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Baltika Brew Collection - Russian Imperial Stout
Baltika Breweries
- From:
- Baltika Breweries
- Russia
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #438 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #19,411 - Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 10.5%
- Reviews:
- 63
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 19, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 04, 2015
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 16
This is our modern perusal of the authentic historical style. It absorbed the XIX century atmosphere of St. Petersburg's porter houses, smell of London casks traveling through Baltic sea and a soupcon [sic] of American craft accent. Phenomenal rich and dense with unforgettable vinous tones. It rocked Imperial city already, now it starts kicking around the world.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by emincems:
Reviewed by emincems from Turkey
3.66/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
full bodied, strong stout. needs more retention. taste is roasted barley, caramel, toffee and wood. Abv is not hidden and it affects mouthfeel badly. overly warming finish. winter beer.
Feb 04, 2017More User Ratings:
Reviewed by tradershmulie from Connecticut
3.72/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.72/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Nice enough pour. Dark, but not deep brown. Good head.
Nice smell, hints of chocolate/cocoa.
Ouch. Taste was extremely disappointing. Harsh. Like not ready yet?
Inexpensive, so worth a try, but not a very good beer.
Nov 19, 2023Nice smell, hints of chocolate/cocoa.
Ouch. Taste was extremely disappointing. Harsh. Like not ready yet?
Inexpensive, so worth a try, but not a very good beer.
Reviewed by keithmurray from Connecticut
3.58/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Appearance - brown color body with tan head
Smell - cocoa, chocolate
Taste - cocoa, chocolate, some sort of vegetal type thing going on in the background
Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, some cocoa upfront, a weird vegetal taste in the background
Overall - this was a disappointing beer, I believe its a few years old and it has not held up nor aged well : and with a lot of great choices in the category, I wouldn't seek this one out
Jan 29, 2023Smell - cocoa, chocolate
Taste - cocoa, chocolate, some sort of vegetal type thing going on in the background
Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, some cocoa upfront, a weird vegetal taste in the background
Overall - this was a disappointing beer, I believe its a few years old and it has not held up nor aged well : and with a lot of great choices in the category, I wouldn't seek this one out
Reviewed by Nass from Florida
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The pour is mahogany colored with creamy head of foam. The taste is dark roasted malt along with some dark raisins & some caramel. Now I can say that I've had a Russian Imperial Stout from Russia. The 10% abv is there so I suggest to drink this stout cold. All in all, this was not a bad stout but the alcohol could've been hidden better. Cheers! A-
Jan 22, 2023Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.5/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Undated bottle; drank 2/9/22 @ the Yarchives.
Opaque brown/orange appearance.
An even pour yielded a big khaki head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lace.
Black licorice, mild booze heat & faint cream notes in the nose.
Medium thick mouthfeel.
Black licorice, cream, booze heat & fresh earth flavors.
Harsh & a bit thin, but it ain't boring. Not one I'll seek out again.
Feb 10, 2022Opaque brown/orange appearance.
An even pour yielded a big khaki head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lace.
Black licorice, mild booze heat & faint cream notes in the nose.
Medium thick mouthfeel.
Black licorice, cream, booze heat & fresh earth flavors.
Harsh & a bit thin, but it ain't boring. Not one I'll seek out again.
Reviewed by gvickery from Texas
4.25/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Dark but not completely black, very slightly translucent. Surprisingly light colored ivory head.
Smells of coffee, chocolate, burnt sugar, dried fruit, alcohol.
Semisweet, strong black coffee up front. There’s also some boozyness half way through. There’s a long lingering coffee flavor on the back end.
I chilled this for 15 minutes before drinking.
Overall I think it’s great, make sure not to get it ice cold, the flavors will be muted.
Jan 22, 2022Smells of coffee, chocolate, burnt sugar, dried fruit, alcohol.
Semisweet, strong black coffee up front. There’s also some boozyness half way through. There’s a long lingering coffee flavor on the back end.
I chilled this for 15 minutes before drinking.
Overall I think it’s great, make sure not to get it ice cold, the flavors will be muted.
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York
4.31/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Deep mahogany with a 1/2" tan head, which lasts. Heavy lacing.
Aroma of molasses, toffee, roast malt, coffee, anise.
Taste is caramelly, malty, toasty, toffee, licorice, an acidic bite.
Full body, light carbonation. Semisweet finish.
Wow! One of the best Russian Imperial Stouts. From Russia with love.
