Dystopian Present
Finback Brewery - Glendale

The brewery calls this an imperial stout with cold brew coffee. I added here as a Russian imperial due to its persistent bitterness and assertive hopping. In the finish there are suggestions of the sweetness of a contemporary American stout but they’re subtle. So is the coffee, to my surprise. I bought this at Whole Foods where I’ve often purchased a cold brew that sent me into the stratosphere so I wasn’t expecting the coffee to be so integrated into the overall experience and not, at all, a dominant player. This beer has a pleasingly full but not flabby body, medium carbonation with some life yet remaining, and a silky dark appearance with a quick dissipating head but wispy lace that hangs for the duration.

Pleasing and pretty old school to me, in a very nice way. Comes out of that Old Rasputin mold just updated a touch. Definitely and squarely falling on the bitter and hoppy side.