Morticia
Barrier Brewing Company


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- From:
- Barrier Brewing Company
- New York, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #245 - ABV:
- 10.1%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #4,487 - Avg:
- 4.16 | pDev: 6.49%
- Reviews:
- 36
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 18, 2022
- Added:
- Jun 09, 2013
- Wants:
- 7
- Gots:
- 26
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding


Notes:
Imperial stout conditioned on bourbon soaked oak spirals and coffee.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire
4.12/5 rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a 16 oz. can dated 12/29/21. Sampled Jan 2, 2022.
Deep dark brown to black pour underneath a generous russet colored head that fades slowly.
Aroma of dark roasted malts, chocolate, cream, milk, and no booze considering how fresh this one is and its high ABV.
Smooth, high-medium to full mouthfeel.
A lovely sweet and creamy tasting stout with a low profile floral background, little to no booze, but warming at the end. Nice.
Jan 23, 2022Deep dark brown to black pour underneath a generous russet colored head that fades slowly.
Aroma of dark roasted malts, chocolate, cream, milk, and no booze considering how fresh this one is and its high ABV.
Smooth, high-medium to full mouthfeel.
A lovely sweet and creamy tasting stout with a low profile floral background, little to no booze, but warming at the end. Nice.
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
4.09/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A - Dark brown pour with dense, creamy, toffee colored lacing. The foam sticks to the sides of the glass like glue.
S - Luscious roasted chocolate, cream, caramel, and vanilla slams the nose. It smells like a decadent dessert stout.
T - Some toasted chocolate, light char, a little bit of coffee acrid presence, vanilla, caramel, lactose / cream, a slight bit of booziness, and ends fairly balanced with a light acrid bitterness lingering well below the surface with some dry oak tannin thrown in the mix.
M - Thick and velvety with some sticky sugary residue on the lips.
O - The aroma on the initial pour was really insane but died down quite a bit after 15 minutes or so. Overall, very good and I'd gladly buy more of this. Great job, Evan!
Apr 30, 2021S - Luscious roasted chocolate, cream, caramel, and vanilla slams the nose. It smells like a decadent dessert stout.
T - Some toasted chocolate, light char, a little bit of coffee acrid presence, vanilla, caramel, lactose / cream, a slight bit of booziness, and ends fairly balanced with a light acrid bitterness lingering well below the surface with some dry oak tannin thrown in the mix.
M - Thick and velvety with some sticky sugary residue on the lips.
O - The aroma on the initial pour was really insane but died down quite a bit after 15 minutes or so. Overall, very good and I'd gladly buy more of this. Great job, Evan!
Rated by sunsjammer from Arizona
4.28/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Picked up at Craft Beer Quick Stop.16oz canned on 12/4/20.
Mar 20, 2021Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England
4.16/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.16/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned in a big old tallboy crafty craft can and delivered right to my door by Artisan Ales
Pours a jet black body with decent tan head
Aroma is glucose and coffee and lactose
Flavour is booze and treacle
Dec 24, 2020Pours a jet black body with decent tan head
Aroma is glucose and coffee and lactose
Flavour is booze and treacle
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado
4.26/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Dark brownish-black body; thick and sticky head, kind of soapy and kind of creamy. Very nice presence of cocoa and mint on the nose. The flavor amplifies the aroma; prominent mint presence; milk chocolate; some mild booziness in the background. Heavy body; smooth and silky; creamy and lush; beautiful residual sugar profile.
Comparing this beer to a crème de menthe and chocolate syrup beer mash-up really does not do this beer justice. But the idea is not that far off. The beer itself steps up the game and comes across in a very favorable manner. What I personally like is that nothing comes off as heavy handed. A lusciously sweet and minty stout treat...
May 22, 2020Comparing this beer to a crème de menthe and chocolate syrup beer mash-up really does not do this beer justice. But the idea is not that far off. The beer itself steps up the game and comes across in a very favorable manner. What I personally like is that nothing comes off as heavy handed. A lusciously sweet and minty stout treat...
Rated by GDeeV
4.45/5 rDev +7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.45/5 rDev +7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Quite carbonated, which I liked. Good flavor, strong smell.
