Best Russian Imperial Stout?

FBS the green pepper goes on for days

 

I can agree with some of this. The fact that their is no single, universally accepted authority is a very strong base for your case. These styles are certainly accepted and used outside of competition, this website is a prime example. For better or worse, websites such as this are the source of truth for all things beer for many people. We can have a semantics argument over the word official however these styles are widely recognized and referenced, which validates their legitimacy.

 

The fact that "this website" uses the same words does not mean that it uses the same meaning. Worse, from the way different members use these terms it's quite obvious that they don't agree on style definitions. You mentioned earlier (either here on the Chimay thread) that the styles for each beer are defined by the first reviewer. That's not quite true--every reviewer has the option to submit a correction or update and brewers who are on this site can do that too. And, when reviewing, most people don't bother with the style moniker because it's really not that important. It is important when people look for beer in a particular style or are making a purchase decision depending on whether a particular beer fits their palate. But, at that point, they don't know enough to change the style. So it's a bit of a vicious cycle. Still, some styles have been corrected.

No they aren't and no we can't. Meaning is a negotiation, not a rule. Rules are for competitions and for dictionaries--and if dictionaries and competitions don't agree with each other, the negotiation continues. Your perspective has merit but it's overly rigid and idealized. Until there is a legal authority restricting what may or may not be identified by a particular style--and God help us if we ever get to that point!--there will be disagreement and cross-over cases. There is no simple either/or binary distinction. Hell, we can't even agree on the definitions of lagers vs. ales!

 

Black Tuesday is no. 1 on my list you SOB - JK, but serious about Black Tuesday

 

Non BA:

Bell's Expedition
Dark Horse Plead the 5th
Circa 2007-2008 Dark Lord
Stone Espresso RIS

BA:

Vanilla Bean BA Dark Lord
BA Dark Lord

 

Sentimential value: Storm King Victory, Yeti, and Hercule Stout
Favorite: I love RIS and Smoke so I'm bias and will have to go with Lava then again I live in the "Tri-State" so I'll also suggest the beer that's brewed exclusively for "Torst," which is a variation of " Hel & Verdoemenis 666"

Other Great RIS:
North Coast Old Rasputin
Mikkeller Black Hole - Depends on variation and had a long time ago
Oskar Ten Fidy
Among so many others...............

 

Black Albert
Dark Truth Stout

 

Moat Mountain in New Hampshire makes probably the best Russian imperial I've ever had. And at $13 for a bomber, you got what you paid for. They don't date their bottles, which sucks, so I'm not sure how much age it had, but it was so smooth and creamy. The milk chocolate just popped. And at 9%, I didn't taste a hint of alcohol. Beautiful stuff.

 

I've had the bcbs, all the yeti's, Chocolate Raun, Parabola, old ras, ten fidy and Hunahpu is without a doubt the best imperial stout I have ever had. It's even better than the Brandy version.

 

Chickens don't clap

But seriously, let's just put down ALL the stouts.

Old Rasputin the best for price, taste, and availability.

 

mornin' delight and lift bridge silhouette

 

Saw one cross a road once --- never did understand why.

 

I have to stand up for my NC homeboys and throw in votes for Duck Rabbit Rabid Duck Imperial Stout and Mother Earth Silent Night and something called Sexual Chocolate from Foothills.
Nationally I have to say that Founders Imperial Stout is a fave along with Old Rasputin and Breakfast Stout.

 

My triad of awesome non-BA RIS:

Darkness
Plead the Fifth
Founder RIS

 

Bolshoi was pretty tits.

Stone and Smuttynose both have killer ones too.

 

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, in fact it is the only Russian Imperial I ever liked! Drain poured the rest!!

 

It's not very widely distributed but if you can find a bottle of Tough Love from Crux Fermentation Project (Bend, OR) you won't be disappointed. 11.5% and aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels.