All posts by kitch

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cerveses La Pirata, Spain, Stout - Russian Imperial

La Pirata Black Block Bourbon Aged

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Brewery: Cerveses La Pirata
Country: Spain
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 72 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Russian Imperial Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged. The “Bourbon” version of Pearl Pirate. An even more incendiary beer warms much heart and soul.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled on 12th September 2017 and a best before date of September 2022. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Nice bourbon, vanilla and liquorice with chocolate, cocoa, roasty malts and alcohol in the background along with hints of oak.
Taste: Lightly sweet beginning with bourbon, vanilla, raisins and dried dark fruits followed by a light roast, chocolate and cacao.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with low carbonation and a lightly boozy finish.
Overall: A very nice RIS with great bourbon flavours coming through. Body could have been heavier, but despite this, it was still very good.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Ballast Point Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Porter - Imperial, USA

Ballast Point Victory At Sea – Peppermint

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Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 10%
Style: American Imperial Porter
Other Notes: AKA Peppermint Victory At Sea. Porter with coffee & natural flavors

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A winning combo of coffee, vanilla & mint. This Peppermint Victory At Sea is a festive take on our popular Imperial Porter. We took our trademark robust porter brewed with Caffe Calabria coffee and vanilla and added a dose of refreshing peppermint. The trio of flavors play perfectly on your palate – the brew’s sweet roastiness balances nicely with a cool, minty finish.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.72
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber with a Julian bottled on date of 16292, meaning it was bottled on 18th October 2016. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A dark brown colour with a big two finger tanned head that had pretty good retention while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Peppermint, coffee, chocolate with hints of vanilla.
Taste: Peppermint coolness, roasted malts, chocolate, caramel and vanilla sweetness with some light bitterness from the coffee.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: The aroma of peppermint and chocolate matched well together, however in the taste, the peppermint and coffee flavours seemed to be clashing with each other a bit and didn’t mesh together as well as I would have liked.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, USA

Ballast Point Unfiltered Sculpin

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Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 70 IBUs. Exrta-hopped India Pale Ale

Brewer Description: (from website) Our trophy beer, extra-hopped and unfiltered. Our Unfiltered Sculpin IPA packs extra hops into every sip, enhancing the classic Sculpin notes of fresh apricot, peach, mango and lemon with a slight haze and less bitterness. Freshness is key to every beer, but especially true for this extra-hopped IPA—store cold and drink soon.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.85
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 17321, meaning that it was bottled on 17th November 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy bright copper orange colour with quite a bit of floaties slowly settling at the bottom of the glass. There was also a two finger off white head that had great retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Tropical fruit mango, pineapple and apricot at the start followed closely by grapefruit and light pine.
Taste: Sweet-ish pineapple, orange and apricot followed by bitter grapefruit zest, citrus rind, pine and a light touch of biscuit at the end.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and easy to drink and an interesting twist on the original. However, I definitely prefer the original and grapefruit version over this. Still worth a try though.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., Stout - Russian Imperial, USA

Stone Imperial Russian Stout Chai-Spiced

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Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 10.6%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2015 odd year release. Ale with tea and spices added

Brewer Description: (from bottle) As it stands, the classic version of Stone Imperial Russian Stout is deep, dark , rich, roasty and perhaps even a bit sinful. The “Odd Beers for Odd Years” part of the journey means the coming of each odd-numbered year provides the opportunity to take this traditional beer to new and mysterious places, embarking on an exploratory odyssey enabled by strikingly flavorful elements applied to a lovely onyx canvas. This beer, the latest “Odd” transubstantiation, takes inspiration straight from the spice aisle, incorporating an array of ingredients assembled to emulate the flavors of authentic chai tea. Cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger, a dash of black pepper and a dose of black tea combine with Stone Imperial Russian Stout’s incumbent flavors to take it deep into exotic, previously unfathomed territory. Expect a touch of earthiness in combination with a warm, tantalizing spiciness. As a one-time brew with enduring character, Stone CHAI-SPICED Imperial Russian Stout is crafted to be contemplated fresh or cellared under proper conditions for many years so that it may live on not only in one’s memory, but on his or her taste buds as well.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.84
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2015 odd year release, bottled on 23rd March 2015. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin half finger brown head that dissipated quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Strong cinnamon and cardamom with roasted malts, cocoa and chocolate in the background. There were also hints of ginger and clove.
Taste: Follows the aroma quite closely with lots of spices, cinnamon and cardamom, spicy ginger and clove with hints of roastiness, cocoa and chocolate in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: Almost three years on, and the “Chai” is still dominating the aroma and taste. Personally I would say it was still a bit too dominating while the nice flavours of the base Imperial Russian Stout were overpowered.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., Stout - Russian Imperial, USA

Stone Imperial Russian Stout

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Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 10.8%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2016 release. 65 IBUs. Hops – Warrior

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Stone Imperial Russian Stout is so thick, rich and, well, sinful, you might feel certain that you will be doomed to the fiery pits just for thinking about taking a sip. It almost seems evil. Rest assured, however, that our ever-faithful gargoyle has done his job well by successfully warding off all evil spirits. In fact, we guarantee that no sin was committed in the production of this seemingly pernicious brew. We will admit to using copious doses of decadence in creating the viscous beauty you have before you, but no actual sin.., you’ll have to add that on your own. Brewed in the authentic, historical style of an imperial Russian stout, this beer is massive. Intensely aromatic (notes of anise, black currants, coffee, roastiness and alcohol) and heavy on the palate, this brew goes where few can-and fewer dare even try. The style originated from Czarist Russia’s demand for ever-thicker English stouts. Expect our version of this mysterious brew to pour like Siberian crude and taste even heavier!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2016 release, bottled on 23rd March 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a just under one finger brown head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate and coffee with some sweet dark fruit, plum, black currant and cherries.
Taste: Similar to the aroma with roasted malts, lightly burnt smokiness, dark chocolate and coffee, followed by dark fruit sweetness of plum and prunes.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, full bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: Great aroma and nice taste at the beginning, but perhaps feeling that it was a bit too sweet towards the end, after finishing a full bomber by myself. Alcohol is well hidden though, and it’s a great bottle to share.