Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout | Cigar City Brewing
Brewed by:
Cigar City Brewing
Florida, United States
cigarcitybrewing.com
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.80%
Availability: Summer
Notes / Commercial Description:
This Russian Imperial Stout is dedicated to Georgy Zhukov, arguably one of the finest generals of World War II. Opaque black in color, with notes of espresso, chocolate, dark toffee and hints of backstrap molasses. The English hop varietals provide a subtle herbal dryness, and finishes with a hearty slap of roasty espresso. Pair Marshal Zhukov’s with Mushroom Solyanka, dark chocolate, cherries and ground wars in Russia.
We brew and release Zhukov's in the summer knowing that a beer of this heft reaches its full potential a few months after release. So save a bottle for the cold winter!
80 IBU
Added by BigMcLargeHuge on 11-17-2008
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 2,890 | Reviews: 623
4.34/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.45/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
A: Generous sized dark bronze creamy capping sits solidly over a pitch tar black colored body, appearing almost as viscose as such. The head the crown jewel here, bready thick and spongey, and long lasting. No real signs of effervesce.
S: Beautiful campfire soot on first sniff, burnt grains sweetness. Some burnt cake breadiness and dark fruit, plums align with some charcoal soot to give an earthy bitterness. Some freshly roasted coffee grains, figs and most especially some roasted walnuts and peanuts occur on the finish to give that carnival like atmosphere. All in all a very nice strength, nice complexity with some roasted chocolate to give depth and warming. Surprisingly the only thing missing was hardly a mention of the the 11.0% alcohol which was very refined and tame on the nose.
T: A huge burnt offering of grains and cake breadiness along with some fresh campfire soot and burnt chocolate makes the first sip explode with an earthy bitterness and deep roasted malting. Bitter with some freshly grounded espresso beans, oily and silty combine with some dried milk and burnt roasted marshmallow flair. Roasted pine hops, spicy cinnamon alcohol with a nice warmth of roasted coffee, whole cocoa and some warmth of dark fruit.
M: Very smooth mouthful, creamy and very full bodied, lush and heavy on the tongue, with a quiet sense of carbonation. Milky depth and feel leaves a nice sooth coating behind.
O: Overall a huge roasted malt beast with the texture, smoothness and drinkability of a lamb. Beautiful roastiness, espresso beans and cocoa combine with a some dried milkiness and roasted marshmallow and chocolate gives a huge flavor and silty feel to its benefit. Outstanding and world class worthy imho.
1,731 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
A: Generous sized dark bronze creamy capping sits solidly over a pitch tar black colored body, appearing almost as viscose as such. The head the crown jewel here, bready thick and spongey, and long lasting. No real signs of effervesce.
S: Beautiful campfire soot on first sniff, burnt grains sweetness. Some burnt cake breadiness and dark fruit, plums align with some charcoal soot to give an earthy bitterness. Some freshly roasted coffee grains, figs and most especially some roasted walnuts and peanuts occur on the finish to give that carnival like atmosphere. All in all a very nice strength, nice complexity with some roasted chocolate to give depth and warming. Surprisingly the only thing missing was hardly a mention of the the 11.0% alcohol which was very refined and tame on the nose.
T: A huge burnt offering of grains and cake breadiness along with some fresh campfire soot and burnt chocolate makes the first sip explode with an earthy bitterness and deep roasted malting. Bitter with some freshly grounded espresso beans, oily and silty combine with some dried milk and burnt roasted marshmallow flair. Roasted pine hops, spicy cinnamon alcohol with a nice warmth of roasted coffee, whole cocoa and some warmth of dark fruit.
M: Very smooth mouthful, creamy and very full bodied, lush and heavy on the tongue, with a quiet sense of carbonation. Milky depth and feel leaves a nice sooth coating behind.
O: Overall a huge roasted malt beast with the texture, smoothness and drinkability of a lamb. Beautiful roastiness, espresso beans and cocoa combine with a some dried milkiness and roasted marshmallow and chocolate gives a huge flavor and silty feel to its benefit. Outstanding and world class worthy imho.
