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Mikhail
Stone Brewing
- From:
- Stone Brewing
- California, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #64 - ABV:
- 13.1%
- Score:
- 96
Ranked #1,043 - Avg:
- 4.34 | pDev: 6.45%
- Reviews:
- 54
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 18, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 04, 2017
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 23
SCORE
96
World-Class
96
World-Class
Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout with Espresso.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Radcpa:
Reviewed by Radcpa from Washington
4.23/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Dark appearance with slight tan head that dissipates quickly. Aroma is a nice barrel aged coffee. Taste is a smooth barrel aged coffee with a touch of chocolate.
Dec 23, 2021More User Ratings:
Reviewed by tradershmulie from Connecticut
3.95/5 rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
3.95/5 rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Picked this up on discount - 2017 series.
Good nice color on the pour, and visible carbonation (still!) - but no head.
No real noticeable smell.
Tastes nice. Nothing especially fantastic, but nothing bad either. Very faint coffee noticeable . ABV still very well hidden, and hits like a pleasant sledgehammer. Really nice. Let me say that again. This hits HARD, and nice.
This is a decent enough beer, probably hard to find. So at any reasonable price, this is well worth it, b/c if you want something pleasant to drink that will smack you upside the head - but in a nice way. Take it.
May 18, 2023Good nice color on the pour, and visible carbonation (still!) - but no head.
No real noticeable smell.
Tastes nice. Nothing especially fantastic, but nothing bad either. Very faint coffee noticeable . ABV still very well hidden, and hits like a pleasant sledgehammer. Really nice. Let me say that again. This hits HARD, and nice.
This is a decent enough beer, probably hard to find. So at any reasonable price, this is well worth it, b/c if you want something pleasant to drink that will smack you upside the head - but in a nice way. Take it.
Reviewed by backblast from Alaska
4.6/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2017 Batch 03 - enjoyed on 3-20-2021
Pours jet black with no head and low carbonation.
Tastes of dark fruit and coffee right off with a nice booze balance. Along with that, the barrel, char and dark chocolate all work together wonderfully.
Mar 21, 2021Pours jet black with no head and low carbonation.
Tastes of dark fruit and coffee right off with a nice booze balance. Along with that, the barrel, char and dark chocolate all work together wonderfully.
Reviewed by emyers from Illinois
4.35/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottle poured into a snifter.
Near black with a one inch creamy off-white head.
Nose: All espresso with a slight hint of bourbon/vanilla.
Taste: Espresso again up front but with a bit more chocolate backing it up and a dose of herbal hops on the finish. Minimal barrel presence.
Feel: Medium body, smooth with medium carbonation.
Apr 06, 2020Near black with a one inch creamy off-white head.
Nose: All espresso with a slight hint of bourbon/vanilla.
Taste: Espresso again up front but with a bit more chocolate backing it up and a dose of herbal hops on the finish. Minimal barrel presence.
Feel: Medium body, smooth with medium carbonation.
Reviewed by Wolvmar from Michigan
4.31/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
March 2020 Review
500ml bottle, 2017 Series, Batch No.03, bottled in October 2017. Poured into a tulip glass.
Pour: black with a minimal brown head that dissipated quickly and left little to no lacing. 3.5
Nose: Coffee, chocolate, oak, dark stone fruit, vanilla. Very good. 4.25
Taste: Pretty much follows the nose with sweet malt, coffee upfront and bitter chocolate on the back end. Really good. 4.5
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, smooth, creamy. Very good. 4.25
Overall: a really good, maybe great coffee stout. Easy drinking despite the ABV. Absolutely worth trying, will pick up another to cellar. 4.25
Mar 22, 2020500ml bottle, 2017 Series, Batch No.03, bottled in October 2017. Poured into a tulip glass.
