R.I.P.
Le Saint-Bock

 

On-tap at Le Saint-Bock, Montréal, QC, Canada

A: The beer was served in a skull-shaped glass that said RIP (Russian Imperial Porter) and the brewery name. It was jet black in color and poured with a short tan head that gradually died down, leaving a wide collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of dark malts and black licorice are present in the nose.
T: The taste has intense flavors of dark malts along with notes of black licorice.
M: It feels medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is surprisingly drinkable considering its strength as there are no traces of alcohol in the taste. It's also not that heavy on the palate.

Note: 2017 vintage

Serving type: on-tap

★★★★
Requiescat in pace
Un cadeau judicieux de mon ami Paul pour ma fête. Je pensais que j'avais déjà dégusté cette bière et j'étais très heureux de pouvoir la retrouver. Mais, c'était la version en fût de bourbon que j'avais eu l'honneur de découvrir, alors c'est encore plus de bonheur. Une explosion torréfiée nous propulse dans une morte lente et douloureuse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got it on tap at the Westover Beer Garden and Haus.

A: Really dark and creamy looking with a thick layer (maybe an inch) of super creamy head. Really a beautiful pour and a beautiful beer.

S:Lots of malts, coffee and a dark fruitiness. Alcohol comes through as well, adding a nice layer of complexity.

T: Really delicious beer. Dark, roasted malts give it a rich sweetness with lots of complexity. Malty, dark stone fruit, figs, coffee, caramel: they're all there at one sip or another. The hops balance nicely, preventing the beer from becoming cloying. The alcohol is really well hidden. I would have guessed around 10% ABV, but the 14.5% is unbelievable.

M: Rich, sweet and creamy. Heavy without much carboantion.

O: Maybe it just fit the mood I was in, but I found this beer to be incredible. Complex, sweet and delicious. Obviously a sipping beer, but just incredible for a couple of short pours.

Enjoyed at the brewpub.
The beer appeared black in the light in the pub and had a mocha/brown cap of fine bubbles. The foamy and sticky head stuck around for a long time and left a lot of streaky lacing on the glass. Rich, malty aroma with lots of toffee and cocoa, mild roast with some fruitiness. The alcohol was well hidden, but there were hints of higher alcohols with slight rose notes. There was considerable alcohol in the flavour, but it was balanced by other tastes, like chocolate covered bananas, caramel and toffee. Light roast and sweetness filled it out and it finished with a blast of citrus. Bitterness seemed to be from a combination of dark malts and hops. Good attenuation for such a big beer, but it was still pretty full bodied and heavy. There was a silkiness to the texture and some astringency. Served at medium to low carbonation, it was quite smooth. Overall, quite enjoyable. The alcohol was well tamed, but this is definitely a sipper.

On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours a blackish brown color with good head retention and lacing. Really don't get a lot on the nose; just some coffee, light tobacco and some noticeable alcohol. On the palate, this beer is quire sweet and boozy. It also has some nice flavors of cherry cough drop, coffee and choclate, but the sweetness and alcohol are a bit much. Mouthfeel is full and fairly rich, with a long finish. However, the alcohol is just too prominent in this beer. Coupled with sweetness, it really detracts from this beer's drinkability.

I don't know. This is an interesting beer, with some nice flavors, but the alcohol is just way too over the top for me.

On draft at Birreria Paradiso in D.C.

A: Black with decent head and lace.

S: Rich, roasted malt with sweet, dark fruits, toffee.

T: Wow, this is seriously good beer, and not for the faint of heart. There is a fabulous taste of chocolate covered cherries, toffee, figs, and roasted malt. The beer finishes with a subtle hop bitterness. Every small sip begs another.

M: 14.5%?!? You have to be kidding. Stealthy.

D: At 14.5%, one pour was perfect for me. A beer to sip slowly and enjoy as it warms.

Served on tap at ChurchKey in DC. Pours a near black with somewhat of a crimson hue. Smells strongly of roasted malt, chocolate, some coffee, hints of dark fruits, a tiny bit of licorice, and some resinous hops. The taste is similar, with the creamy mouthfeel bringing the chocolate and cocoa flavors to the forefront. Some alcohol in the mouthfeel, but not too much considering the ABV. Overall, quite drinkable and I'd very much like to have it again.