Resolute
Brothers Craft Brewing

ResoluteResolute
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From:
Brothers Craft Brewing
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #67
ABV:
13.5%
Score:
96
Ranked #1,026
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 10.16%
Reviews:
63
Ratings:
411
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 14, 2023
Added:
Sep 11, 2013
Wants:
  176
Gots:
  95
Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Super roasty aroma, immediately obviously an RIS. The bourbon is a bit restrained, but adds the mash and oak to notes of molasses, licorice, char, raisin, prune, red grape, bitter chocolate, and coffee.

Flavor is a more balanced and subtle take on the nose. It's still bitter, but now the bourbon can come out a bit more, and there are rich notes of semi-sweet chocolate that last throughout most of the sip. Additional notes of cream, dates, molasses, moderate char, raisin. It's perhaps a bit less complex than the nose, but more enjoyable.

A touch thin on the palate for the massive ABV; noticeable but minor alcohol heat.
Jul 14, 2023
Photo of HattedClassic
Reviewed by HattedClassic from Virginia

4.14/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours an off-brown, tan colored head that is creamy in texture. The beer itself is a dark chocolate dark brown that looks black. The texture has a nice sheen to it.

The smell is very good. It has very strong cherry and vanilla notes alongside a moderate wood. The chocolate comes out but it is pretty light compared to the other notes.

The taste is good. It starts off with a mix of cherry notes and chocolate while the vanilla and roasted malts come out towards the finish.

The mouthfeel is good. It has heavy and creamy body with very little carbonation. It finishes slightly dry and sticky.

Overall, this is a good beer worth having when available during the winter months. The body is heavy enough to fill you and the taste is enjoyable.
Apr 12, 2023
Photo of SpaceCamp
Reviewed by SpaceCamp from Virginia

4.46/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
L: Pours a deep black, almost motor oil, that forms a cm or half-inch tan head which dissipates fairly quickly to leave a soapy lacing and moderate retention on top. Held to the light, this beer has an impenetrable umber hue.

S: Aromas of bourbon barrel, vanilla, chocolate, espresso, roasted malts, and dark fruit (cherries or plums).

T: Taste follows nose with strong hints of chocolate, bourbon, cherry, and brown sugar; coffee and roasted malts are secondary in the middle. Oak and char, with an almost leathery finish.

F: Medium bodied. Moderate carbonation.

O: A very good Russian Imperial Stout that conceals the ABV well. A local's favorite
Feb 22, 2023
Photo of tyden46
Rated by tyden46

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Wow, strong chocolate and bourbon flavors, a great stout! No hoppy flavors, maybe some dark fruit.
Dec 17, 2022
Photo of brewerburgundy
Reviewed by brewerburgundy from West Virginia

3.67/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
750ml bottle, tulip, 2018 vintage.

Motor oil color, no light, small rushing dark reddish brown head.

Black strap molasses, chocolate syrup, vanilla, cocktail cherry, Manhattan, and yes, soy sauce.

Almost soy, very hersheys, layer of vanilla cream, oak next, sinks into roasted bitterness at the end. There’s just a touch or bourbon flavor, but there’s no alcohol to speak of.

Smooth, slick, and more carbonated than I would have thought.

The bourbon is well integrated when you get it. There’s a little too much soy sauce.
Dec 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.58 by BMBCLT from South Carolina

Nov 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4.14 by SierraFlight from Virginia

Apr 05, 2022
Photo of JohnJunior
Rated by JohnJunior

5/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Outstanding
Dec 26, 2021
Photo of Griffin2
Reviewed by Griffin2 from Virginia

4.28/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter glass.
L - Pours a dark brown, almost black, color with a slight tan head.
S - Smells of bourbon, vanilla and chocolate.
T - Tastes matches the smell, lots of bourbon, chocolate & vanilla.
F - Full bodied and lightly carbonated.
O - Really delicious stout.
Oct 23, 2021
 
Rated: 4.68 by beerrat from Virginia

May 30, 2021
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Sampling a 12 oz bottle poured at cellar temp into a snifter. The beer is courtesy of @cubatobaco. thank you!

