Mikhail's Odd | Stone Brewing

4.28/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

4.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

4.37/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.44/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Man this is a review for one of the best beers I've ever had, much less from the Stone brewery. Pours a thick black used motor oil kind of pour, dark black, heavily viscous. The aroma definitely kicks down a heavy dose of coffee moreso than any amount of 'espresso'. Good dark, heavy roast stuff here. Small amount of barrel notes, not huge.

Taste, wow, great medley of barrel notes, roasted malt, chocolate malt and coffee. Minor amount of charred wood and even earthy tobacco notes contributing to a great character. Very dark chocolate presence. Nothing in terms of sweetness or sugar going on here.

This is some classic shit. There's a million bourbon barrel coffee stouts out there, but this one manages to take an outstanding base beer, add a barrel and adjuncts, and bam, you still have a world class barrel aged offering. Sticky malt, coffee and bourbon, great combo.

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4/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

4.35/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.46/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

4.46/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

4.41/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.38/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

4.75/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

4.34/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.4/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 2014, holding 2013 Coffee IRS, aged in 11 months in bourbon barrels

A- pours pitch black in color with a one-finger creamy tan head that retains shortly before settling to a ring around the edge of the glass

S- rich espresso aroma up front mixes with dark chocolate malt, fudge brownie, caramel, bourbon, spicy barrel, closing with some earthy/herbal notes

T- rich dark chocolate fudge brownie mixes with strong espresso up front, adding some herbal & earthy notes. Notes of sweet caramel/toffee, burnt brown sugar, charred malt, some nuttiness, fig and raisin. The barrel aging has definitely added a new complexity, plenty of bourbon, along with barrel notes of charred oak, vanilla & spicy wood. More creamy dark chocolate on the finish

M- medium body with moderate-low carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that finishes slightly creamy, just a hint of alcohol warmth on the linger

O- The original Espresso IRS was one of my favorite coffee stouts, so I was excited to try this. It's very good, but I wish I could have tried it a bit earlier, as the espresso notes aren't as strong as they were in the Espresso IRS that I had fresh when it came out

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4.55/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

4.45/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

4.84/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Been holding on to this one and finally popped it open. Poured into Teku glass.

Look: Beautiful! Pitch black with a nice brown head. Still reminds me of the first time I drank Stone IRS...it was my first stout. Hahaha...probably not the best place to start as a newbie
Smell: Strong bourbon aromas. In a nice sweet way.
Taste: The first sip is phenomenal. Based on the aroma, you may think the bourbon is gonna dominate thought but nay! The bourbon is the first thing that is apparent but it soon gives way to a nice vanilla character. So good. As you swallow, it gives way to the espresso and roastiness of the coffee and malts. Such a complex beer. Every sip is a gift from above.
Feel: Nice and chewy. Stone IRS always had the best mouthfeel and that is no different after barrel aging. This is how a stout should feel!

Overall: This is definitely a world class beer. So friggin good. I loved the original IRS with espresso but this is on another level. I'm just sad that they may never brew it again....since the base beer was an odd year release which seemed like a one off. Please Stone! Bring this bad boy back!

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4.66/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I had been wanting this beer bad for quite some time and finally busted it open with a few buddies. The chocolate/coffee were everything I expected while the boozy mouthfeel made it that much better, this was one step up from Fyodor's, both are on top of my favorites list easy

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4.67/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

4.76/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

4.24/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

4.27/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.37/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this one from ScottO in a box a while back. Thanks again man!

From a 500ml bottle into a snifter
2013 imperial stout with coffee aged 11 months in Kentucky bourbon barrels
Brewed 1 March 2013
Bottled February 2014
IBU: 38
Ryan Bros Espresso roast coffee
Quingenti Millitre 2014 Series batch 4

APPEARANCE: A transparent black pour yields a 2+ finger, medium looking, bubbly tan head with good retention. Black body with no carbonation evident. Head recedes to a full cap and leaves some lacing clinging to the glass. A ring remains until the end leaving some falling dots of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Big nose of espresso, burnt notes, milk chocolate, bourbon, oak, vanilla and coconut as well. Lots of burnt espresso over the barrel aromas. Nicely balanced and enticing for sure.

TASTE: Espresso, sweet cream and bourbon notes up front. Barrel, vanilla and coconut with espresso beans at the swallow, moving into a bold and lingering finish of burnt espresso, roasted grain, bourbon, vanilla, milk chocolate, coconut and oak flavors as well. Really nice and very well balanced.

PALATE: Medium-thinner body with medium levels of carbonation. Slightly creamy on the palate, less abrasive than the Fyodor’s version, goes down with a bit of a scratch and finishes rather sticky. Some heat lingers.

OVERALL: This stuff is excellent. The addition of espresso is done really well here and works excellently with the bourbon barreled stout. While both this one and Fyodor’s Classic are great brews, I think I would take this one first, as its balance and execution is more impressive overall. Either way, both are great and I was very happy to try them out. Thanks again ScottO. Highly recommended.

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4.49/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5