RIS Swap ~ CBBaron's beers

olllllo, chriso, and paulthenurse were sent beers from me.
In addition to 2 08-08-08 RIS I also sent
A Russian Imperial Stout brewed in August and ready to drink now
A Brown Porter for something a little lighter but still dark
A Great Lakes Blackout stout (RIS) to sample one of the local commercial beers.

I hope every one enjoys.

Craig

All of my bottles arrived safe and sound. More once I open one. (should be trying the Porter sometime this week question mark?)

chriso said:

All of my bottles arrived safe and sound. More once I open one. (should be trying the Porter sometime this week question mark?)

Click to expand...

Thanks,
I am looking forward to the reviews.
Everything I sent is ready to drink now, though the obviously the 08-08-08 should be stored until August. I'm guessing that I will down to only a few bottles of the 08 by the time the date rolls around.

Craig

Well, I shared your older RIS with Kaiser, Beergears, BigJohn and Melana at the Boston Brew Day last weekend at my house. I'm sorry to tell you that we didn't fill out a scoresheet. We'd been sampling and tasting many brews as the day progressed, and we had saved the RIS's to later on in the day so that we wouldn't overwhelm the Taste of a delicate Pils by trying the RIS's first. We shared small samples of your RIS, Poindexters and mine. Everyone really enjoyed your beer.

I recall a strong malt smoothness with dark fruit overtones. Hopping was appropriate, and the alcohol aroma and prescence was warming but not overpowering. Carbonation seemed a bit high to me but that may have been a result of pouring 6 2 ounce servings instead a single glass. Plenty of body and the mouthfeels was good. Deep black with dark ruby highlights. I really enjoyed it.

I also had your Great Lakes stout this morning after work and it really hit the spot. Thanks.
P

Thanks for the warm compliments. I'm glad every one enjoyed it.
You are probably correct about the carbonation being too high, I am trying to reduce the amount a priming sugar some to correct that in future batches.

Thanks again for the reviews.

Craig

Here goes! As others (Dude, Yuri, etc) mention, I'm trying to be as objective as I can possibly be. Even though I am a bit inexperienced in judging, I'm trying to "be the critic" not the "yes-man". Bear in mind at all times that regardless of what I write, I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to taste others' homebrew and provide feedback.

Edit: 1/5/08 date on cap
Judged loosely as a 12A Brown Porter, but did not look at the style guidelines till 1/2-way through. Before that, judged as more of a Robust Porter.

Packaging: 2 fingers headspace, pronounced 'pfft' when opened, no gushing.

Aroma: Bready, low-to-moderate hints of plum, clove, and raisins but appropriate to style. Hint of alcoholic "hotness" or perhaps sherry-like wine notes. Hop aroma non-existent (appropriately so). 12/12

Appearance: Pours w/ a great rocky, cascading head 2-3 fingers tall. Amber-to-straw colored head, beer is a fantastic shade of ruby-mahogany. Sparkling and clear, maybe just a tiny bit overcarbonated. Head dissipated after about 5 mintues to a creamy 1/8" layer of tan suds. 3/3

Flavor: Thinner than I expected from a porter, but appropriate level of "thin-ness" for a Brown Porter. Warm and nutty, appropriate notes of maltiness with a hint of licorice. No discernible hop presence. Just a hint of a cardboard flavor, was this accidentally oxidized a little bit post-fermentation? I recognize the "twang" from my Cardboard Blonde Ale. 15/20

Mouthfeel: On the attenuated side (appropriate for a Brown Porter), Nice creaminess in finish, no alcoholic "bite" present. Very nice. 4/5

Overall: Goes down very easy, a very solid "Every day" beer. Initially when I was focusing more on a Robust porter, I made the note "Attentuation made it feel more "forgettable" than the aroma had led me to believe." That comment is less applicable since it is supposed to be thinner, so I gave it 9/10.

43/50

Packaging: Commercial. Near-silent "pfft" when opened.

Aroma: Faint and sweet, unassuming, burnt brown sugar. Very nice. 12/12

Appearance: Great 2" tan head, dissipated to minor lace in about 3 mins. Pitch black and beautiful. 3/3

Flavor: SWEET. Bitter. Clean. Tastes like a high-AA% hop like Galena or Magnum for the bittering addition. Do I taste Molasses? Brown sugar? Roasty dark bliss, truly great. 19/20

Mouthfeel: Thick, syrupy, medium-low carbonation, creamy finish, perfect. 5/5

Overall: Fantastic stout. Heavy, bold, rich, complex and interesting, and quite a mouthfull. The tiniest bit "hot" on the finish, but I realized (once I had finished my glass) that the bottle says it's 9.0% Imperial Stout. TEEHEE. 10/10.

49/50

THANK YOU, CBBaron, for this truly exquisite treat from the makers of EF and I am now completely hooked. I'm already plotting a way to squeeze a few extra miles in the trip I'll be making next month....just to get within Great Lakes' distribution radius. Truly an A+ stout and I thank you kindly.

