Putin On The Fritz
Former Future Brewing Company

 

 

interesting take on a russian imperial here. the look is right on, inky dark brown with a tall but fading mocha colored head comprised of itty bitty bubbles. the nose is oddly sharp, not hot or alcoholic at all, but astringent almost. maybe its a really dark roasted barley expressing odd bitterness, or maybe its something else. it seems almost like is has partially soured, maybe unintentionally, but this beer is definitely on the fritz of weird. big grain flavors all throughout the taste, moving from dark chocolate into burnt barley bitterness, but the sharpness never fades. almost like a coffee stout thats too acidic, but there is no coffee in this. it makes it seem thin too, lacking body, and drinking about the same as their porter. the finish shows a little booze, but only when its warm. theres a nice mellowing oak property to this, i wonder now if it was an old red wine barrel or something it was done in, maybe its a tannic thing i taste, but its just short of a sourness, from the mash not the yeast, very peculiar to me. drinkable for how big it is, but it just really isnt my thing.