30th Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout
Great Lakes Brewery

 

 

 

Got this one from hopsolutely and peensteen this past summer. Thanks a lot, guys!

From a bomber into a snifter
IBU: 60
Imperial stout with coffee and cocoa

APPEARANCE: Clear brown pour yields a 2+ finger, medium looking, slightly foamy, light brown head with very good retention. Clear black body with touches of carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a full foamy cap and leaves splotches of lacing down the glass. Splotchy wisp remains leaving some nice lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Definite roasted coffee aromas, some milk chocolate and cocoa, sweet cream notes and toffee as well. Medium strength.

TASTE: Roasted coffee beans, some milk chocolate and cream up front, then some definite bitterness and a yeasty, metallic quality at the swallow. A bolder finish of roasted coffee beans, slightly burnt, some hop bitterness, yeasty esters and a bit of alcohol lingers on the palate.

PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down with a sharpness at the swallow, finishing a touch drier for the style. An astringent bitterness lingers.

OVERALL: This isn’t quite as good as I’d hoped. The look is definitely light for the style and the nose a little pedestrian. The flavor also has a heavy yeasty, ester quality that comes across as a little metallic, and the bitterness is somewhat astringent. Unfortunately not a beauty like GL is so used to producing, but hopefully the barreled version is a step up. In any case, thanks again, guys! Always enjoy new ones from the Lakes. Cheers!

A-Charcoal black with a creamy teddy bear brown head that lingers a while and then dissipates into the abyss
S-Caramel, candy sweetness, with liquorish notes and the adjacent bourbon notes provide great complexity and depth
M-Thick and lucious mouthfeel with a full body and lower end carbonation
T-Wow wow wow, so impressed with the beautiful balance of this beer, coffee and tart cherry with ripe sweetness that ends with a bitter chocolate aura that envelops the senses
O-I am very much overwhelmed...this is a really beautiful beer that competes with the likes of KBS, easily. I drank mine from a bottle provided by my loving sister for the birthday, and I must say it brought a revelation in multiple facets of being. Go get this beer!

 

Very disappointing coffee stout. Thin and bitter, it misses the mark. Not sure whether hops were added or the coffee was over-percolated, but this isn't how this style will win fans (see Peche Mortel or Founders KBS for hints).
Didn't finish.

The with coffee and vanilla brewery release, solid coffee taste which dominates everything. very roasted barley, some chocolate in the secondary. On the mark IS.

 

Bomber from the Brewery for around $10. Just a tad thin for a RIS