Category Archives: Style

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.

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Epic Brewing Company, USA

Epic New England Style IPA (Citralush)

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Brewery: Epic Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: “Praise the haze”

Brewer Description: (from website) These juicy, hazy, hop bombs are packed to the brim with flavor. In fact, we’ve been downright irresponsible when it comes to hop utilization. Our brewers have been experimenting with everything from lupulin powder, to massive hop backs, exploring the flavor synergies of fermentation hopping, and literally cramming in more dry hops then our tanks can even hold. Our New England-Style IPA rotates through different recipes as and hop charges as we source new and interesting hop verities. See the side of the can for indicators about each new recipe.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.08
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. can with no canned on or best before date. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark orange (like mango juice) colour with a one finger white head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Mango, orange, citrus zest, pine and a hint of damp wood.
Taste: Juicy tropical mango and peach, citrus orange zest and lemon peel coupled with touches of pine, dank, bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A nice, refreshing and tasty NEIPA.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Prairie Artisan Ales, Stout - Imperial, USA

Prairie Birthday Bomb!

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Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales
Country: USA
ABV: 13%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed and bottled by Krebs Brewing Co., Krebs, Oklahoma

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperial Stout aged on coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chili peppers.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.52
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 15117, meaning it was bottled on 31st May 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin brown head that dissipates quickly and left sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Roasty malt, coffee, cocoa, chocolate and vanilla with hints of chili and cinnamon.
Taste: Cocoa, chocolate and coffee with hints of caramel, vanilla and chili spice heat.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, medium to full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: Very nice, smooth and just so easy to drink. I enjoyed this more than Bomb! as the flavours seemed to mesh together even better.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Prairie Artisan Ales, Stout - Imperial, USA

Prairie Bomb!

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Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales
Country: USA
ABV: 13%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Spaceship Earth Coffee Co.. Brewed and bottled by Krebs Brewing Co., Krebs, Oklahoma

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperial Stout aged on coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chili peppers.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.43
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 10317, meaning it was bottled on 13th April 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a slightly less than one finger brown head that had dissipated to a thin layer and left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, vanilla and chili peppers.
Taste: Similar to the aroma with chocolate and vanilla followed by hints of coffee and chili pepper spice.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: A very nice and balanced Imperial Stout that I could just keep drinking.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co. x Paul Bischeri & Patrick Martinez x Abnormal Beer Company, Stout - Imperial, USA

Stone x Paul Bischeri & Patrick Martinez x Abnormal Neapolitan Dynamite

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Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. x Paul Bischeri & Patrick Martinez x Abnormal Beer Company
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Imperial Stout brewed w/ chocolate, vanilla, strawberries and coffee. 2017 Stone collaborations

Brewer Description: (from bottle) An Imperial Stout scooped from the freezer into your glass. At Stone Brewing we are proud to partner with the American Homebrewers Association to host a chapter member rally and homebrew competition in the commons at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station. Every year for the last 8 years, San Diego region AHA members have submitted their homebrews to be judged by their peers, and a team of Stone folk (that always includes Steve and Greg, natch). The prize? A chance to strut their stuff in front of craft beer fans on the national stage. You hold in your hands the most recent winner. Finding inspiration in that humble box of striped ice cream from our childhoods. Neapolitan Dynamite is an intense Imperial Stout brewed with vanilla, strawberries and chocolate, revved up with a shot of coffee to fuel the ultimate dance contest on your palate, gosh! You seem this specialty Imperial Stout is the Rex Kwon Do of Imperial Stouts. It’s got nunchuck skills, computer hacking skills AND bow hunting skills. Pair this dynamite stout with life’s finer things, like quesadillas, tater tots and freestyle dancing. This also answers the eternal question: Can you pair a stout with a liger? Hell yes you can. We just did.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.05
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber with a bottled on date of 25th August 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a nice one finger brown head that had decent retention and left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Coffee with light melted and mixed Neapolitan ice cream.
Taste: Lightly sweet beginning as coffee dominates followed closely by vanilla and roasty malts. The strawberry and chocolate are lurking around in the background before a finish that is lightly bitter from the coffee.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: This was quite nice but not quite Neapolitan enough for me as only the coffee and vanilla dominates the aroma and flavours while the strawberry and chocolate were not strong enough. I’m a big fan of mixing melted Neapolitan ice cream, so that was what I was hoping for. Body was also thinner than I hoped for, but not too much of a problem. I may seem a bit overly critical here, but it really is quite good and enjoyable.