Michigan Brewing No Disput'n Putin Russian Imperia
Michigan Brewing Company

This is one of my favorite beers. I was getting corney kegs of it from the brewery a few years (2002) back and bottled some up myself. this sample is from the first batch dan the brew man whipped up and won medals.

it poured jet black, slight head. aroma was molasses, malt and coffee. the flavor had hints of smoke which were not there before and with the age the bitterness disapated down, so it is more malty now. it still had the 12% alcohol but smoothed out quite a bit.

A lost sample fromthe 2002 batch of beer. Pitch black with brown edges and a dense light brown head. The aroma is roasted chocolate, oakey whiskey, and then as it warms a hint of horse blanket. The wood comes through in the flavor as well balanced with crisp roasted malt and solid bitterness all of which gives way to a warming alcohol aftertaste. This seems a little light on the mouthfeel, but the lingering roasted malt flavor makes up for it. A good beer overall, but certainly not the best Imperial Stout I've ever had.

Pours jet black, with almost no head put maximum lace on the glass. Aroma is even highly alcoholic with a hint of Robitussin, roasted malt and coffee. Taste is smooth and sweet upfront followed by mass alcohol kick, needed to warm up further before sampling. After warming beer really opened up and nice complex malts come out to at least paly down 12% ABV. Coffe, chocolate and a slight charcoal flavor came through. Very nice beer after it warmed up.

Sampler at MBC taproom, Oooh, mama! They are pushing it in a field crowded with great beers. It is an excellent brew on its own merits. A strong taste that avoids the mediciny aspect of a lot of other RIS's. I'd like to have taken some home to age. It appears to have been a seasonal, as their only info about it was on the taproom chalkboard, so whether they're still calling it "No Disputin' Putin" or it's a different recipe, I'm not certain.

This brew poured a small head of dark brown bubbles and an opaque dark black/brown colored body. It had a heavy malt aroma and a very strong coffee flavor with good lacing and a smooth finished. We had this beer at the Festival in Frankenmuth Michigan.

Clear, nearly opaque black with ruby highlights, forming a thin light tan head atop small bubbles. Retention and lacing are poor. Carbonation is mild. Aroma is surprisingly faint for an Imperial Stout, with fruity Cascade hops, roasted malts, and french roast coffee. Mouthfeel is oily, cloying, with a firm, dense body. Taste begins with fruity hops followed by a large burst of fusel alcohols which unfortunately ruins this beer. The middle is dominated by fusels squelching the subtle notes of coffee, black patent and roasted barley. The bittering hops are fruity with a ruddy sweetness in the finish. This was from a batch brewed in December 2002, so it may just not age well. I'll stick to Expedition.

A bold imperial stout. Sampled this at the Polar Beer Fest. Poured out into the glass as dark as midnight. Aroma was that of malt. Roasted malts and licorice come through quite strong tastewise, but aren't overdone. This is a big beer that doesn't disappoint.