1,731 characters
5/5 rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.27/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.6/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Simply one of the best. I had a btl. of this many months ago and am now revisiting it. There is simply nothing that I can find fault with. It is just excellent. I cannot think of a better expression of the style
211 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Simply one of the best. I had a btl. of this many months ago and am now revisiting it. There is simply nothing that I can find fault with. It is just excellent. I cannot think of a better expression of the style
211 characters
4.43/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Poured from the half-growler into a Piraat tulip/snifter-type glass. Body is black with a 2-finger chocolate milkshake-looking head on top.
S: Roasted barley malt, chocolate, cocoa, molasses and dried fruit. Slight earthiness. Booziness in the nose as it warms.
T: Baker's chocolate/dark chocolate abound. Roasted barley malt - really roasty - with some figs and dried fruit (think dark-chocolate-dipped Raisinets). Hint of licorice. Finishes with a nice bitterness that cuts the sweeter tendencies. The 11+% ABV is absurdly invisible.
M: This is the mouthfeel I want in my RIS/Double Stout: full-bodied, but roasty & creamy (not slick or oily). Washes over the palate instead of gliding over it (if that makes any sense).
O: Excellent beer. I remember the noise about this beer from years ago; glad to finally have the opportunity to try it.
852 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Poured from the half-growler into a Piraat tulip/snifter-type glass. Body is black with a 2-finger chocolate milkshake-looking head on top.
S: Roasted barley malt, chocolate, cocoa, molasses and dried fruit. Slight earthiness. Booziness in the nose as it warms.
T: Baker's chocolate/dark chocolate abound. Roasted barley malt - really roasty - with some figs and dried fruit (think dark-chocolate-dipped Raisinets). Hint of licorice. Finishes with a nice bitterness that cuts the sweeter tendencies. The 11+% ABV is absurdly invisible.
M: This is the mouthfeel I want in my RIS/Double Stout: full-bodied, but roasty & creamy (not slick or oily). Washes over the palate instead of gliding over it (if that makes any sense).
O: Excellent beer. I remember the noise about this beer from years ago; glad to finally have the opportunity to try it.
852 characters
4.37/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.04/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Had on tap at Lures Bar & Grille. This is a solid imperial stout but I don't understand the high ratings. This has flavors of dark bitter chocolate, coffee, anise, some dark roasted malts, a little bit of dark fruit, and more just plain fruit. I wish it had more dark roasted malts and some vanilla rather than that fruitiness. You can tell it's high abv - the 11.8% is not particularly well-hidden. My guess is this would be a lot better with a year or two of age.
465 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Had on tap at Lures Bar & Grille. This is a solid imperial stout but I don't understand the high ratings. This has flavors of dark bitter chocolate, coffee, anise, some dark roasted malts, a little bit of dark fruit, and more just plain fruit. I wish it had more dark roasted malts and some vanilla rather than that fruitiness. You can tell it's high abv - the 11.8% is not particularly well-hidden. My guess is this would be a lot better with a year or two of age.
465 characters
4.61/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
2018 bomber
Pours like thick motor oil, but black, and no head.
Lots of lacing on the brandy shifter.
Sweet smell of chocolate and some anise. The malts are rich and toasty as well and finally I can smell the coffee.
The flavors are well blended dark roasted malts, chocolate and coffee. The mouthfeel is thick and heavy. There is a dryness on the back end from the buttering hops. This is really put together well.
418 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
2018 bomber
Pours like thick motor oil, but black, and no head.
Lots of lacing on the brandy shifter.
Sweet smell of chocolate and some anise. The malts are rich and toasty as well and finally I can smell the coffee.
The flavors are well blended dark roasted malts, chocolate and coffee. The mouthfeel is thick and heavy. There is a dryness on the back end from the buttering hops. This is really put together well.
418 characters
4.25/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
1.91/5 rDev -56.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
Looks and pours fine. Smells flat/plain, not much there. Tastes so terrible. Like under-roasted coffee beans mixed with a fistful of old pennies. What a waste of $16 + tax for the bomber. Straight down the drain, literally..
