Monday, September 17, 2012

#3 North Coast "Old Rasputin"

By  North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg, California
9.00% ABV
Russian Imperial Stout

" A sincere friend is not born instantly". Each bottle has this imprinted in Russian with Rasputin giving a man size salute. Russian Imperial stouts date back to the 18th century, wherein English brewers would try and appease Catherine the Great. Or what we call today, dating.

Visual: Just like Malcolm X, completely black brew with a one finger head.

Smell: Strong smell of roasted malt with a bit of caramel, reminds me of a Folgers commercial, fresh roasted coffee.

Taste: It coats your mouth immediatly, there's an intense flavor profile. Oak, dark chocolate, caramel. All the flavors combine so perfect. Now there's a heavy roast and bold ashy characters all through. Ash may sound unappetizing but with the combination you can't help but sip some more. If you've ever been through a theoretical physics textbook then you already know how complex this is. Although it's just like gay marriage, you're either for it or against it, it may be too ashy and unsweetened for some.



Overall:A 4 pack for 7 bucks of something this intense and interesting is a great value. Some might not like the intensity while others will completely devour this treat. I really enjoyed drinking this but would advise for virgin stout fans to shy away.

93/100

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