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): 11.00%
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: 2,860 | Reviews: 613
4.3/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.6/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I am drinking the 2017 vintage as well. It Pour black as Grace Jones. I am getting, burnt toast, burnt almonds, roasted malts, slight coffee, tobacco earthiness, blackstrap molasses. A little alcohol sting but nothing to cry about. Cigary City makes some great world class stouts although they can get up there in cost. Cheers! A
329 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I am drinking the 2017 vintage as well. It Pour black as Grace Jones. I am getting, burnt toast, burnt almonds, roasted malts, slight coffee, tobacco earthiness, blackstrap molasses. A little alcohol sting but nothing to cry about. Cigary City makes some great world class stouts although they can get up there in cost. Cheers! A
329 characters
4.75/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.29/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
2017 bottling. Pours pitch black. Outstanding head volume, quite outstanding retention and normal lacing for an imperial stout.
Quite outstanding nose that is complex and rich. Coffee/espresso, roast, chocolate and a touch of molasses are the primary components. Tobacco and leather notes reside subtly underneath while a brilliant cherry note waifs above. Very little hop presence was detected.
World class full body that is creamy and also almost oily slick. This Imperial Stout is beyond smooth. The carbonation / body balance is also world class. Mid-palate effervescence is perfectly balanced to tickle the tongue and open the flavors up while not disturbing the creamy mouthfeel. The finish is slightly prickly.
The flavor profile is quite outstanding. The only flaw keeping this wonderful stout from world class is the slight unmasking of alcohol and resultant astringency. This one lives up to the nose and really delivers. The profile follows the nose basically. The exceptions are that leather and tobacco are much more prevalent, the cherry aspects are greatly reduced while shifting to currant, mild hop bitterness and a very rich molasses middle. The molasses sets the stage for the leather and tobacco notes expertly. The finish provides the classic oak notes.
1,293 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
2017 bottling. Pours pitch black. Outstanding head volume, quite outstanding retention and normal lacing for an imperial stout.
Quite outstanding nose that is complex and rich. Coffee/espresso, roast, chocolate and a touch of molasses are the primary components. Tobacco and leather notes reside subtly underneath while a brilliant cherry note waifs above. Very little hop presence was detected.
World class full body that is creamy and also almost oily slick. This Imperial Stout is beyond smooth. The carbonation / body balance is also world class. Mid-palate effervescence is perfectly balanced to tickle the tongue and open the flavors up while not disturbing the creamy mouthfeel. The finish is slightly prickly.
The flavor profile is quite outstanding. The only flaw keeping this wonderful stout from world class is the slight unmasking of alcohol and resultant astringency. This one lives up to the nose and really delivers. The profile follows the nose basically. The exceptions are that leather and tobacco are much more prevalent, the cherry aspects are greatly reduced while shifting to currant, mild hop bitterness and a very rich molasses middle. The molasses sets the stage for the leather and tobacco notes expertly. The finish provides the classic oak notes.
1,293 characters
4.4/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.69/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Bottled 07/12/17. Happy to snag a vintage version of a beer I’ve wanted to try for probably more than ten years.
Pours a seriously thick, dark black with a decent brown head. Mesmerizing. Rich boozy aroma that fits the description. Heavy on dark fruits, brown sugar, and tobacco. Flavor is similar. Exactly as they described with tons of heavily roasted malt, espresso, and woody goodness. Naturally super smooth and silky, but also still nicely carbonated and properly boozy for the style. Haven’t had a RIS in a long time, but I don’t remember many being this good. Seriously impressive and worth the wait!
615 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Bottled 07/12/17. Happy to snag a vintage version of a beer I’ve wanted to try for probably more than ten years.
Pours a seriously thick, dark black with a decent brown head. Mesmerizing. Rich boozy aroma that fits the description. Heavy on dark fruits, brown sugar, and tobacco. Flavor is similar. Exactly as they described with tons of heavily roasted malt, espresso, and woody goodness. Naturally super smooth and silky, but also still nicely carbonated and properly boozy for the style. Haven’t had a RIS in a long time, but I don’t remember many being this good. Seriously impressive and worth the wait!
