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Big Swede
Valkyrie Brewing
- From:
- Valkyrie Brewing
- Wisconsin, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.85 | pDev: 10.65%
- Reviews:
- 91
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 30, 2020
- Added:
- May 13, 2002
- Wants:
- 19
- Gots:
- 4
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by scaliasux from Wisconsin
3.59/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L - Very dark brown. Quite thin, tan head.
S - Rich and malty. Coffee, toffee, dark fruit.
T - Rich roasted malt flavors. Sweet. Coffee, vanilla, chocolate, toffee.
F - Full.
O - A sweet malty slow-sipper.
Jun 30, 2020S - Rich and malty. Coffee, toffee, dark fruit.
T - Rich roasted malt flavors. Sweet. Coffee, vanilla, chocolate, toffee.
F - Full.
O - A sweet malty slow-sipper.
Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota
4.07/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.07/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours pitch black with a minimal, off white head. What little is there has great retention and there's some lacing on the glass.
The nose has some hints of chocolate, and a slight boozy aroma. Nothing too strong.
Taste - Starts out mellow, then the flavors kick in. Some vanilla, and chocolate. Nice boozy finish, but not harsh.
Decent body, maybe a bit thin for the style, but not bad at all.
A solid RIS and I'm glad I picked up a couple when I was there last.
Sep 14, 2018The nose has some hints of chocolate, and a slight boozy aroma. Nothing too strong.
Taste - Starts out mellow, then the flavors kick in. Some vanilla, and chocolate. Nice boozy finish, but not harsh.
Decent body, maybe a bit thin for the style, but not bad at all.
A solid RIS and I'm glad I picked up a couple when I was there last.
Reviewed by Cfred371 from Minnesota
4.39/5 rDev +14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.39/5 rDev +14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I let the beer sit and warm for 10-15 minutes.
Look: the beer pours black, with a very slight tan head. There is little to no carbonation it appears.
Smell: I get raisins, vanilla, brown sugar.
Taste: Chocolate, vanilla and brown sugar come through strong, and dark fruits rise mid palate.
Feel: the beer seems a little light in body for a stout, certainly syrupy, but not as thick as I prefer. There is a light hop bitterness on the finish as well, leaving the mouth watering for more.
Overall: This beer is a nice surprise, and I'm happy that a town near my hometown has such good offerings.
Dec 24, 2015Look: the beer pours black, with a very slight tan head. There is little to no carbonation it appears.
Smell: I get raisins, vanilla, brown sugar.
Taste: Chocolate, vanilla and brown sugar come through strong, and dark fruits rise mid palate.
Feel: the beer seems a little light in body for a stout, certainly syrupy, but not as thick as I prefer. There is a light hop bitterness on the finish as well, leaving the mouth watering for more.
Overall: This beer is a nice surprise, and I'm happy that a town near my hometown has such good offerings.
Rated by charliedrama
3.33/5 rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.33/5 rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
An aggressive pour gives a 1 finger head. Heavy alcohol taste.
Mar 01, 2015Rated by egrace84 from Illinois
2.83/5 rDev -26.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.83/5 rDev -26.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Was looking forward to this, but was hugely let down. A strange plastic note on the taste.
Feb 02, 2015Rated by Duff27 from Illinois
2.8/5 rDev -27.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
2.8/5 rDev -27.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
Nothing about this beer was appealing.
Feb 02, 2015Reviewed by martyl1000 from Wisconsin
4.05/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.05/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Even a fairly aggressive pour into a tulip glass produces almost no head, w/ a solvent alcohol refracting on the glass. The aroma is subtly rich. I get burnt coffee, a woody alcohol, plus a bit of leather and paint from a can.
Flavor in the mouth is remarkably reminiscent of Bell's Expedition Stout, but without the complexity. What layers exist are limited to bitter coffee grounds and tannic red-wine tartness. The flavor screams Bell's Expedition Stout, while lacking that beer's hugeness. There's an umami flavor on the back end not unlike cold ham.
Medium-bodied, slick-viscous mouthfeel.
Not my favorite double stout, but at $6.50 a four-pack, will definitely be drinking this again.
Mar 30, 2014Flavor in the mouth is remarkably reminiscent of Bell's Expedition Stout, but without the complexity. What layers exist are limited to bitter coffee grounds and tannic red-wine tartness. The flavor screams Bell's Expedition Stout, while lacking that beer's hugeness. There's an umami flavor on the back end not unlike cold ham.
Medium-bodied, slick-viscous mouthfeel.
Not my favorite double stout, but at $6.50 a four-pack, will definitely be drinking this again.
Big Swede from Valkyrie Brewing
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
115 ratings
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