Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout
Cigar City Brewing

puck1225 from Texas

4.4/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Well this is pretty good! Bought the bomber at Thistle Draftshop near Houston about a month ago.

Pours very dark brown color with nice initial brown head and nice curtain lacing. Smell of dark chocolate and expresso. Follows to taste. Licorice and anise. Nice herbal, malty background definitely give the taste of this beer a new level. Very nice treat!

May 27, 2021

Sigmund from Norway

3.81/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Sample from bottle at Copenhagen Beer Celebration. Pitch black colour, brown head. Very roasty aroma, notes of coffee and dark chocolate. The flavour is very sweet and very roasty, notes of coffee and molasses.

May 16, 2021

HardTarget from Texas

4.13/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Deep black glass, shows ruby with strong back light, holds a thin halo of dark tan foam.

Aroma: Rum raisin, dark malt, a strong grape skin tannin.

Taste: Grape popsicle, molasses, bit of medicinal alcohol, finishes with a bitter coffee.

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, low/flat carbonation, triggers a solid chew, oily and hot finish.

Overall: Big beer, unusual flavor, can't say I love it. There's a mild metallic note, and there is enough bitter hops going that you don't get much sweetness out of all the malt. I think the English hops come through almost like a tea flavor. Different kind of profile, it's growing on me.

May 14, 2021

Sandis from Minnesota

4.29/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2019 version poured from a 22oz. bottle into a Dangerous Man Brewing snifter. Black oil appearance with a deep tan head. I get some roast along with molasses and some licorice. Solid as usual.

Mar 15, 2021

TBoneJones from Texas

4.59/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this much earlier in 2020. Saved for the holidays/ end of year-time. We’re about there so time to try. The pour is black motor oil-like darkness with a dark rusty-brown head. Great stout appearance.
Nose is chocolate and coffee, dark fruit, fig, molasses.
Wow. This taste is spot-on delicious. The coffee, chocolate, the way the hops are. Almost an oatmeal thing going on in there. Complex molasses’s/ toffee/ black cherry notes. The aftertaste RULES on this one. The aforementioned flavors linger with a pleasant buzz-note that amazingly excludes alcohol. Coffee and the pleasant herbal dryness from the hops like the brewer describes, is the lasting flavor but it’s so very good. Tough to paint that description as appealing, but that’s what I get and it works so well for some reason. Tasty.
Feels thick and creamy. Low carbonation. Slightly dry.
It may just be an extremely well-made imperial stout, but that’s what you’re looking for.

Dec 24, 2020

beergoot from Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Opaque ebony body capped with a very dense and thick, creamy head, tan in color. Espresso and cocoa powder aroma; dark roasted grain. Sweet cocoa and vanilla flavors; outstanding dark roasted and mildly charred grain flavors; very dark roasted espresso; muted whiskey-like note; black pepper and licorice. Heavy body; soft, velvety, and spongy on the palate; bold semi-sweetness counteracts a prominent alcohol heat and warmth.

This beer is huge and packs a fine punch, like brass knuckles covered with a velvet glove. It sports an excellent head for a big ABV beer. The smell may be a bit quiet, but the flavors and mouthfeel are immense and satisfying on nearly stratospheric levels. One hell of any experience!!!

Oct 15, 2020

puboflyons from New Hampshire

4.61/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

From the 650 bomber dated 11/25/19. Sampled July 19, 2020. Over eight months of aging.

Attractive dark brown to near jet black pour with a quickly fizzling tan head.

An array of aroma sensations including dark roasted malts, caramel, red grapes, earthy hops, chocolate, and a touch of alcohol.

The mouthfeel is smooth and full.

A slow sipper with a sweet roasted malt taste and a mild eruption of booze then warms the palate with a moderate earthy bitter finish.

Jul 19, 2020

gatornation from Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a dark black color with a tan head. Smell has dark roasted malts ,Tabacco dark fruits,coffee and chocolate. Taste is more bitter than i like ,both on coffe and chocolate. A bitter mouth feel and an over priced bomber. Worth a try but wont buy again .

Jul 14, 2020

hopsputin from New Jersey

4.59/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: super jet dark black with a 1 finger dark tan head. That fades to a film quick

S: dark caramel, roasted malts, a touch of smoke. Leather, dark fruits, molasses, toffee. Oak, dark chocolate , and some brown sugar

T: roasted malts, Wood, and leather upfront. Dark bitter chocolate, burnt caramel. Sweet earth, dark plums, dark cherry and tons of molasses and brown sugar

M: thick, chewy heavy mouthfeel with mild carbonation

O: absolutely amazing Imperial Stout. Rich, complex, and well harmonized

Jun 21, 2020

Jas0921 from Florida

4.5/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A very powerful beer. Thick motor oil pour.... super intense flavors and aromas of chocolate, coffee, and toffee, exactly as advertised. A fantastic RIS!