615 characters
4.42/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.53/5 rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.47/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2017 bottle into a tulip. a year old.
pours like black treacle. blackest of black bodies, with a large dark brown head, the darkest head I've ever seen on a beer. This looks Awesome!
some mild aromas of chocolate & toffee.
Smooth, smoky, chocolate. coffee, a slight sweetness and a slow burn from the alcohol, and a faint bitterness. None of these dominate, and this is a superbly balanced Imperial Stout. Later in the dink, the burn doesn't get a little more pronounced, But I thoroughly enjoyed this drink.
The mouth is closing in on full, finish is a not too strong faintly coffee burn with a touch of bitterness.
Overall, an excellent Imperial stout. I find it rare when I get all the tastes described on the label ,but that was the case here. Cigar City nailed this one, and it's a must grab when it appears on the shelves.
837 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2017 bottle into a tulip. a year old.
pours like black treacle. blackest of black bodies, with a large dark brown head, the darkest head I've ever seen on a beer. This looks Awesome!
some mild aromas of chocolate & toffee.
Smooth, smoky, chocolate. coffee, a slight sweetness and a slow burn from the alcohol, and a faint bitterness. None of these dominate, and this is a superbly balanced Imperial Stout. Later in the dink, the burn doesn't get a little more pronounced, But I thoroughly enjoyed this drink.
The mouth is closing in on full, finish is a not too strong faintly coffee burn with a touch of bitterness.
Overall, an excellent Imperial stout. I find it rare when I get all the tastes described on the label ,but that was the case here. Cigar City nailed this one, and it's a must grab when it appears on the shelves.
837 characters
4.41/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Drank at Artezan, Warsaw.
25 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Drank at Artezan, Warsaw.
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4.5/5 rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.27/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A- pours jet black, thick and viscous with a one-finger creamy khaki colored head
S- ashy charred malt, bread crust, cocoa, black cherry, anise and espresso
T- bold charred malt and dark cocoa, followed by earthy coffee, dark fruits, molasses & anise
M- medium-heavy body with moderate carbonation, creamy mouthfeel and finish
O- a classic RIS that hits all the high notes
376 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A- pours jet black, thick and viscous with a one-finger creamy khaki colored head
S- ashy charred malt, bread crust, cocoa, black cherry, anise and espresso
T- bold charred malt and dark cocoa, followed by earthy coffee, dark fruits, molasses & anise
M- medium-heavy body with moderate carbonation, creamy mouthfeel and finish
O- a classic RIS that hits all the high notes
376 characters
4.38/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.39/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This beer is a blunt in a bottle.
Deep, dark, abyss-like black pour with an angry red head of 1/2 finger. Bubbles flirt with you as they smile up the side shallowly.
You know when you're about to try a drug that you know could be a turning point for your life, and it's right there in front of you? That's the aroma. It's got such a depth, a danger, something so unknown you don't even dare to figure out why or who or how. The aroma is cigars, tobacco, leather, oak, wood, slight vanilla (but only in a sense that you're in a cigar smoker's Cadillac). This beer is DARK. Zero bright notes.
And then it hits you. Bam. Right in the kisser. Tobacco. Ash. Dark chocolate. Cigar papers. Molasses. Pungent piney bitterness from piney and smokey hops. Herbal bitterness is off the charts for style. This beer is 100% dark, takes no prisoners, and will kill you.
Feel is thick, viscous, coats the mouth, sharp carbonation up the middle.
Overall, if there's a beer that perfectly flirts on the line between Imperial Stout and Black IPA, this is the golden child. The rich tobacco and dark chocolate notes are there but the hops are just humongous. The palate punishment is quite possibly too much, but I keep coming back for more. The hops, the dankness, the cigar ash...just wow. It's really delicious, but it's palate punishment on so many levels. This is the dungeon of stouts. Why is it named Marshall Zhukov? Was he an evil, tempestuous, disturbed man? I think one can only handle 6 ounces of this at a time before being transported to a black hole in space.
