Mad Czar
SanTan Brewing Co.

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
SanTan Brewing Co.
 
Arizona, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
ABV:
9.9%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 10.43%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
24
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 14, 2017
Added:
Mar 01, 2015
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  5
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by kylehay2004:
Photo of kylehay2004
Rated by kylehay2004 from Illinois

3.77/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Apr 18, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.69 by GoffmanvsDuffman from Arizona

Jun 14, 2017
Photo of TX-Badger
Reviewed by TX-Badger from Texas

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark brown color with tan colored head. Slight vanilla, chocolate, roast, and some caramel on the nose; follows onto the palate. Medium to full bodied, not as full as most imperial stouts. Finishes with chocolate and roasted flavors.
Dec 11, 2015
Photo of LXIXME
Reviewed by LXIXME from New Mexico

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Roasted cherries aroma among the dark malts and light alcohol. Very dark colored beer which is a must for the style, although the head and lacing need some help to impress. I paid $4 plus for this "From the Vault" offering and that's a bit much for this 16 ounce can from Santan. While this is a decent tasting beer it's really not worthy the "From the Vault" tagline and the price. To be honest, if Stone, Roque, Russian River, etc. came out with a "From the Vault" at this price I would be rather depressed but from a brewery that I have lesser exceptions from, I guess I should say "keep working at it, keep improving your vault recipes , and who knows"
Nov 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.21 by Stoutmeister from Massachusetts

Sep 16, 2015
Photo of Jeffo
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands

2.27/5  rDev -42.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Doopie brought back a can of this stuff for us to try out here. Cheers dude!

From a can into a snifter
IBU: 55

APPEARANCE: Pours out clear, light brown and yields a small, fizzy, loose, light tan head with lousy retention. Looks like coke. Clear bistre brown body with higher levels of carbonation for the style. Head fades to a wisp and ring. Touches of wisp remain until the end and leaves some faint lacing down the glass. Not very impressive for the style.

SMELL: Leather, smoked meats, cacao notes and some toffee on the nose. Not my style, really.

TASTE: Cacao, smoked meat and toffee up front. A big finish with more smoked salami, leather, toffee, notes of cacao powder and some floral bitterness. Flavorful and very atypical.

PALATE: Medium-thinner body with higher levels of carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes quite dry. A bit astringent on the finish, unfortunately.

OVERALL: Too light in body and feel, as well as being too carbonated for the style. Not my thing. The smoked meat character is also something that was difficult to enjoy. I can see how some other people might enjoy this, but I'd pass on it in the future. Thanks again Doops!
Sep 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by aknalley from Texas

Sep 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.9 by rlee1390 from Indiana

Jul 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.13 by Beerando from Georgia

Jul 18, 2015
Photo of JonathanTaylorThomas
Reviewed by JonathanTaylorThomas from Texas

4.12/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I'm not huge on Russian Imperial Stouts, but I've had some damn good ones in my day. Beers so good that you can easily look past the style and appreciate it as a damn good beer (e.g. Courage IRS). I bring this up as a way to say that my opinion should not be taken seriously by anyone who drinks stouts on a regular basis, as I lack the appreciation, honestly.

That said, this beer holds up pretty well for being the product of an obscure brewery that I had never heard of until picking up a lone four-pack of 'Czar.' Pour this guy in a glass, and appreciate the rich, chocolatey smell that you would have otherwise missed by drinking it out of the can. And, wow, that sweet maltiness in the taste is absolutely incredible. Dude, over-the-top malt is the exact reason I don't drink much stout in the first place, but THIS beer just nails it.

I wouldn't call this a must-try, but for anybody trying to get into stouts and/or expand their taste in beer, grab one if you happen to run across it.
Jul 06, 2015
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

3.99/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Picked up a single from TW Arrowhead in early April for $4.49. Received at TW 3-1-15...no canning date but I believe it was early February.

Beer poured black with a beautiful tan head on the initial pour.

Nose is mocha, very nice.

Taste is mocha but not overly sweet as it is well balanced by a decent amount of hops.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and pretty smooth.

Overall a smackable beer from SanTan, I have enjoyed several brews from the vault series. Give it a shot if you see it!
Jun 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Kylo76 from Colorado

Jun 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by bannockburn from Texas

May 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.04 by BdM from Netherlands

May 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by archero from Texas

May 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by jschott75 from Illinois

Apr 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Harvey98 from Arizona

Apr 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.16 by azdback from Arizona

Apr 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Texasfan549 from Texas

Mar 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.88 by SocalKicks from California

Mar 16, 2015
Mad Czar from SanTan Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 24 ratings