Beer Review: North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Nine percent

Appearance: This brew poured a dark black with flashy ruby red as well as brown hues. It also boasted a beighe head with a cake batter-esque texture. The head ended up leaving  a thick coating of lacing appeared to take a second to separate when I tilted and rotated the glass. Thick and sticky looking, overall.

Smell: Layers upon layers. Roasted barley, dark chocolate and robust coffee grounds of both medium and dark variety. Just about everything was in there that you can expect to be in a stout these days.

Taste: The chocolate was the first thing on the flavor bill. I sensed some of the sweet and lighter chocolate notes on the front then the darker tones slightly after that. The coffee and barley then made a sudden taste takeover. That was followed by a bitter and above-average boozy finish. The finishing flavors were strong, but the other layers in this brew really helped to keep those particular things balanced.

Overall Rating: 

One of the better stouts I've ever had. I can't recall many  brews that were that defining with each layer of aroma and taste. I was able to clearly discern this beer's intricacies. Oh, and it really helps that it's named for an important figure in world history. That's helped in attracting me to quite a few brews out there on the market.