Motherland Russian Imperial Stout - Barrel-Aged
Hopworks Brewery

Had 2014 version. Remarkably smooth and easy to drink. Very well balanced with all that is going on: the roast, choco, barrel. Finishes well and tasty. A treat to have the offering.

This is a beer that they brewed a few years back and came back with a slightly different recipe. This beer pours a dark brown color with almost no head, just a tan ring around the glass. The aroma is chocolate and caramel with some sweetness. Taste is chocolate and dried stone fruits and a bit of molasses. Nice sweetness and almost no bitterness. Very good sipping beer for a cold night. Rated 1-20-2024

 

Dark as sin, or at least as a moonless winter solstice night. Not one shred of light can penetrate its abyss like blackness. A thin creamy tan ring with a paintbrush stroke across the surface is the only contrast.

Sweet booze and rich black strap molasses sting the nostrils. A touch of vanilla and charred wood cover an even lesser chocolate and sopping tobacco leaf.

A seamless transition that is even more pleasurable to taste. An overall equal balance of said ingredients. Wood is a bit more pronounced than expected and there is a dark fruit leaning towards fig, that is dusted in that chocolate. Vanilla, tobacco, leather, and syrupy molasses, all the usual suspects hold their own, but this sweet slathered fruit is what sets this apart.

Slightly slick, smooth, and sweet initially. Actually, it's pretty sweet in general other than just a but of toasty roasty bitterness that hangs on by a thread. It's actually a tad thin feeling, but this may just be the barrel influence stripping it from a velvety perfection.

I'm quite blown away by HUB here. I've always been a fan and solid supporter, but these special releases usually seem hit or kiss to me. This one is a home run. Cheers.

 

Had the pleasure of having this and the non-BA version back to back. While regular Motherland is very good, this is outstanding. I honestly enjoyed it more than a lot of other bigger names in this style and would have it again and again. Deep and dark with a tan head that lingers, the smell alone lets you know you're in for a treat. Everything that made the original version is enhanced here, with added sweetness and a nice alcohol warmth from the aging process. Mouthfeel is thicker and stickier, allowing the brew to stick on your tongue for a while longer as you contemplate how to ingest more of this delicious beer. REALLY impressed by HUB.