well hid, with an amazingly smooth finish. Rather uninteresting for the price. Great beer, but won't spend $21 for this again.

May 04, 2015

Davepoolesque from Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours out black black with a finger of mocha colored head. Chocolate, dark fruit, and bourbon. Thinner mouthfeel and not much sweetness but it works. Warms my chest. It's good.

Mar 27, 2015

FightGame from Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Had it on tap.

Look: Dark, black, even holding it up to the light could not see through it. Poured a nice thick head which settled in about 5 minutes.

Smell: Hints of Vanilla and chocolate.

Taste: Bourbon flavor present. Malty backbone. Coffee aftertaste. Alcohol present but not overpowering.

Feel: Thick but not syrupy. Lingers a few seconds. Light carbonation.

Overall: a delicious imperial stout with great flavor that does not overpower your senses.

Feb 27, 2015