Jan 21, 2022Aroma of molasses, toffee, roast malt, coffee, anise.
Taste is caramelly, malty, toasty, toffee, licorice, an acidic bite.
Full body, light carbonation. Semisweet finish.
Wow! One of the best Russian Imperial Stouts. From Russia with love.
Reviewed by micada from New York
3.48/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.48/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
As RIS goes, this seems more of a Baltic porter, e.g., lighter color, birch/root beer vibe, thin mouthfeel. It’s okay, but not at all what I expected for the stated style.
Aug 18, 2021Reviewed by ThisWangsChung from Maryland
3.66/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dark chestnut brown color. It's very light for an imperial stout that most of us are familiar with, but appropriate given the old school vibe. The head is a finger high and khaki in shade, with an okay duration and a small ring of lace that clings to the glass. Aromatically, it's clear this isn't some modern roast bomb; dark fruits seem to be the most prevalent note, followed by molasses, caramel, and toffee. This is very much a brown stout in both aroma and appearance! Despite the twist-off cap (...), I don't pick up any cardboardy oxidation, maybe a hint of sherry after warming up some. I also pick up notes of leather and tobacco, however. It's as complex as it needs to be, no more, no less. The flavor profile, though, hits me with a firm hoppy bite that I didn't see coming. As someone who loved Victory's Storm King, this doesn't really bother me (though it might bother some). Luckily, the malt profile isn't completely overshadowed by the assertive bitterness. Notes of toffee, caramel, milk chocolate, and molasses peep through, with a finish of dark fruits and some lychee. Hints of boozy leather remain subtle yet constant throughout. I don't think this one comes together in a perfectly cohesive manner, as the hoppy bite stands out a little too much at times. It has a light but creamy texture, with the hop presence cleansing the palate well. In spite of the subtle booziness, I actually find it easy to drink due to the somewhat thin body. Carbonation is gentle. It's not my favorite RIS ever made, but I could definitely see Catherine the Great happily sipping this while fucking Denis Diderot, so I'll call it a success. Well worth trying given its low price point.
Aug 10, 2021Reviewed by schoolboy from Ohio
3.77/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I've written reviews on about three dozen Russian imperial stouts, but never on one that was actually from Russia. Now I have had one from Russia. It is unlikely I will ever visit Russia (though I speak a little Russian and my dad was born in the USSR - Ukraine) but with this brew I can get a taste.
This sample looks like it was bottled about 5 months ago, which is usually pretty good for this style - they should settle in a little. Surprisingly, it had a twist off cap! It looks better than most in the glass - loads of lacing. The aroma is slightly off and funky, but that would be hard to avoid with as much malt and roasty hops this has. The taste suffers a little too. The slight metallic taste dissipates as this warms, improving significantly.
Recommended. Get your Russian on with this one. I am really warming to it as it goes down.
Apr 09, 2021This sample looks like it was bottled about 5 months ago, which is usually pretty good for this style - they should settle in a little. Surprisingly, it had a twist off cap! It looks better than most in the glass - loads of lacing. The aroma is slightly off and funky, but that would be hard to avoid with as much malt and roasty hops this has. The taste suffers a little too. The slight metallic taste dissipates as this warms, improving significantly.
Recommended. Get your Russian on with this one. I am really warming to it as it goes down.
Rated by mpk2020 from Illinois
4.39/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.39/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
More like a good barleywine. WIll buy again.
Mar 14, 2021Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
4.55/5 rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.55/5 rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
There is something excellent about a beer that is not an attempt to wow new customers with the latest adjuncts but instead simply trying to be the best example of a given style with traditional ingredients.
This is one of those and I think they did an outstanding job. (I know traditional RIS were brewed in the UK and shipped to Russia)
The pour was curiously brown, like cola without the carbonation, as in almost no head. Wasn’t a great beginning. But then the aroma hit, malts and coffee and char intermingle in a pleasant way. The taste was WOW, very full, very deep, just wow.
I definitely want to get more of these when I get the chance.
Feb 25, 2021This is one of those and I think they did an outstanding job. (I know traditional RIS were brewed in the UK and shipped to Russia)
The pour was curiously brown, like cola without the carbonation, as in almost no head. Wasn’t a great beginning. But then the aroma hit, malts and coffee and char intermingle in a pleasant way. The taste was WOW, very full, very deep, just wow.
I definitely want to get more of these when I get the chance.
Baltika Brew Collection - Russian Imperial Stout from Baltika Breweries
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
154 ratings
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