Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout - Barrel-Aged
Big Sky Brewing Company

Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout - Barrel-AgedIvan The Terrible Imperial Stout - Barrel-Aged
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From:
Big Sky Brewing Company
 
Montana, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #129
ABV:
11.6%
Score:
94
Ranked #1,987
Avg:
4.25 | pDev: 10.35%
Reviews:
311
Ratings:
902
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 11, 2023
Added:
Nov 10, 2008
Wants:
  776
Gots:
  276
2006 - 8.75% (draft only)
2007 - 8.75% (500ml flip top bottles ~ very limited)
2008 - 9.5% (750ml - capped - 1152 bottles)
2009 - 10% (750ml cork and cage)
2010 - 10% (750ml - cork and cage)
2011 - not brewed
2012 - 12.2% (750ml cork and cage)
2013 - 13.8%
2014 - 11.5% (750ml cork and cage)
2015 - 11.9% (750ml cork and cage - 3000 bottles)
2017 - 11.6%

Imperial stout aged 4 months in freshly dumped American oak Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels.

65 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by brymtb:
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Rated by brymtb from Nevada

4.18/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
...as others have mentioned...very solid ..
Jul 31, 2017
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.93 by not2quick from Missouri

Nov 11, 2023
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Reviewed by UWDAWG from Washington

4.32/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2022 version:

Poured from a 19.2 ounce can into a snifter.

Look- Black, opaque, medium brown frothy head, average lacing, above average head retention.

Smell- Bourbon, oak, vanilla, high strength of scent.

Taste- Bourbon, oak, vanilla, mildly spicy, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, mildly creamy, average carbonation, mildly bitter, mildly spicy.

Overall- Black and opaque with a frothy medium brown head that had above average retention. Bouquet was predominantly bourbon with some notes of oak and vanilla. Taste was bourbon soaked with some slight oak and vanilla character. Feel was better thin and medium body with mild spice, bitter and creaminess. Overall this beer provided an enjoyable drinking experience with great bourbon flavor, but lacked complexity. Also, feel was much thinner than expected and didn’t provide any mouth coating properties.
Jul 22, 2023
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Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.18/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
19.2oz can vintage 2022 marked 300228 on bottom of the can poured into a nonic pint glass at just above fridge temp 13.9% ABV per label. The beer pours completely black with no light penetration and medium brown colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. Minimal lacing. The aroma is mild with roasted malt notes and a little oak. Bourbon becomes evident as the glass warms. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt with additional bourbon, oak and vanilla all coming through. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with just less that average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. ABV is fairly well disguised with just a bit of heat on the tongue and tummy. Overall, very good.
Feb 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4.19 by BMBCLT from South Carolina

Dec 14, 2022
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Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

4/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sep. 2011: Shared 750 ml bottle, thanks to gunnar. Vintage 2010, ABV 10%. Bottle No. 3495 out of 3800. Pitch black colour, rich tan head. Intense aroma of bourbon and vanilla, oak and molasses, roasty notes in the background. The fairly sweet flavour is roasty with notes of dark chocolate and coffee, also molasses, bourbon, vanilla and oak. Lovely stuff.
Nov 11, 2022
 
Rated: 4.03 by DownyIsHungry from Minnesota

Oct 29, 2022
 
Rated: 4.03 by dms1767 from Nebraska

Oct 20, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by Dicers from California

Apr 23, 2021
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Reviewed by Stevedore from Oregon

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2012 edition. Actually not bad. Not oxidized at all. Smooth roast, chocolate, touch of espresso and mild warming heat. Medium bodied, lighter in carbonation.
Jul 31, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Jun 03, 2020
 
Rated: 4.13 by Gemini6 from Michigan

Apr 20, 2020
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.32/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2014 Vintage
750ml cork and cage bottle poured into a snifter

A- big pop of the cork, pours black in color with a one-finger foamy khaki head that quickly reduces to a ring around the edge

S- surprisingly plenty of barrel notes on the nose, given that it states that it's only aged for at least 3 months. Peppery wet oak, bourbon, caramel and vanilla up front, followed by molasses, brown sugar, chocolate, fudge brownies & walnuts

T- sharp oaky note up front, followed by barrel juice, caramel, vanilla and cracked pepper. Mid-palate gives notes of molasses, prunes, raisins and chocolate. The finish gives more barrel character and lingers of oak and bourbon

M- medium-heavy body with moderate-low carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that turns into a creamy warming finish

O- a solid, straight up BA RIS, no fancy extra adjuncts needed
Mar 13, 2020
 
Rated: 3.82 by Commandophile from Illinois

Feb 06, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by cbcrunch from Wyoming

Jan 08, 2020
 
Rated: 4.26 by paresis from Massachusetts

Nov 16, 2019
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Served on tap in a snifter glass
Appearance- The beer is served a pitch black tar like color with a one finger head of brown foam. The head has a great level of retention, slowly fading over time to leave a ton of spider web lacing on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is massive of a roasted malt small that is matched by copious amount of bourbon and sweet cocoa. Along with these smells comes other notes of dark fruit of cherry and plum as well as a little bit of a molasses and light oaky aroma. The alcohol can be sensed as well leaving one with a dark and rich warming smell.
Taste – The taste begins as the nose would suggest with a huge roasted malt flavor that was backed by a large amount of sweeter cocoa. Right from the start there is a rather strong showing of bourbon with some nice oaky notes. The bourbon grows stronger and stronger as the taste advances, being joined by some light vanilla and molasses flavors. Toward the end the booziness starts creeping its way in, with it matching the increase in the bourbon rather nicely. Some flavors of char and smoke develop at the very end, and with the dark, sweet, and boozy tastes, one is left with a very satisfyingly warming flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is thick and robust with a lower carbonation level. For the big dark, sweet, and boozy tastes the feel is fantastic coating the mouth in all the rich flavors and making this one slow sipping warmer.
Overall – A very tasty and bourbon barrel flavored ale. Quite robust and warming!!
Nov 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.73 by jordanginsberg from Louisiana

Sep 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.33 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Jul 04, 2019
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Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
8500th review! 750 ml bottle into snifter, 2015 vintage. Bottle #2566/3000. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, oak char, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, fig, date, smoke, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, peppercorn, pine, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness. Slight booze in the aromas as it warms, but not overwhelming. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/black/roast/bready malts, bourbon barrels, and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, oak char, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, fig, date, smoke, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, peppercorn, pine, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, grassy, peppery, roast, charred bitterness; and bourbon/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, oak char, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark bread/crust, molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, peppercorn, pine, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, bourbon barrels, and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet and bourbon/oak spiciness balance; with no cloying, acrid, astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness and bourbon/oak tannin spiciness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and fairly sticky/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 11.9%, with minimal lingering barrel booze after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barrel aged Russian imperial stout. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, bourbon barrels, and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV, with the mellowly bitter/tannic/drying finish. Fantastic balance between rich malt complexity and bourbon barrel presence/integration; with balancing earthy hops and restrained fruity yeast. Light residual sweetness with lingering bitter/tannic dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and spot on style example. A lot more charred/tannic barrel presence than I expected, but it doesn't get overly boozy/drying.
May 26, 2019
Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout - Barrel-Aged from Big Sky Brewing Company
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 902 ratings