NON-barrel-aged RIS's

Societe's The Butcher for sure.

Narwhal, Old Raspy, Ten Fidy, Sea Monster for the top five.

 

Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break
CCB Mashal Zhukov
Great Lakes Blackout
Founders Russian Imperial
Hoppin Frog Boris
Alesmith Speedway
Thirsty Dog Siberian night
Big Eddy RIS
Port Santa's Little Helper
Lost Abbey Serpent's stout
Voodoo Big Black Voodoo Daddy

And last but not least....Great Divide Chocolate Yeti

 

Yeti
Bell's Expedition
Old Rasputin
Stone
Speedway
Narwhal

I honestly did not like Founder's IS so much. Maybe I should have waited a few months to drink but it wasn't my cup of tea, not that it was bad, but the above 6 I'd take easily over it.

 

Ah ok. I stand corrected. It is tasty though and one could easily overlook the barrel presence.

 

Old Rasputin... Though get it on Nitro if you can, 10x better on Nitro.

 

Agreed; first two times I had it was on nitro, and it was a thing of beauty!

 

Speedway Stout, Old Viscosity, Sea Monster, I Love You With My Stout are all amazing.

Drinking a Dark Truth stout by Boulevard right now. Very tasty. Can't believe how cheap it was too.

 

If I had to pick 10 for the rest of my life it would be these...

Bomb!
FIS
FBS
Aun Mas Cafe Jesus
Ten Fidy
Imperial Biscotti
Only Void
Bells Cherry Stout
Plead the 5th
Stone Espresso IRS

 

Mike Hess's Umbrix is a fantastic RIS. Not sure what their distribution is like, though. AleSmith's Vietnamese Speedway is incredible as well. In fact, it's probably better than Umbrix.

TenFidy is pretty nice, as are the aforementioned Samuel Smith offerings (the oatmeal and the organic chocolate aren't RISs, of course, but I think they're worth mentioning). Bell's is also quite nice, too.

 

IMO, Founders IS is one of those beers that needs to sit for at least 6 months, I found it to be too hoppy/boozy upfront. With about 2 years on it, it is incredible with huge Fudge brownie notes to it.