May 24, 2020

Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota

4.46/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very thick pitch black color. The head is a very dark brown and 2 finger. The retention is decent for such a beer. Minimal lacing on the glass.
The nose is has dark chocolate notes to it. Some raisin. Some caramel and toffee. Some plum.
Taste - Like the nose - chocolate, raisin, toffee, caramel, and plum.
Quite thick. Minimnal alcohol burn, though there's some.
Tasty and well made RIS from Cigar City.

May 13, 2020

Tony210 from New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Pours pitch black, thick and viscous, like motor oil. Massive Dark chocolate with a touch of yeast. Flavor is dark chocolate, espresso. Thick and sludgy, so good. Overall a phenomenal RIS, amazing flavor for not having any adjuncts, would love to try fresh. Aged very, very well.

5/10/20
Bomber, 2017 vintage
4.5 rating

May 11, 2020

LifesAnesthesia from Virginia

4.58/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

L - Deep black with a dark tan head that dissipates somewhat quickly leaving behind a cap and minimal lacing
S - Deep roasted notes of chocolate, roasted espresso, molasses, some herbal notes, and caramel
T - Follows the nose with roasted, bitter dark chocolate and espresso up front and throughout, notes of molasses, caramel, dark fruits (raisins, cherries, figs), some tobacco and earth
F - Full bodied with a light amount of carbonation. Smooth, soft, silky
O - A truly fantastic Imperial Russian stout with an incredible flavor profile and mouthfeel

May 10, 2020

DoctorZombies from Florida

4.67/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Black with ruby edges pour; dark tan rocky head; good cap retention; solid ring; large island of micro dots after cap dissipates; medium minus lacing; thin plus legs. Roast malt, char, chocolate and sweet fruity nose. Tongue follows nose; layers of bittersweet dark chocolate, chocolate, plums, oak, toasted black bread; mix of bitter chocolate and sweet dark fruit finish. Grainy, dusty tongue coating; medium plus body; moderate minus carbonation; very little warmth from 11% abv. Overall a great RIS - well balanced and no hit of the booze in nose or on tongue; lots of roast and char bitterness (70 IBUs), bittersweet chocolate, and sweet dark fruit layers; a tad thin, but that is a plus as the beer is not adjuncty and quite enjoyable; throw in reasonably priced at $14.99 for a bomber, and you’ve got an outstanding “win/win” beer.

Apr 23, 2020

BGDrock from Canada (ON)

3.88/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Luxurious, thick head, like melted milk chocolate, pitch black body; couple minutes retention.
Cocoa on the nose, accompanied by dried fruit, rum like (definitely sensing the alcohol), spices.
Whoa that's rich. Intense melted dark chocolate, creamy and soft; not shy with the candy sugar, powerful sweetness, taste of dates; vanilla ice cream; mild alcohol heat; low carbonation, full body, heavy feel. No sense of hops at all. Sweetness is cloying, syrupy.

This is pure dessert, heavy-handed I'd say, lacking any balance. Not particularly complex either. Had high hopes, and it is good, but find this to be over-rated.

Apr 11, 2020

sulldaddy from Connecticut

4.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Scored a bomber from my brother for Christmas. Thanks Bro! First weekend after no school due to pandemic seems a good time to open this one.
Pouring at cellar temp into a snifter, the beer pours a jet black coffee hue with a dense creamy brown head foaming up 2.5 cm. This foam fades slowly as the beer rests in my glass leaving large craters on the top of the foam and some tightly packed lattice on the sides of my glass. The aroma is roasted malts, dark chocolate and some coffee grounds with hints of brown sugar and molasses too. No hop presence and the ABV is well hidden at this point too.
First sip reveals a medium to thick body with very fine and tingly carbonation. The texture is sticky and slick and coats my palate with each mouthful. Definitely a fairly physically robust beer.
Flavor is similar to what the nose advertised. Lots of roasted malt and almost a bit of char, mixing with dark dark chocolate, the kind with high cacao %. I also get molasses and a bit of black pepper on the finish, which I attribute to the ABV. No hops anywhere here and the beer is a bit of a sipper for sure. Very nice big robust imperial stout, without any adjuncts added. Well worth my wait and glad to have finally scored a bottle of this one. Would definitely get this again!

Mar 21, 2020

champ103 from Texas

4.13/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours an impressive opaque black color. A dense two finger tan head forms with excellent retention. Light lace is left behind.
S: Dark fruits in the nose. Like raisins and cherries. Roast, bakers chocolate, and coffee. A bit of fusel/lightly solvent like alcohol. Though that should be expected.
T: Follows the nose with the dark fruits, and tons of malty flavors. Raisins, plums, cherries. Roast, bakers chocolate that is bitter sweet. The alcohol is less noticeable than in the nose, but still there obviously.
M/O: A big full body. Good carbonation, but also that perfect chewiness. A silky smooth body. This is a nice sipper. Really enjoyable all around, and the alcohol is certainly present. It is more a compliment to a big malty body.

This is a great example of a RIS. Glad I found a bottle of this, and will enjoy it on a lazy Sunday with some good music and books.