1,565 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This beer is a blunt in a bottle.
Deep, dark, abyss-like black pour with an angry red head of 1/2 finger. Bubbles flirt with you as they smile up the side shallowly.
You know when you're about to try a drug that you know could be a turning point for your life, and it's right there in front of you? That's the aroma. It's got such a depth, a danger, something so unknown you don't even dare to figure out why or who or how. The aroma is cigars, tobacco, leather, oak, wood, slight vanilla (but only in a sense that you're in a cigar smoker's Cadillac). This beer is DARK. Zero bright notes.
And then it hits you. Bam. Right in the kisser. Tobacco. Ash. Dark chocolate. Cigar papers. Molasses. Pungent piney bitterness from piney and smokey hops. Herbal bitterness is off the charts for style. This beer is 100% dark, takes no prisoners, and will kill you.
Feel is thick, viscous, coats the mouth, sharp carbonation up the middle.
Overall, if there's a beer that perfectly flirts on the line between Imperial Stout and Black IPA, this is the golden child. The rich tobacco and dark chocolate notes are there but the hops are just humongous. The palate punishment is quite possibly too much, but I keep coming back for more. The hops, the dankness, the cigar ash...just wow. It's really delicious, but it's palate punishment on so many levels. This is the dungeon of stouts. Why is it named Marshall Zhukov? Was he an evil, tempestuous, disturbed man? I think one can only handle 6 ounces of this at a time before being transported to a black hole in space.
1,565 characters
4.77/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Poured into a 16 oz Snulip, vintage 2017. Pours as pitch black as any beer ever, with a massive 2 finger dark mocha head that leaves some massive streaks of lace behind, with excellent retention.
Smell is deep dark chocolate, expresso beans, vanilla, molasses, and just a tickle of alcohol.
Taste is what you would expect dark chocolate and roasty coffee dominate up front with vanilla, molasses, leather, and warming alcohol in the long lingering and satisfying finish.
Mouthfeel is big and viscous, enough life, definetly dry as you expect from a beer of this girth, and a sipper that because of the complex flavors and amazing taste goes down way too easy.
Overall it was hard to judge knowing my sky high expectations, well it totally delivered one of the best stout I have ever had and possibly the most gorgeous beer on earth! Thanks Doctorzombie for this treat.
872 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Poured into a 16 oz Snulip, vintage 2017. Pours as pitch black as any beer ever, with a massive 2 finger dark mocha head that leaves some massive streaks of lace behind, with excellent retention.
Smell is deep dark chocolate, expresso beans, vanilla, molasses, and just a tickle of alcohol.
Taste is what you would expect dark chocolate and roasty coffee dominate up front with vanilla, molasses, leather, and warming alcohol in the long lingering and satisfying finish.
Mouthfeel is big and viscous, enough life, definetly dry as you expect from a beer of this girth, and a sipper that because of the complex flavors and amazing taste goes down way too easy.
Overall it was hard to judge knowing my sky high expectations, well it totally delivered one of the best stout I have ever had and possibly the most gorgeous beer on earth! Thanks Doctorzombie for this treat.
872 characters
3.93/5 rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.51/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.04/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.32/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 9 months ago. Impressive head retention for an 11% beer. Big RIS aromatics. Dark chocolate, leather, wood, and cherry. Chocolate and caramel flavor, with a medium-to-full mouthfeel. Opens roasty and piney and transitions into fudge. If I'm rating to style, this is excellent. It doesn't have the savoriness that turns me off to some RISs.
346 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 9 months ago. Impressive head retention for an 11% beer. Big RIS aromatics. Dark chocolate, leather, wood, and cherry. Chocolate and caramel flavor, with a medium-to-full mouthfeel. Opens roasty and piney and transitions into fudge. If I'm rating to style, this is excellent. It doesn't have the savoriness that turns me off to some RISs.
346 characters
Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating:
4.37 out of
5 with
2,860 ratings
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