Russian Imperial Stout Aged In Bourbon Barrels With Vanilla, Cocoa Nibs, An
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
- From:
- Saint Arnold Brewing Company
- Texas, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Pastry Stout
Ranked #544 - ABV:
- 11.5%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #8,065 - Avg:
- 4.25 | pDev: 2.82%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 15, 2023
- Added:
- Apr 22, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
91
Outstanding
91
Outstanding
This 11.5% ABV version of our Russian Imperial Stout is enhanced with additions of vanilla, cocoa nibs from Xocolla Chocolatae, and Catalina coffee here in the Houston area. The base beer was aged in an array of Four Roses bourbon barrels for 14 months, then blended into one beer. Vanilla, cocoa nibs, and coffee were added after blending to create an opulent beer worthy of replacing or supplementing your dessert course.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Argail:
Reviewed by Argail from Louisiana
4.17/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
good all around stout but coffee over powering all to my taste, later barrel come to play when beer warm up, tasty stout over priced (8$ for 12oz bottle) for 11+ABV to me Commitment is better stout with sweet-sour taste . done ;)
Aug 06, 2021More User Ratings:
Reviewed by jngrizzaffi from Texas
4.32/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Bottled in 2021. Pours a pitch-black color with a finger-width brown foamy head. Head retention is very good as is lacing. Aromas of roasted dark chocolate, coffee, and a bit of dark fruit at the end. Creamy and smooth taste. Roasty with some dark chocolate and coffee, but the dark fruits really come through in the end. Heavy-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Mar 15, 2023
Reviewed by champ103 from Texas
4.18/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.18/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Pours an impenetrable opaque black color. A dense tan head rises to over two fingers. Excellent retention, with some lace left behind has the foam gently recedes.
S: A big rich nose of baked dark bread, roast, chocolate and coffee. Wood soaked bakers chocolate with vanilla. Oh my, very warming and excellent. Its not just "bourbon" as everything mingles really well.
T: That all translates taste wise as well. Big warm and boozy oak and vanilla. Dark baked bread, bitter bakers chocolate/cocoa, which I really have a fondness for. Light roast and coffee that doesn't get in the way of things.
M/O: A full body with some stickiness, but not full on syrupy. Well carbonated, which all Saint Arnold's offerings are. Which always gives the allusion of a "thinner" body, but I welcome it. A warming sipper for that I'm enjoying.
As always with Saint Arnold, there is a deft touch here. Everything is well balanced when it needs to be (IE none of the flavorings are too much), and big and aggressive when needs to be (IE the warming and comfortable nature of the beer overall). So many times, when there are lots of additives like this, the beer can be overwhelming, not here. Overall really enjoyable.
Jun 13, 2021S: A big rich nose of baked dark bread, roast, chocolate and coffee. Wood soaked bakers chocolate with vanilla. Oh my, very warming and excellent. Its not just "bourbon" as everything mingles really well.
T: That all translates taste wise as well. Big warm and boozy oak and vanilla. Dark baked bread, bitter bakers chocolate/cocoa, which I really have a fondness for. Light roast and coffee that doesn't get in the way of things.
M/O: A full body with some stickiness, but not full on syrupy. Well carbonated, which all Saint Arnold's offerings are. Which always gives the allusion of a "thinner" body, but I welcome it. A warming sipper for that I'm enjoying.
As always with Saint Arnold, there is a deft touch here. Everything is well balanced when it needs to be (IE none of the flavorings are too much), and big and aggressive when needs to be (IE the warming and comfortable nature of the beer overall). So many times, when there are lots of additives like this, the beer can be overwhelming, not here. Overall really enjoyable.
Reviewed by ilikebeer03 from Texas
4.34/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
4.34/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
Pour is black with a half finger of beautiful cinnamon head. Good retention.
nose is a wonderful balance of soft bourbon, vanilla, fresh coffee. roasted malt.
taste is fresh roasted coffee and bourbon upfront. warming, oaky bourbon in the middle finishes with vanilla and chocolatey fudgy brownies. As is typical with Saint Arnold, nothing dominates. The beer is nicely balanced
a bit thinner than / more carbonated than i'd prefer.
overall an excellent beer.
Drank my last one 12/27/2022. Aged wonderfully and still drinks well. Review is about the same, but I'd probably move mouthfeel up a tick. Still a lot of coffee, vanilla, chocolate, big hit of soft bourbon that is nicely integrated.
Jun 12, 2021nose is a wonderful balance of soft bourbon, vanilla, fresh coffee. roasted malt.
taste is fresh roasted coffee and bourbon upfront. warming, oaky bourbon in the middle finishes with vanilla and chocolatey fudgy brownies. As is typical with Saint Arnold, nothing dominates. The beer is nicely balanced
a bit thinner than / more carbonated than i'd prefer.
overall an excellent beer.
Drank my last one 12/27/2022. Aged wonderfully and still drinks well. Review is about the same, but I'd probably move mouthfeel up a tick. Still a lot of coffee, vanilla, chocolate, big hit of soft bourbon that is nicely integrated.
Reviewed by HipCzech from California
4.15/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Serving: 12 oz bottle poured into a 9 oz Libbey Embassy snifter.
Appearance: Deep, inky dark brown, with a modest cap of bubbly tan head and a few streaks of lace.
Smell: Burnt toffee, roasted coffee beans and dark chocolate.
Taste: Salted caramel, dark chocolate fudge, boozy bourbon and espresso.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full, creamy body, moderate carbonation.
Overall: Another solid barrel-aged RIS from Saint Arnold, with strongly boozy notes likening it to a nice Irish coffee.
Apr 23, 2021Appearance: Deep, inky dark brown, with a modest cap of bubbly tan head and a few streaks of lace.
Smell: Burnt toffee, roasted coffee beans and dark chocolate.
Taste: Salted caramel, dark chocolate fudge, boozy bourbon and espresso.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full, creamy body, moderate carbonation.
Overall: Another solid barrel-aged RIS from Saint Arnold, with strongly boozy notes likening it to a nice Irish coffee.
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