Tatonka Stout
BJ's Restaurants & Brewery
- From:
- BJ's Restaurants & Brewery
- California, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #503 - ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #33,983 - Avg:
- 3.65 | pDev: 16.16%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 153
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 13, 2026
- Added:
- Oct 13, 2002
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 94
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
An imperial stout — a classic style so rich and flavorful that it was once the private beverage of Russian Czars. The profile is malty sweet, hop bitter roasted, full-bodied, alcoholic and deliciously complex. Beer doesn’t get much more intense than this!
60 IBU
60 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by NickThePyro:
Rated by NickThePyro from Washington
3.5/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Sep 13, 2024
3.5/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Sep 13, 2024
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Spankyrightus from Maryland
4.18/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
On Nitro at the Columbia MD location.
A dark pour with a beautiful thick tan head that yields generous curtain lacing, all the way to the bottom.
The dark roasted caramelized malt flavor is wonderful. This beer is somewhat complex, cocoa nibs, dark tangy chocolate, blackstrap molasses, dried fruits, hints of smoke.
Nice hops bitterness at 50 IBUs.
A light/medium bodied mouthfeel, smooth and creamy. The various flavors seem linger on the finish, making you want another sip.
Nov 11, 2025A dark pour with a beautiful thick tan head that yields generous curtain lacing, all the way to the bottom.
The dark roasted caramelized malt flavor is wonderful. This beer is somewhat complex, cocoa nibs, dark tangy chocolate, blackstrap molasses, dried fruits, hints of smoke.
Nice hops bitterness at 50 IBUs.
A light/medium bodied mouthfeel, smooth and creamy. The various flavors seem linger on the finish, making you want another sip.
Reviewed by ttoadee from Texas
3.39/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.39/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
RB transfer
Dark pour, tan head. Chocolate malt in the nose, faint hops. sweet on the tongue. Alcohol, and roasted chocolate malt, almost like pumpernickel across the middle. Slightly dry finish, not sure if that is hops or alcohol working there.|1/5/2013
Jul 02, 2025Dark pour, tan head. Chocolate malt in the nose, faint hops. sweet on the tongue. Alcohol, and roasted chocolate malt, almost like pumpernickel across the middle. Slightly dry finish, not sure if that is hops or alcohol working there.|1/5/2013
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
3.02/5 rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
3.02/5 rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
Draft at the brewery
Creamy thick nitro head with good retention, lacing, dark almost black molasses color
Nose sweet malt, caramel syrup, sweet sugary maple syrup like, creamy nitro, touch of roast
Taste more sweet stout, quite sweet with maple syrup and caramel like, some bitterness from roasted malts, mild coffee and cream, roasted burnt coffee, chocolate syrup, a bit artificial tasting somehow like they added coffee syrup and chocolate syrup, bitter finish with touch of spicy hop and bitter burnt malts
Mouth is med to a bit heavier bod, creamy nitro with tiny bubbles
Overall bleh, hard to even call this a beer, like chocolate caramel syrups blended with coffee and artificial sweetener that they accidentally poured the whole bag, and burned some hops
Aug 31, 2024Creamy thick nitro head with good retention, lacing, dark almost black molasses color
Nose sweet malt, caramel syrup, sweet sugary maple syrup like, creamy nitro, touch of roast
Taste more sweet stout, quite sweet with maple syrup and caramel like, some bitterness from roasted malts, mild coffee and cream, roasted burnt coffee, chocolate syrup, a bit artificial tasting somehow like they added coffee syrup and chocolate syrup, bitter finish with touch of spicy hop and bitter burnt malts
Mouth is med to a bit heavier bod, creamy nitro with tiny bubbles
Overall bleh, hard to even call this a beer, like chocolate caramel syrups blended with coffee and artificial sweetener that they accidentally poured the whole bag, and burned some hops
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
4.04/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On tap at Grand Rapids BJ Brewhouse or whatever. Served in a Pilsner glass.
Stout black with a creamy beige head that coated the glass with lacing.
The taste was surprisingly good, rich chocolate and mild coffee with dark fruit, overripe figs maybe? The advertised 60 IBU is maybe 20, just no hops presence can be found.
The feel is soft and almost thick. Not viscous in the traditional sense, not sure how else to describe it.
OA, better than I thought it would be, I will definitely have it again.
Jul 14, 2024Stout black with a creamy beige head that coated the glass with lacing.
The taste was surprisingly good, rich chocolate and mild coffee with dark fruit, overripe figs maybe? The advertised 60 IBU is maybe 20, just no hops presence can be found.
The feel is soft and almost thick. Not viscous in the traditional sense, not sure how else to describe it.
OA, better than I thought it would be, I will definitely have it again.
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana
3.61/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.61/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
At the Evansville, Indiana location served ice cold in a pilsner glass...
Medium brown with light brown head. Aroma is mild with roasted malt and a hint of sweetness. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt with mild sweetness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, good.
Dec 14, 2023Medium brown with light brown head. Aroma is mild with roasted malt and a hint of sweetness. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt with mild sweetness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, good.
Rated by KGT426 from Missouri
3.93/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Loved this on draft when eating at BJ's in Oklahoma. Smooth and flavorful.
Jun 26, 2023
Rated by regex5375 from Florida
4/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
BJ's
Jun 04, 2023
Reviewed by NorsemanOne from Utah
4/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Going through to add some of my first beers/reviews
This is the first 'craft(large)' beer that got me into craft brews
Pours standard black with a creamy nitro head
Dark and sweet coffee aroma
Smooth, dark, coffee notes
Ultra drinkable
Mar 01, 2023This is the first 'craft(large)' beer that got me into craft brews
Pours standard black with a creamy nitro head
Dark and sweet coffee aroma
Smooth, dark, coffee notes
Ultra drinkable
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!