Suggestions for RIS

Expedition Stout...

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Edit: There are a bunch of great stouts out there, but in all reality, I have yet to find one that is better, especially at the availability and price point of expy. It is great fresh, great with a year under its belt, and great after longer. Just a great beer in general

 

Expedition is a great beer, one of the best aging RIS's there is IMO, but kind of like Storm King it can be somewhat polarizing but for different reasons so if you try it and don't like it OP don't stop there. Also I'm not sure how available it (Expedition) is everywhere else, but for some freaking reason it didn't make it too our market this year and in the past few years it's been $18 a sixer. Worth the price but not a steal like Old Rasputin, which is another one I'd give a try since it might combine your love of stouts and hoppy beers in a way that's more enjoyable to you.

Not sure what's available to you OP, but I'd just try whatever you can get your hands on, especially from breweries you've enjoyed beers from in the past. Especially if you can buy singles, just give some a test drive and find out.

Also no, not all RIS's are overpowered with hops by any stretch, although they are usually have substantial bittering hops to help balance out the sweetness usually found in high alcohol stouts such as these.

 

Expedition is good, but I usually pass on it. For hoppy stouts, I always go for Old Rasputin and Sweetwater Happy Ending.

I gotta throw in that my favorite RIS is Thirsty Dog Siberian Night.

 

I would suggest Great Divide Yeti, It has a nice amount of hops that compliment the roasty chocolate flavors without overpowering them. It also ages very well, so if you grab some and find them to be too hoppy, cellar them for a year or two. I am really bummed that Great Divide pulled out of MI, Yeti was my go-to stout.

 

What state are you in? this may also help people with suggestions for you.

 

we don't get Bell's (Expedition) here in Mass.

I've never noticed any of the RIS's I've had to be "hoppy" so to speak, beyond the substantial bittering hops somewhat common for the style. For a relatively inexpensive, malt forward RIS that's local to you, check out Berkshire Brewing's take on it.

Others I love that we get here that are somewhat easy to find include Stone's version, clown shoes vampire slayer, Yeti, and I'm drawing a blank on others, but that's a start.

 

Yeti
Old Rasputin

 

Old Rasputin
Stone
Great Divide
Samuel Smith

 

if you still have Storm King's left, cellar them away, put em in storage...that hoppiness will die down eventually. Hoping to accomplish that very goal myself actually.

As for another suggestion, not sure if Oskar Blues distributes out there, but Ten FIDY is amazing and one of the less-hoppy imperial stouts in my opinion

 

Weyerbacher Old Heathen and Heresy are great deals if available to you. Brooklyn BCS is also a steal when in season.

 

Great Divide Yeti

 

stone IRS. not only fantastic and widely available but weighs in at a very reasonable price point.

 

Old Rasputin is all you need to know. Enjoy!

 

Smuttynose Imperil

 

The Yeti is a great choice, give some of its variations a try, too (Chocolate, Oak Aged, Espresso, Belgian)