Razzle Dazzle
Prairie Artisan Ales

Another great offering from one of my favorite brewers...

Prairie Artisan, for the most part, never disappoints, and with this offering it is another example of that statement. What I found most appealing was the scent and flavoring of this brew, both complimented each other very well. Mouthfeel was medium-bodied which added to the enjoyable experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

soy sauce looking beer.

smells like coffee, tastes like a $3 chocolate.

not heavy but no beer should be $16

Bottle. Black (dark brown) color. Not much head. For being a raspberry stout, this doesn’t suck. Good integration of adjuncts. Raspberry tootsie roll pop flavors with chocolate, bourbon, and fudge showing. More marshmallow shows (vanilla) than the coconut.

Pitch black liquid, no head. Oily lace on the glass. Smells and tastes of raspberry syrup on a Little Debbie's Swiss Cake. That might have come from a subliminal hint from the label. LOL Can't find any coconut in it. The feel is thick and chewy. Got to throw in oily again. Drink this one for desert. Glad I had one but the ROI (Return On Investment) convinces me to leave it on there shelf next beer run. That's not to say I would not try another brew from Prairie Artisan Ales.

12oz bottle. Date stamp on bottle neck is 'RAZZLEDAZZLE 11/21/2023'.
Black colored body, with a very thin coffee brown back lit edge. Brief lasting tan head. No lacing but a film is left behind.
Aroma of raspberry rises above the barrel bourbon and oak. A sweet smell comes from the marshmallow. Coconut is earthy.
Taste is a sweet blend of raspberry and marshmallow, and earthy coconut mixing in with the bourbon barrel and oak. Raspberry and chocolate in the aftertaste, along with residual bourbon barrel.
More than medium mouthfeel, with a chalky texture. Higher ABV% results in tongue numbness. Supportive carbonation.
Raspberry, made sweeter with the marshmallow, blends well with the bourbon barrel and coconut. Fruity, sweet, and earthy.

Drank from a 12fl. oz. bottle purchased at Gordon’s Fine Wine & Liquors, Watertown, MA
10/27/2023
Served in a tulip

The beer poured an oily and viscous, total pitch black. A few mocha colored bubbles rose above the liquid, but they quickly dissolved. There was no lacing whatsoever.

The aroma was outstanding. Raspberry dominated. Sweet raspberry purée or raspberry preserves came to mind. Loads of vanilla and/or marshmallow too. Chocolate fudge notes also came through strong. Some coconut was noticeable in the background. Sweet overall but not excessively so. The coconut intensified as the beer sat.

The flavor profile was also fantastic but boozier than the nose and not quite as raspberry forward. Raspberry was still quite apparent however. Sweet and jammy but very natural tasting. Nice semisweet cocoa presence in the center. Marshmallow and vanilla were quite noticeable as well. Boozy, bourbon-y notes appeared on the back end and carried into the finish.

The mouthfeel was solid. Medium-full bodied for the style. Slightly thinner than I anticipated. The liquid contained a fine, mellow effervescence that worked nicely. By the drink’s end, the sugars in the beer left a slightly sticky film on my lips.

Razzle Dazzle is one of the best imperial stouts I have tried by Prairie and possibly the best fruit-infused imperial stout I have ever sampled, period. The raspberry on this was really intense but super natural tasting and not too sweet. I am surprised that this beer does not garner more hype or better ratings.

I had a chance to get several beers from prairie and this was one. I knew it was going to be a little on the sweet side with the toasted marshmallow and got that. Not a favorite of mine but I am glad I tried it. Still very nice though as I generally love their stouts when I can get them.