Best Russian Imperial Stout?

Great Lakes Blackout Stout is prob my favorite, what an awesome beer

 

So many great ones, but Black Albert and Courage are burned in my memory.

 

can't pick it, however, i just wanna say that the most underrated RIS is mission dark seas; it's excellent.

 

Although they don't brew it anymore I'd go with Portsmouth brewery's Kate the Great

 

I TOTALLY agree with you about the Espresso IRS. It takes the standard IRS (which is already awesome) into the stratosphere, I think. It's probably my favorite RIS as well.

 

nah, they brew some each year. age statement is up to 13 years. if it lasts that long...

 

Péché Mortel - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel......coffee creamy goodness....it scored a stellar 2 on the "how many fat guys are willing to ride bicycles 4Km uphill two days in a row to drink this beer". If you are ever in Montreal....go for it. 2nd place honors go to Stone IRS Expresso and Foothills Sexual Chocolate

 

I feel like the OP needs to put in some more constraining variables. This has basically become a dime-a-dozen "what's your favorite stout" thread.

 

Old Rasputin, it is even my 76 year old mothers favorite brew.

 

Haandbryggeriet Odin's Tipple.

 

Velvet Merkin... had this on tap in Philly in March. It might even beat out KBS, BCBS, and Expedition stout. It is THAT good!

 

It's coming soon! Zhukov! I do love the Czar from Avery though. Yummo.

 

You're confusing cause and effect here. I'm not suggesting that they are the same because BA lines are blurred--I'm claiming the BA listings are mixed because there is no practical difference.

You'd love the Pirate Code then Seriously, there's no "official styles". There are some traditional styles and some innovations (e.g., Black IPA or Belgian IPA). Some of those innovations create a legitimate category, while others (specifically, American Imperial Stout) just describe a concentration within a traditional category that may or may not be distinct. In this case, the distinction between AIS and RIS is that AIS may or may not have higher ABV and may or may not have adjunct flavoring. In other words, it may or may not be a distinct category. I suggest it is not. In time, we may end up making a clear differentiation (e.g., all RIS with adjunct flavoring are AIS). But we are not at that point yet.

I would say that some of those are actual errors and some are of the same type as what I described above. There is more of a confusion between EIPA and APA than between EIPA and AIPA. But note that all are pale ales with additional distinctive characteristics. That's quite different from confusing lagers for ales or mixing up different brewing methods that result in similar flavor profiles.

They are not spreading confusion but are evidence of confusion. Again, this confusion exists because the lines are blurred, not causing the lines to be blurred.

 

Great beer.

So many good ones mentioned here. Personal favorite is Old Rasputin or Samuel Smith. That said, I will go ahead and be a homer and say Weasel Boy's Anastasia. 2 GABF medals in 3 years, one bronze, one gold. Stuff is so good, can't wait until November for it to be released again.

 

This is the meat of it, this is where our fundamental difference of opinion lies. I can appreciate and agree some of the thoughts regarding traditional vs innovations and styles. However, there are a few authorities out there, who have set style guidelines. These are official styles. Argue the validity, argue the discrepancies between one set vs another but you cannot argue that there are no official styles.

There are some pretty clear cut definitions that could easily separate a large number of beers that make up the two styles, people ignore them. While lines are blurred, the correct style is pretty obvious in many cases. If we did not foster an environment of ignorance we would have a more definite separation. You find me some documentations that lends some legitimacy to your previous claims that Chocolate and Coffee Stouts are historical styles, and not brewed with their namesake, and I'll find you all the documentation you want clearly stating the difference between these two styles.

 

Black Damnation II is not a one-time brew, Struise sometimes just takes a long time to make new batches. They intend to make it again in the future, the only Black Damnation brew which you won’t bee seen coming back is the original "I" now replaced by Blackberry Albert as the new Black Damnation I.

 

I always liked Old Rasputin (to die for on tap) and McNeills (Brattleboro, VT).

 

I haven't tried many, as it's not my nearly my favorite style, but I honestly enjoyed Squatter's Outer Darkness more than Old Raspy.

 

Gotta go with
Kate the Great
Speedway Stout
Expedition
Dark horizon
Dark Lord

(For non barrel aged RIS)