Mar 08, 2020

octortus from Canada (ON)

4.15/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

500 mL Bottle. ABV 11.8%.
Appearance: Black, One finger of creamy chestnut brown head, Good retention, Creamy collar remains.
Aroma: Bittersweet chocolate, Espresso, Dark fruit, Licorice, Toasted dark bread, Slightly nutty, Warming spices.
Mouthfeel: Under full body, Smooth, Slightly sticky, Well hidden alcohol.
Flavour: Dark fruit, Chocolate, Toffee, Licorice, Cherry, Toasted dark bread, Bitter, Slight roasted malt, Molasses.
Overall: Familiar Cigar City aroma and flavour. It had a lot more dark fruit than I was expecting.

Review: 148

Mar 08, 2020

BergBeer from Hawaii

4.59/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz Bomber purchased at Bottlebox

Look: Pitch black. No light getting through this sucker. Nice half a finger deep cocoa colored head. No activity.

Smell: Rich. Thick. Black strap molasses, espresso powder. Dark chocolate, the kind with no milk in it. Dates. Black currants. Floral hop bite. Smells incredible.

Taste: Molasses soaked dates up front that finished with notes of rum soaked coffee cake. This bottoms out with a hoppy bit to balance in the sweetness that in turn ramps up the bitter espresso notes. Then gives way to a finish of raisins, floral noble hops, cedar, and bitter dark chocolate. Insane.

Feel: Thick is the word here. You can seemingly cut this with a knife. Oily on the palate. Medium plus bitterness. Medium sweetness. Solid but not overwhelming alcohol.

Overall: A real beauty. I’m very glad I finally got to get my hands on this one. Absolutely worth picking up.

Mar 07, 2020

stortore from Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

22 ounce bottle into a snifter. 2018 edition, had 12/31/18.

Pours a dark brown, thick and oily looking, opaque, with a half inch head of darker foam and some slick, soapy lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, molasses, chocolate, cocoa, espresso, light caramel, herbal and earthy hops. The flavor is chocolate, roasted malt, molasses, espresso, lighter cocoa, some caramel, light raisins. Has a very roasty and herbal flavor. Smooth, a great and robust full body, well carbonated.

The hop profile is different and excellent, the flavor is bold- good and roasted, as an RIS should be. Very well done, and well worth a purchase.

Feb 19, 2020

Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the 220z bottle in a snifter and bought at Party Source with special guest
Bluejacket74 (add applause here) in attendance (great eye there by the way for
a good brew). This award winning beast pours a deep obsidian with a nice
head of tan foam that settles to a thick ring, thin layer, and shows light lacing.
Nose of coffee, toffee, dark chocolate, light char, and subtle booze. Flavors
pack a punch with dark chocolate and char drizzled over black strap molasses
and earthy malts amidst lightly assertive herbal hops and light anise notes.
Excellent mouth feel; full rich body, smooth, light carbonation that is just
enough to give light lift to the beast, coating, and a boozy warming finish.

Worthy of a Peter The Great, this is a fantastic no frills imperial worthy
of trying!

Cheers

Feb 02, 2020

bluejacket74 from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle, bottled on 11/01/19. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head that stuck around for a while. There's a small amount of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like dark fruit, anise, burnt/charred malt, coffee, dark chocolate and molasses. For the most part I think the taste follows the aroma, but there's also the addition of some earthy, herbal hop and toffee flavors. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's slick and a bit syrupy with a moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this a lot, it's a very, very good example of a Russian Imperial Stout. Definitely worth picking up if you come across some, I know I'd buy this again in the future! $11.99 a bomber.

Jan 31, 2020

tigg924 from Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Pours opaque, jet black in color with one third inch head. Taste is cocoa, baker's chocolate, and molasses. Heavy bodied, roasty, low carbonation. Glad I finally got to try this. Tasty straightforward RIS. Could have several. Super clean.

Jan 18, 2020

ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very dark brown, small light brown head than fades quickly, leaving just a ring.
Aroma is of heavily roasted coffee, some burnt sugars and some bitter chocolate.
Taste is spot on to the aroma, with some residual sweetness, molasses.
Thick, oily and dense, almost chewy.
I've never seen this before so I was anxious to give it a try. Really enjoyed this beer, one of, if not the best RIS I've had.

Jan 12, 2020

Zythophile from District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle Date: 2017
Palate Contaminants: none

The color is a very dark brown, near black. It's completely opaque. Good amount of head, about the darkest I've seen, which also happens to be very fine.

Slightly metallic scent. Very sugary, and maybe imagine the darkest rum you've ever had. A little nondescript dark fruit in the background, but it's so overwhelmingly sugar.

Taste has a ton of barrel up front. Burnt sugar is still there, and molasses and coffee show up a little after the other flavors have slightly lessened. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of depth to the flavors. I detect a little bit of honey, but what's there might be covered up by the barrel and burnt sugar.

Medium-light weight for the type, in spite of the heavy flavors. Well integrated carbonation. Aftertaste is those heavy characteristics of the taste, unsurprisingly. There is some bitterness from the barrel that at least goes away.

Jan 11, 2020