Pour: black with a minimal brown head that dissipated quickly and left little to no lacing. 3.5
Nose: Coffee, chocolate, oak, dark stone fruit, vanilla. Very good. 4.25
Taste: Pretty much follows the nose with sweet malt, coffee upfront and bitter chocolate on the back end. Really good. 4.5
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, smooth, creamy. Very good. 4.25
Overall: a really good, maybe great coffee stout. Easy drinking despite the ABV. Absolutely worth trying, will pick up another to cellar. 4.25
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands
3.32/5 rDev -23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Got this from rutger this past summer
From a 500ml corked and caged bottle into a snifter
IBU: 43
2018 series batch #2
Bottled October 2018
Aged 8 months in Kentucky bourbon barrels
Imperial Russian stout aged in bourbon barrels with espresso beans
APPEARANCE: Clear black pour yields a 2+ finger, medium looking, slightly creamy tan head with good retention. Black body with medium levels of carbonation evident for the style. Head slowly recedes to a thin wisp and clings to the glass. Splotchy wisp remains leaving decent lacing down the glass as it empties.
SMELL: Roasted and burnt espresso beans on this one. Charred. Some dark chocolate, oak and bourbon aromas, vanilla cream and butterscotch as well. Well put together.
TASTE: Roasted coffee flavors up front, with bourbon, oak and some vanilla cream as well, then some wood and alcohol at the swallow. Flavorful finish of wood, bourbon, vanilla and butterscotch sweetness, as well as some bitter dark chocolate and bitter, roasted espresso beans as well. Charred espresso and somewhat boozy.
PALATE: Medium body and slightly higher levels of carbonation. A touch foamy perhaps, goes down a bit prickly with a bit of a scratch and finishes somewhat mouth-coating. Some heat lingers.
OVERALL: This is alright. The coffee is a little overly roasted or burnt and it’s a touch boozier than it needs to be, but it’s certainly enjoyable, especially for those who like coffee-forward stout beer. I’m a fan, though I do with it was a little creamier as opposed to charred. I’d also like a bit of a silkier mouthfeel as well. Nevertheless, Stone makes good stuff and this one falls into that category. Thanks again, rutger!
Dec 23, 2019From a 500ml corked and caged bottle into a snifter
IBU: 43
2018 series batch #2
Bottled October 2018
Aged 8 months in Kentucky bourbon barrels
Imperial Russian stout aged in bourbon barrels with espresso beans
APPEARANCE: Clear black pour yields a 2+ finger, medium looking, slightly creamy tan head with good retention. Black body with medium levels of carbonation evident for the style. Head slowly recedes to a thin wisp and clings to the glass. Splotchy wisp remains leaving decent lacing down the glass as it empties.
SMELL: Roasted and burnt espresso beans on this one. Charred. Some dark chocolate, oak and bourbon aromas, vanilla cream and butterscotch as well. Well put together.
TASTE: Roasted coffee flavors up front, with bourbon, oak and some vanilla cream as well, then some wood and alcohol at the swallow. Flavorful finish of wood, bourbon, vanilla and butterscotch sweetness, as well as some bitter dark chocolate and bitter, roasted espresso beans as well. Charred espresso and somewhat boozy.
PALATE: Medium body and slightly higher levels of carbonation. A touch foamy perhaps, goes down a bit prickly with a bit of a scratch and finishes somewhat mouth-coating. Some heat lingers.
OVERALL: This is alright. The coffee is a little overly roasted or burnt and it’s a touch boozier than it needs to be, but it’s certainly enjoyable, especially for those who like coffee-forward stout beer. I’m a fan, though I do with it was a little creamier as opposed to charred. I’d also like a bit of a silkier mouthfeel as well. Nevertheless, Stone makes good stuff and this one falls into that category. Thanks again, rutger!
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong
4.39/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
A 500ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 Series, Batch No.03, bottled in October 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: It was black in colour with a half finger brown head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, milk chocolate, damp coffee grounds, espresso, oak and vanilla.
Taste: Moderate roastiness, milk chocolate, coffee, espresso, oak, bourbon, vanilla and a lightly herbal bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Really enjoyable drinking, as its rich and smooth with velvety chocolate, and nice barrel notes expressing bourbon and vanilla.
Dec 13, 2019Appearance: It was black in colour with a half finger brown head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, milk chocolate, damp coffee grounds, espresso, oak and vanilla.
Taste: Moderate roastiness, milk chocolate, coffee, espresso, oak, bourbon, vanilla and a lightly herbal bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Really enjoyable drinking, as its rich and smooth with velvety chocolate, and nice barrel notes expressing bourbon and vanilla.
Mikhail from Stone Brewing
Beer rating:
96 out of
100 with
187 ratings
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