Brewed By Dogfishhead Brewery
Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10%
"Combining a roasty Imperial Stout with a jammy Syrah wine, this beer is bold and complex. Notes of coffee, dark chocolate and anise from a blend of roasted malts meld with flavors of plums, cherries and stewed fruits from Syrah grape must in this jet black stout. Aged on American oak to add some light toasty vanilla to the mix."
This one pours a very dark brown with a nice brown head.
This smells like your run of the mill stout, roasty and malty with some smoked notes, and the grape is just a background note. Even more subtle suggestions of vanilla and oak.
But wow, upon tasting the grape comes in right away, almost giving this a tartness. It's very jammy but not overbearing. After the initial fruitiness, there is an intense creamy roast, with notes of black coffee and caramel that lasts long into the finish, but still with some dark fruit notes and a touch of nuttiness. This one is definitely complex and gets some character from the barrel aging.
It isn't overly sweet but it's sweet enough.
This was a pleasant-- and different experience. Give this one a try if you come across it and tell us what you think!
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