Mar 27, 2020Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina
4.1/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.1/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 12/10/2019. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger fairly dense and rocky tan head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, caramel, molasses, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Minimal booze in the aromas as it warms. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/black/roast/bready malts, bourbon oak, coffee, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast notes; with big strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, caramel, molasses, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, caramel, molasses, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, caramel, molasses, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, dark bread/crust, licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, bourbon oak, coffee, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; with an awesome roast/hop bitter/sweet balance, and no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Medium carbonation and very full body; with a very smooth, creamy, silky, velvety, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 10.1%, with minimal lingering booziness after the finish. Overall this is an awesome Russian imperial stout. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, bourbon oak, coffee, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV with the mellowly bitter/charred/drying finish; great soft feel. Awesome balance of super rich malts, bourbon oak, and fruity/nutty coffee complexity; with balancing earthy hops and restrained fruity yeast. Light residual sweetness with lingering hops/char dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and impressive style example as expected of the brewery.
Mar 16, 2020Reviewed by avalon07 from South Carolina
4.04/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L: Poured from a tallboy can to a pint glass. Had a deep, dark, mahogany brown color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Not a whole lot of lacing to speak of.
S: A very nice aroma of chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and dark fruit.
T: Tasted of a moderate amount of roasted malt (present throughout, though subtle), a decent amount of dark chocolate (always a welcome feature), a little bourbon, some coffee (less than expected), and a bit of dark fruit (plums, perhaps?). A solid, focused, and well-balanced flavor. Not as aggressive as some RISs, but still well done.
F: An average amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.
O: A generally well done, easy to drink beer. Worth a look.
Mar 11, 2020S: A very nice aroma of chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and dark fruit.
T: Tasted of a moderate amount of roasted malt (present throughout, though subtle), a decent amount of dark chocolate (always a welcome feature), a little bourbon, some coffee (less than expected), and a bit of dark fruit (plums, perhaps?). A solid, focused, and well-balanced flavor. Not as aggressive as some RISs, but still well done.
F: An average amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.
O: A generally well done, easy to drink beer. Worth a look.
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Can: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of roasted malt, bourbon and light woody notes with some sweet black chocolate notes also perceptible. Taste is a great mix of bourbon notes with some woody notes, light vanilla with sweet black cholate notes. Body is full with nice creamy texture and good carbonation with light warming alcohol notes. Excellent barrel-aged sweet imperial stout.
Feb 17, 2020Reviewed by b11 from New York
4.08/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.08/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
You can sum this one up as "balanced", it's just a great example of its kind. There is an obvious coffee flavor and aroma, roasted flavors, and a mild yeastiness as well. It is not viscous, some might prefer something more syrupy, I don't. Carbonation is just right, color is black. Not much in the way of cocoa, it is not a chocolate stout. Got this as a draft, not from a bottle.
Jan 22, 2020Reviewed by philbe311 from Pennsylvania
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A thin medium brown colored head... Modest retention... The color is inky black... The nose is dominated by rich strong coffee... Roasted malts... Perhaps a hint of cocoa... No signs of the bourbon staves... An explosion of complexity on the palate... French Press Coffee... Faint bourbon notes... Devil's food cake... Roated malts... All of the flavors ebb and flow and fight for superiority... On the fuller side of medium bodied... Dense... Light carbonation... A slightly chalky finish... This is a very rich and complex sipper... A job well done by Barrier...
Oct 27, 2019Reviewed by Dr_C from Colorado
3.38/5 rDev -18.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.38/5 rDev -18.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A little disappointed on this one. Not a bad beer, but not one I will seek out again either.
The pour was great. Very dark with a nice think head which left pleanty of lacing.
The smell was relatively mild and lacking in bold aromas. I wasn't sure what to expect taste wise based in the smell.
Taste was good but not great. The alcohol was well hidden but the flavor was too mild for me. The feel was a bit thin for a stout.
Overall it was not a stout I would go looking for. Pleasant, yes. Special, no.
Mar 04, 2019The pour was great. Very dark with a nice think head which left pleanty of lacing.
The smell was relatively mild and lacking in bold aromas. I wasn't sure what to expect taste wise based in the smell.
Taste was good but not great. The alcohol was well hidden but the flavor was too mild for me. The feel was a bit thin for a stout.
Overall it was not a stout I would go looking for. Pleasant, yes. Special, no.
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington
4.37/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing nearly opaque black in the glass with a half finger dark khaki head with great retention and nice lacing. Aroma of dark toasted and biscuit malt, milk chocolate and light coffee. Flavor is dark toasted malt, drip coffee, dark chocolate, licorice and a suggestion of oak, although this is not apparently barreled. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A rich, creamy imperial stout, solidly in the Russian style. Great coffee and chocolate character, almost in perfect balance. Looks, smells and tastes great. A top notch Russian imperial stout, worthy of the name.
