Empress Catherine
Short's Brewing Company

Empress CatherineEmpress Catherine
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From:
Short's Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
ABV:
8%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 7.41%
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
124
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 10, 2019
Added:
Nov 13, 2013
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  12
Empress Catherine is a dark, opaque stout with sweet aromas of molasses and black currants. Rich flavors of dark chocolate and heavy roast provide a malty balance to the pronounced bitterness in the finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DMarlinJ:
Photo of DMarlinJ
Rated by DMarlinJ from Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

Feb 22, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.64 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Nov 10, 2019
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.37/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Really clearing out the 2014 Midwest reunion reviews of beer.

Man this brings me back to remembering when people were trading/paying $100 for a bottle of Kate the Great. Old money times. Pours a 80/20 mix of black and brown, brown head 1/4" deep. Roasted malt, licorice, dark fruit push this firmly in the aroma direction of a Russian Imperial Stout.

Body is either pushed by the yeast or its hopped more than expected, there is that bitter dark fruit mouth skewering thing going on. Almost tastes more bitter than the hefty base of heavily roasted malt should allow. Still felt some licorice, really wish I could get away from that. Prefer more of the chewy earthiness underneath it all. Don't mind this 4oz at a time, but it keeps getting to be a tougher out when you are going up in the consumption. Without the currant, dark fruit yeast and licorice feels, I would definitely like the beer more. In that weird situation where I think an even bigger malt body and abv might actually make the beer better by swallowing up those aspects I might not be a big fan of.
Sep 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.9 by Tripel_Threat from Michigan

Mar 11, 2018
Photo of AlarmClock314
Reviewed by AlarmClock314 from Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle, no date. Pours brownish/black with a medium sized tan head; some lacing. Smells of roasted malt, cocoa, coffee, earthy hops, sweet lactose, nuts, and molasses. Mellower flavor of roasted malt, cocoa, coffee, sweet lactose, nuts, and some earthy hops. Mild bitterness and sweetness. Thin body and medium carbonation for the style. Overall, it's a pretty good beer if you like drinkable and sweeter stouts, but it don't fit well as a RIS.
Jun 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.67 by Jackalope1977 from Michigan

Jun 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.52 by M_chav from New Mexico

Dec 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by rjcoy06 from Michigan

Dec 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.91 by Buck_Jones from Michigan

Jul 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.12 by Eziel from Ohio

May 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by FlyingHellfish from Michigan

Feb 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by tim007007 from Illinois

Feb 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.9 by Chris-1911 from Illinois

Feb 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by cambabeer from New York

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by jamesod from Michigan

Nov 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Swettenham_Shire from Ohio

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4.56 by heavydetour from Michigan

Oct 19, 2014
Photo of maximum12
Reviewed by maximum12 from Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -14%
Thanks to tectactoe for this bottle, a hardy survivor of a summertime trade. 12 oz. bottle hoarded for me, myself, & I. Split three ways.

The pour is Microsoft Mouse black with fleeting carbonation: you blink, you miss. Black licorice flows out of the aroma like a dark lava flow, & I wasn’t even sniffing yet. On closer inspection, there’s black licorice & the vague outline of blackberries. Or maybe that was just the muffin I had this morning repeating on me. Interesting, if overpowering.

Empress Catherine might be overstating her station by a good ways. The taste fits oddly on a big stout. It reminds me most of a nut brown ale, very acorn-forward. Underneath the squirrel feed is harsh bitterness, which might come from the prominent roast or accompanying hops, with bits of chocolate & grainy earthiness. The finish finally catches up to the nose, with a long trail of dark fruit, anise & black licorice lingering into forever. Thin. A bottle for myself will be enough.

Very strange take on an imperial stout that almost works, but ultimately is too schizophrenic for its own good. Decent enough.
Oct 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4.16 by vetteaz89

Oct 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by HarmonMW from Missouri

Sep 29, 2014
Empress Catherine from Short's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 124 ratings