Bell's Expedition Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Rick

Style: American Double/Imperial Stout
State/Country: Michigan
ABV: 10.5%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9
Black color, medium tan head with decent retention & good lacing

Smell: 7
Raw chocolate, some dark fruit, and not much else. Strangely devoid of roasted malt and coffee notes

Taste: 9

Up Front: Dark fruit, chocolate. Finish: Chocolate, coffee, roasted malt. licorice, lingering sweetness. A lot more going on then that smell led me to believe

Mouthfeel: 7.5
Full body, low/medium carbonation, slightly cloying

Drinkability: 7.5

Ok, but the sweetness gets in the way

Overall Score: 8

Value: 5

Cost/12 oz serving: $4.30

Overall Impression:
This beer is all over the place: Great look, funky lackluster smell, complex & powerful flavor, with a sweet sticky feel. Somehow it managed to come out as "good", but just barely

Boaks Monster Mash Imperial Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Mike
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
State/Country: New Jersey
ABV: 10%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle


Look: 9
Dark coffee color, no head, very light lacing

Smell: 7.5
Very subtle smell, chocolate, malt, coffee

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: chocolate, coffee, vanilla, slight smoke. Finish: burnt toast, chocolate, slight alcohol at end

Mouthfeel: 8
Slightly sticky and dry

Drinkability: 8
This needs to be sipped like a cognac. One and done for me!

Overall Score: 8.2

Value: 8
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.67

Overall Impression:
Not my favorite R.I.S. It did taste better than the last one I had (maybe due to some cellaring) as the beer warms, more notes come through. I met Brian Boaks at the Philly Winter Beer Fest and he told me that the beer was aged a year before distribution.

North Coast Old Rasputin

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
State/Country: California
ABV: 9%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9
Black, with a mocha brown head, and good lacing

Smell: 9
Coffee, dark fruit, toffee, and a touch of chocolate

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: Roasted malts
Finish: Dark fruit, alcohol, espresso

Mouthfeel: 9.5
Full body, rich and creamy, with low carbonation

Drinkability: 9
Very good considering the style

Overall Score: 9

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.40

Overall Impression:
At one time this was my favorite R.I.S. What can I say, it still kicks ass!

General Layayette Grim Reaper

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
State/Country: Pennsylvania
ABV: 8.5%
Serving Type: On Tap @ General Lafayette Inn & Brewery

Look: 9.5
Pitch black, with a dark brown head, and good lacing

Smell: 9.5
Chocolate, coffee, and molasses

Taste: 10
Up Front: Chocolate, malt. Finish: Dark fruit, espresso

Mouthfeel: 10
Full body - thick & creamy with low/medium carbonation

Drinkability: 9.5
It was rich, yet smooth, and it went down easy

Overall Score: 9.7

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $5.00. Considering that you can only get this on tap in Philly, that is perfectly reasonable

Overall Impression:
This English Style R.I.S. went over well with ReRe The Dark Beer Goddezz and I. In fact, she stole my my first one and went back for seconds - hahaha!!! It doesn't get much better than this mortalz!

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
State/Country: Colorado
ABV: 9.5%
Serving Type: 12 oz Can

Look: 10
Pitch black with a perfect, dark brown head! Excellent lacing too!

Smell: 9
Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and cherry

Taste: 9.5
Up Front: Chocolate, coffee. Finish: Malted milk balls, and a little smoke right at the very end

Mouthfeel: 10
Full body - thick & creamy and perfect carbonation

Drinkability: 9.5
Goes down really smooth, and the alcohol is well hidden

Overall Score: 9.6

Value: 8
Cost/12 oz serving: $4.00. This is a pricey beer, but soooooooo worth it!

Overall Impression:
Don't let the can fool you, this is one of the best Russian Imperial Stouts that's not barrel aged that you'll ever have!!! In truth, I would have thought that it was a barrel aged beer based on the complexity and depth of flavor.

Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Russian Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)
State/Country: Colorado
ABV: 9.5%
Serving Type: On Tap @ the POPE

Look: 10
Midnight black, with a fluffy brown head and excellent lacing

Smell: 9
Roasted malt, vanilla, and dark roasted coffee

Taste: 9.5
Up Front: Dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee
Finish: Vanilla, oak, chocolate, dark fruit

Mouthfeel: 10
Full body, very rich and creamy. Super smooth

Drinkability: 9.5
Alcohol is noticeable, but it is not overwhelming.

Overall Score: 9.6

Value: 10
Cost/12 oz serving: $4.00.

Overall Impression:
This is simply an amazing example of a barrel aged R.I.S. Very complex, and well balanced. Needless to say Oak Aged Yeti get's my highest recommendation!

2008 Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Russian Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)
State/Country: Missouri
ABV: 10.5%
Serving Type: 750ml Bottle

Look: 7.5
Actually very light for a Russian Imperial Stout

Smell: 8.5
Bourbon, Roasted Malt, Oak, Vanilla, and Coffee

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: Bourbon, Chocolate, and Vanilla
Finish: Oak, and Bourbon

Mouthfeel: 7.5
Thin, yet slightly creamy

Drinkability: 8
Alcohol is noticeable, but it is not overwhelming.

Overall Score: 8

Value: 5
Cost/12 oz serving: $6.07. If I were at a nice bar, that would almost be acceptable, but it's not for home consumption!

Overall Impression:
It's actually a good beer, but not a great value. Definitely worth trying, but only if you have the cash.

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Rick (Back on 11/01/09)
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
State/Country: Massachusetts
ABV: 9.2%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 10
Opaque black with a dark brown head, which dissipates quickly. Very nice lacing!

Smell: 9
Caramel, molasses, chocolate, coffee, toffee and a bit of smoke

Taste: 10
Up Front: Booze, toffee, coffee and chocolate. Finish: Smooth, with a huge amount of toffee that lingers to the very end, and little smoke.

Mouthfeel: 9
Low carbonation, with an very rich almost oily texture. Alcohol bite is noticeable, but should mellow with age

Drinkability: 9
Very drinkable and complex, with a super rich taste that goes on forever!

Overall Score: 9.4

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.68. A ton of flavor for a decent price!

Overall Impression:
Samual Adams has created an excellent Russian Imperial Stout. It's one of my favorite Imperial Stouts not aged in a barrel. I just LOVE toffee!!! This one should age very well. Highly recommended!!! This one is not for the meek though.