Epitaph Russian Imperial Stout
Heathen Brewing

 

 

Bomber bottle into a snifter appears black in color with a khaki head that fades leaving stringy lace.

Nose is black licorice with booze and an earthen sorta chocolate character.

It tastes of black licorice, raison, chocolate, earth and a hint of medicinal aspect across the finish.

This is medium in body with modest carbonation. A decent sipper.

 

 

 

 

 

A-Wonderful dark chocolate black
S-Bit of rich licorice
T-Light coffee with licorice
M-Smooth, creamy and even finish
O- A very nice stout, with a great finish

 

 

Very dark brown, almost black, with a nice pillowy tan head that dissipates quickly. Aroma and taste of dark roasted malt. Additional flavor of chocolate and coffee. A very nice stout.

2016-02-13
22oz 2014 bottle served in a pair of large snifters. There was a date code on the shoulder, which ends in 14, but the rest of it is smudged illegibly.

Pours black with a large head that fades pretty fast to a smallish head and a raised ring around the glass. Head is tan in color, very fine carbonation. Poured completely, so I'm sure I got some sediment, based on the thick layer of sludge stuck to the bottom of the bottle. Smell is rich, chocolate and coffee, yeasty, licorice.

Taste is coffee and licorice, and not a lot else. Not bad, but not very exciting.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly thin and dry. Overall, not bad, but didn't live up to the smell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handsome dark brown with a reddish cast. Moderate foam in the tall goblet and virtually no lacing. However it foams quite nicely in the mouth with every sip. Lovely dark smokey aroma. Vast expanse of roasted and blackened grain flavors.

Both charred and winey flavors. Deep cofee taste with a smudge of bitter chocolate. Rather hoppy aftertaste along with the sourish burnt notes. Less sweet than many RIS brews, and a little on the austere side. However the malt is full and rich, just not so sweet. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Bottleworks in Seattle.

 

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours pitch black, opaque in the glass with a half finger brown head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet dark toasted malt, chocolate, light coffee and licorice, a hint of vanilla. Flavor is dark toasted malt, charred coffee, light chocolate and vanilla, licorice; drier than the aroma. Finishes with a char and smoke, dark malt, coffee and light hop bitterness. Medium bodied. A nice smoky stout; malt body is a bit thinner than I expected for the flavor intensity, but plenty of good toasty flavors here. With a bit more dark malt flavor this would be killer. Good stout that makes me look forward to the bourbon barrel one that is queued up.