the beer pours a rich cola brown to black coffee color with a dense creamy tan colored head foaming up about 2 cm. this foam fades quickly to a sturdy surface layer. The foam is leaves dense lattice when I swirl the glass.
the aroma features rich roasted malt, some light charred wood and mild bourbon and brown sugar notes. I do get just a little bit of dark fruit like a plum or red grape in background. No hop presence and the ABV is hidden pretty well too.
The first sip reveals a medium body with very smooth texture and fine gentle rolling carbonation. Pretty easy drinking for a higher ABV big imperial stout.
Flavor is similar to nose, again some red grape notes mix in with the roasted notes and here dark chocolate comes in too. Bourbon is mild as is brown sugar, but there is also no heat or other signs of the high ABV on this beer. Hops not really present either.
I enjoy this beer and am glad to have tried this one and would recommend it to other lovers of big stouts. Not a lot of frills on this one, just straight forward BBA imp stout.
Apr 12, 2021
Photo of ThisWangsChung
Reviewed by ThisWangsChung from Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a very dark brown color with about a finger of khaki-colored head. The head actually doesn't fizz away to nothing in record time, and manages to leave splotches of lace on the glass - more than I can say about too many other barrel-aged stouts. Aroma-wise, it's fairly subtle...in fact, almost too subtle for its own good. While the oak character is mild, notes of vanilla and even coconut are quite evident. This is a Russian imperial stout through-and-through, which means less focus on deep roasted malt or espresso, and a greater focus on chocolate, dark fruits, tobacco, and leather. The flavor profile follows the nose very closely. Dark fruits hit the palate first, while notes of vanilla, coconut, and even some oak slowly build during the flavor progression. The finish is chocolaty and a little leathery. This is incredibly smooth and balanced for a 13.5% monster stout - it doesn't conceal its alcohol presence with unmitigated sweetness, rather it remains a suggestion that's smoothed out almost perfectly by the general flavor profile. I'd almost call it easy. While I could use more body, the texture itself is creamy and soft, nor is it harshly tannic. This would make a great starter beer for someone looking to get into huge barrel-aged imperial stouts. What it lacks in intense flavor and endless depth, it makes up by being dangerously smooth and well-rounded. I'd buy again, but it wouldn't be my first choice for a barrel-aged stout.
Jan 31, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 03, 2021
 
Rated: 4.51 by PaulSlazinger from Pennsylvania

Dec 07, 2020
 
Rated: 4.21 by Boone757 from Virginia

May 28, 2020
Photo of Trailboss76
Reviewed by Trailboss76 from Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Almost identical in appearance to Goose Island Bourbon County I drank just before this. Very dark, chocolaty brown. A little bit more of a head than the other. A high-quality Imperial Stout. This thing has definitely got some kick with that ABV.
Mar 24, 2020
 
Rated: 4.28 by Dark_Scarecrow from Virginia

Mar 16, 2020
Photo of dafla67
Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours very dark. Aroma is wonderful mix of chocolate, bourbon, oak and vanilla. Tastes as good as smells. Incredible mix of coffee, chocolate, bourbon & vanilla. Full body. Phenomenal stout.
Feb 22, 2020
Photo of avalon07
Reviewed by avalon07 from South Carolina

4.04/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This is a review of the 2020 edition.

L: Poured from a growler to a pint glass. Had a dark brown / black color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, tan-colored, somewhat long-lasting head. Average lacing.

S: A very nice aroma of bourbon, chocolate, malt, coffee, vanilla, and wood.

T: Tasted of a bit of espresso (less than expected, but still there), some malt notes (present throughout; a subtle ingredient), a good shot of chocolate (always welcome), a hint of vanilla, and a decent bit of bourbon (and its accompanying barrel). This is a subtle, well-formed, and focused flavor. Pretty tasty.

F: A fair amount of carbonation with a silky smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A rock solid RIS. Drinkable.
Feb 10, 2020
Photo of Smakawhat
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

3.7/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the bottle into a large snifter glass.

Milky looking out of the bottle with a light it and making a simple black walnut opaque appearance. Head creation is minimal, making a good light mocha to tan color, but with kind of a watery sheen looking top.

The beers aroma has taken to the barrel very nicely. Excellent sense of fruity oak and whiskey notes, with a mixing of char and tobacco leaf like sweetness. Hits a little hot and boozy though, with not much sensing roast character or chocolate notes. Almost comes off more as like a good brandy interestingly. Still very nice, if actually exceptional smell.

Palate is very thin. Watery sensing body that hits a little char on first sip. Mid palate washes in a bit of steely and almost metallic twinge of fruit and whiskey, not quite getting the richness it should deserve. Nice touches of fruited sensing whiskey on the finish, but not much thick malt depth flavor to back it up. Hints an interesting prune like quality also. A bit of strange dryness without even tannic notes which just seems odd.

This beer comes off tasting more like something spiked than aged. Not sure what all the big deal was with this beer, while drinkable and unique there have been much better ones made in this style.
Feb 02, 2020
Resolute from Brothers Craft Brewing
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 411 ratings