224 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
Looks and pours fine. Smells flat/plain, not much there. Tastes so terrible. Like under-roasted coffee beans mixed with a fistful of old pennies. What a waste of $16 + tax for the bomber. Straight down the drain, literally..
224 characters
3.87/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.25
L - crowler to snifter. Huge frothy head. Thick and viscous. Extremely inviting stout.
S - roasty malts all day. The familiarity of plead ththe 5th and blackout stout. Very malty. Heavily roasted barley is overwhelmingly dominant. Also very reminiscent of Guinness extra stour.
T - Charred coffee beans and semi sweet chocolate morsels. Not nearly as sweet as I anticistou. Heavy on the alcohol presence. Overly heavy. Not getting much dark fruit or residual sugar I've read mentioned.
F - pretty thick.
Overall - too fucking hot. Too fucking one dimensional. I wanted to love this so bad and had huge expectations but it simply taste more like an absolute vodka flavored stout version than it does a world class stout.
724 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.25
L - crowler to snifter. Huge frothy head. Thick and viscous. Extremely inviting stout.
S - roasty malts all day. The familiarity of plead ththe 5th and blackout stout. Very malty. Heavily roasted barley is overwhelmingly dominant. Also very reminiscent of Guinness extra stour.
T - Charred coffee beans and semi sweet chocolate morsels. Not nearly as sweet as I anticistou. Heavy on the alcohol presence. Overly heavy. Not getting much dark fruit or residual sugar I've read mentioned.
F - pretty thick.
Overall - too fucking hot. Too fucking one dimensional. I wanted to love this so bad and had huge expectations but it simply taste more like an absolute vodka flavored stout version than it does a world class stout.
724 characters
4.5/5 rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Revisited 11/17/18
A-Pours a nice solid jet black color with a slight head and some nice lacing.
A-Aroma has coffee and chocolate hints
T-The taste follows the nose with subtle coffee and chocolate flavors. The coffee becomes more pronounced as the beer warms up
M-A medium bodied smooth well balanced complex beer.
O-A very well done Imperial stout
350 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Revisited 11/17/18
A-Pours a nice solid jet black color with a slight head and some nice lacing.
A-Aroma has coffee and chocolate hints
T-The taste follows the nose with subtle coffee and chocolate flavors. The coffee becomes more pronounced as the beer warms up
M-A medium bodied smooth well balanced complex beer.
O-A very well done Imperial stout
350 characters
4.27/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
5/5 rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
(2018)
This one pours very black with even the head a dark, dark khaki color. One can already tell this beer will be decadent!
The aroma brings on a boozy chocolate-burnt caramel flavor.
And indeed, this is a decadent stout! Flavor starts out with a deep, dark, chewy chocolate and toffee. Swirling it around for a second opens up new flavors: marshmallow is prominent, then comes the black molasses. All throughout there's a pleasant roasted espresso flavor. Having said all this, the beer is not overly sweet and also not lacking sweetness.
I'm basically chewing beef jerky when this hits the tongue. Super thick like motor oil, but smooth and fluffy to complement to aforementioned flavors. That roasty espresso note lingers.
Overall, this is the perfect stout that I didn't know I needed. Whenever I crave a good RIS, I think of something like this beer in my mind, and that left a hole in me for so long. This beer fills that hole!
945 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
(2018)
This one pours very black with even the head a dark, dark khaki color. One can already tell this beer will be decadent!
The aroma brings on a boozy chocolate-burnt caramel flavor.
And indeed, this is a decadent stout! Flavor starts out with a deep, dark, chewy chocolate and toffee. Swirling it around for a second opens up new flavors: marshmallow is prominent, then comes the black molasses. All throughout there's a pleasant roasted espresso flavor. Having said all this, the beer is not overly sweet and also not lacking sweetness.
I'm basically chewing beef jerky when this hits the tongue. Super thick like motor oil, but smooth and fluffy to complement to aforementioned flavors. That roasty espresso note lingers.
Overall, this is the perfect stout that I didn't know I needed. Whenever I crave a good RIS, I think of something like this beer in my mind, and that left a hole in me for so long. This beer fills that hole!
945 characters
Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating:
4.37 out of
5 with
2,890 ratings
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