Brewmaster's Premium Reserve Russian Imperial Stout
Sprecher Brewing Company

Brewmaster's Premium Reserve Russian Imperial StoutBrewmaster's Premium Reserve Russian Imperial Stout
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From:
Sprecher Brewing Company
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
ABV:
7.9%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.67 | pDev: 13.62%
Reviews:
191
Ratings:
295
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 03, 2019
Added:
Mar 05, 2002
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  20
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From old, undated notes; had this on draft.

Pitch black color.

Dark khaki head; minimal lace.

Licorice & dark chocolate nose. Nice.

Medium thin mouthfeel.

Sweet lactose flavor; tastes & feels like a regular milk stout. Not bad, but wrong for the category.
Sep 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.72 by WDPark from West Virginia

May 31, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by epterina from Florida

May 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.85 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

May 01, 2019
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the re-branded 12 oz bottle with the king on the front in a snifter. This favorite
from years past pours a rich blackish brown with a nice head of brown foam that settles
to a thick ring, thin subtle pool, and shows some nice sudsy lacing. Nose of heavy dark
chocolate, heavy dark roasted coffee, and layers of char and dark fruit. Flavors nail it
with heavy bakers chocolate, brulee torched cream laden dark coffee, and dark fruit
notes of blueberry and blackberry ridden with char notes. Very nice mouth feel; full
body, lightly slick, coating, lightly warming, light carbonation, and a rich smooth coffee
and cocoa laced finish.

Overall, a brew that I have enjoyed for years and one that is now in a six pack.
An excellent version of a classic style from a great brewery.

Cheers
Apr 20, 2018
Photo of The_Kriek_Freak
Reviewed by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This is a very intensely flavorful RIS, with lots of malty sweetness and a boozy yet smooth aftertaste. Very viscous and with just about the right amount of bitterness. The taste would make you guess the ABV was much higher (my bottle actually lists the ABV as even lower than what BA has listed: 7.9 instead of 8.5%)
Mar 09, 2018
 
Rated: 3 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

Feb 02, 2018
 
Rated: 3.89 by bushwack from Alabama

Dec 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Gotti311 from Wisconsin

Nov 15, 2016
Photo of KTCamm
Reviewed by KTCamm from New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
8/3...pours jet black, light tan foam with a swirled in layer on top. Rich roast of coffee chocolate malt aroma. Incredibly smooth mouthfeel with an espresso tasted bitter. Very well balanced bitter. Somewhat milky consistency. Nice.
Aug 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by calcnerd from Pennsylvania

Jun 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.9 by ItsBeer4Me from Pennsylvania

Mar 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.44 by tommy5 from Michigan

Mar 10, 2016
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.41/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Russian exterior, Russian interior. Jet black appearance, full inch of tan head. Aroma dumps out some hefty bread, prune, raisin bitterness and some booziness.

Taste gives more of the licorice, chocolate, dark fruit edge again. The ample thickness helps cover up any residual alcohol and bitter anise and dark fruit in the mouthfeel to a little degree.

The price on this is nice so that helps out when rating it from a cost/benefit analysis.
Jan 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by a77cj7 from South Dakota

Jan 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.37 by EdgarGerik from Venezuela

Nov 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.76 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Nov 06, 2015
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I am up late tonight to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road at Vancouver. As such, it gives me an opportunity to drink some of the beer that local, in-person trader Tone77 had dropped off for me. He came by tonight to say farewell as he heads south for the winter.

This came with a twist-off cap, so there was no Pop! or so I thought until I could not open it with my bare hands. I then resorted to an opener, only to reveal it to actually be twist-off. I am so embarrassed! Let us not speak of this again. A heavy-handed pour to relieve my frustration produced just under two fingers of light-brown head with excellent retention. Color was simply Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), allowing precisely ZERO light penetration and just the barest of cola highlights at the edges. Nose had a powerful edge, like dried dark fruits (think prunes, raisins, black cherries) with hints of drying tobacco and a slight medicinal quality. Mouthfeel was medium, and while it was not bad, it was on the thin side for the style. The taste was initially smoky, but it slowly built to an interesting fruitiness. It suddenly dawned on me - chocolate covered cherry! It was not at all what I was expecting, but it was really tasty. I can only shake my head in wonder at my recent non-IPA bent as a self-avowed hophead. The trend is due to reverse itself, but in the meantime ... Finish was semi-dry and I found myself licking my lips and thinking of my mother's maiden name and her side of the family: Kirsch! This just exuded cherry. I think that I shall now lay down.
Nov 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.15 by Zatch90 from Wisconsin

Oct 08, 2015
Photo of Ksmoove27
Reviewed by Ksmoove27 from Pennsylvania

3.87/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Look - Black with a small caramel-colored head (poured from a bottle that was in the fridge for some time)

Smell - alcohol and coffee...hint of coffee and caramel

Taste - Good roasted maltiness...chocolate/caramel with a hint of smokiness...outperforms the aroma, still not as complex as the better stouts.

Feel - Medium to full with a nice carbonation...the maltiness gives some chew.

Overall - This beer to me is underrated. While it's not in the class of some of the higher ranking Imperial Stouts...it's a good beer.
Aug 30, 2015
Brewmaster's Premium Reserve Russian Imperial Stout from Sprecher Brewing Company
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 295 ratings