Feb 20, 2019Reviewed by justintcoons from Pennsylvania
4.02/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 oz can poured into a snifter.
Appearance
Jet black. No light penetration. 1 finger of creamy brown head. I love the label art.
Nose
Licorice, prune, cocoa nib, smoke, espresso, caramel, and earth.
Taste
Earthy roast, char, and smoke. Espresso, cocoa nib, and burnt caramel. Prune, raisin, black licorice, and red grape.
Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, oily, smooth, bitter, sticky, and dry.
Overall
Robust and huge with earthy, smoky flavors.
Jan 14, 2019Appearance
Jet black. No light penetration. 1 finger of creamy brown head. I love the label art.
Nose
Licorice, prune, cocoa nib, smoke, espresso, caramel, and earth.
Taste
Earthy roast, char, and smoke. Espresso, cocoa nib, and burnt caramel. Prune, raisin, black licorice, and red grape.
Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, oily, smooth, bitter, sticky, and dry.
Overall
Robust and huge with earthy, smoky flavors.
Reviewed by Bum4ever from California
3.86/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.86/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Super dark beer with a light tan head and little retention.
Smell: Roasted dark malts, dark chocolate and huge roasted coffee.
Taste: Dark chocolate and huge amount of bitter coffee up front.
Feel: Thick and full-bodied stout with a good amount of bitterness.
Overall: For me this one was a little too much dark chocolate and bitter coffee, but still a enjoyable stout.
Apr 09, 2018Smell: Roasted dark malts, dark chocolate and huge roasted coffee.
Taste: Dark chocolate and huge amount of bitter coffee up front.
Feel: Thick and full-bodied stout with a good amount of bitterness.
Overall: For me this one was a little too much dark chocolate and bitter coffee, but still a enjoyable stout.
Reviewed by metter98 from New York
4.13/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a finger high mocha-colored head that gradually died down, eventually leaving a short tan head covering the surface.
S: Light aromas of licorice and dark, roasted malts are present in the nose.
T: The taste starts out with lots of flavors of chocolate malts, but as it warms up a touch lots of roasted malts become noticeable along with a hint of licorice. There is a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels full-bodied and a bit dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. No warming from the alcohol is detectable.
O: As the beer warms up, it has a nice balance between flavors of dark, chocolate and roasted malts with subtle bits of licorice. The alcohol is remarkably well hidden from the taste.
Serving type: bottle
Feb 25, 2018S: Light aromas of licorice and dark, roasted malts are present in the nose.
T: The taste starts out with lots of flavors of chocolate malts, but as it warms up a touch lots of roasted malts become noticeable along with a hint of licorice. There is a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels full-bodied and a bit dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. No warming from the alcohol is detectable.
O: As the beer warms up, it has a nice balance between flavors of dark, chocolate and roasted malts with subtle bits of licorice. The alcohol is remarkably well hidden from the taste.
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed by cbutova from Massachusetts
3.57/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.57/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
A- Motor oil black draft pour into a tulip glass. Deep mocha head rises with a foamy texture to two fingers. Small ring and tons of sporty lace.
S- Dark-chocolate all the way. Deep like 75-80% range with roasted barley and toasted nuts behind it. Licorice, burnt, hints at sweetness.
T- Dark chocolate bars with some licorice dominate the profile; is this Iceland? Rather dry with heavy toast, toffee, molasses tobacco, cocoa nibs, espresso beans coated in dark chocolate, tiny raisin and nuts. Earthy hops.
MF- Slick and oily medium body with low carbonation. Bitter cocoa burnt finish. A bit warm. Somewhat thin to be honest.
Mostly dark chocolate with a thin, dry feel on the palate. Too much dark chocolate without any support flavor or body wise.
Jun 13, 2017S- Dark-chocolate all the way. Deep like 75-80% range with roasted barley and toasted nuts behind it. Licorice, burnt, hints at sweetness.
T- Dark chocolate bars with some licorice dominate the profile; is this Iceland? Rather dry with heavy toast, toffee, molasses tobacco, cocoa nibs, espresso beans coated in dark chocolate, tiny raisin and nuts. Earthy hops.
MF- Slick and oily medium body with low carbonation. Bitter cocoa burnt finish. A bit warm. Somewhat thin to be honest.
Mostly dark chocolate with a thin, dry feel on the palate. Too much dark chocolate without any support flavor or body wise.
Morticia from Barrier Brewing Company
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
143 ratings
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