Chriso,
Thank you so much for the reviews. I think you flatter too much but I do appreciate your opinion.

The Blackout stout is a great RIS but I think the 08-08-08 that Brewpastor developed is even better. I hope you enjoy the ones I sent you as much as I have been enjoying these.

I open one of my 08-08-08 RISes tonight in anticipation of sampling a few other brewers examples tomorrow on 08-08-08.

Here's my opinion as a reference, do not let it influence anybodies reviews.

Pours a dark black with a brown head. Carbonation is moderate, perhaps a little much for the style but not excessive.
Aroma is of coffee and roasted malts.
Flavor starts with roasted coffee flavors and finishes with bitter coffee. No noticable alcohols. Rich intense flavors but perhaps a little more mellow than the Blackout stout.
Mouthfeel is full bodied as a 1.088 beer should be expected. Still it is not cloying or "chewy" so it is an easy beer to drink for an RIS.

I have been sampling this beer quite a bit and even though it was very good 3 months ago it continues to mature and improve in the bottle. I am really looking forward to trying Trenchers, Deathbrewers and Brewpastors examples.

Craig

CBBaron's 08-08-08 RIS​

12oz unmarked bottle, appropriate fill lvl. Very faint CO2 hiss on uncapping. My handy probe says I'm pouring this at 65*F - I guess I let it sit longer than I thought, I was targetting 58-62*F.

A: MONSTER head at first on this beer. Big and pillowy, slowly diminishes over time. Had to wait to finish pouring. Thin 1/16" layer of head stuck around. Without a light, inky black. Light tan head. With a bright light, great ruby highlights on the edges of the glass.

A: Chocolate, coffee, and roastiness, a little bit of dark fruits. Some vinous/sherry/oxidation notes, as well as some very nice prune notes.

F: Tastes very black. Roastiness dominates this beer, with a subtle coffee and chocolate character than lingers into the finish. There are some notes of plum, prune, and port, but they are subdued. This is a very roast-forward beer. I actually prefer this example over many RISes because I like beers that are very roast- and coffee-intensive without excessive dark fruit notes. Very nicely balanced taste.

M: A smidgen thin for a RIS but still very much acceptable. Velvety, and completely drinkable. Virtually no notes of alcohol present, that's an accomplishment in a beer this big. It actually reminds me of a drier, less fruity Blackout Stout - scary that I can remember that long ago! I'm very happy with this beer.

O: Yours is the 2nd RIS for today - I'm saving the other RISes for another night because these puppies are high-octane! I definitely am glad that I chose yours to drink second, because it's simpler and more down-to-earth than some RISes can be. All in all, I really enjoy and appreciate the chocolate/coffee/roast presence in this beer, and I'm glad it's not as "complicated" as some - even though "complicated" isn't a bad thing, "simple" is an even better thing to me!

Cheers CB on a great beer. I really love this RIS and am glad I have another of these - plus your older one! - to taste yet.

SWMBO would like to add: Delicious, tastes like a Godiva dark chocolate and raspberry bar, with a tiny hint of biting into a coffee bean.

I just got home and grabbed your 888. Here goes.



Appearance
Nice gentle pfft on opening. Poured gently down the side of a pint glass for the first half then a more aggressive pour for the remainder. Foam filled the pint glass almost all the way to the top, but quickly settled down and maintains a decent lace cap on top. By the time I walked from the kitchen to the den the head was down. Nice tan color, thicker around the edges. The color is quite dark, I didn't appreciate any of the ruby tints that Chriso mentioned at all until I actually walked it outside and held the glass up to the sun. 2/3

Aroma.
I'm getting a lot of red and dark fruit here. Plums, cherries, prunes, and a subtle hint of licorice on the finish. I don't get any oxidized or off aroma at all. It isn't flat at all, but maybe a bit one dimentional. I'm not getting any grain at all. Moderate alcohol nose. 8/12

Flavor
This is a touch too sweet for my liking but it certainly fits in style. Lightly roasted, coffee notes, a touch of the dark fruits that presented in the nose. A flavorful brew. The alcohol is there, not overwhelming but a background player. I actually prefer that to a smack you in the face alcohol presence, even in these more full bodied brews that could handle it. We're moving into barleywine territory here. Loads of taste in here. 15/20

Mouthfeel
Very smooth, coats the tongue and moves along. Longish finish. Seems a bit thin but that is probably because there is minimal carbonation. I would maybe boost the pressure a smidge, bump it up a quarter or so and see if that does it. Very nice indeed. 3/5

Overall.
A winner. I'd order another. And another. It is the perfect day for this beer here this morning, it's 65 degrees at 8:30 with a wind blowing thru the open window behind me. It's as close to a fall evening as you are goiong to get in mid August and this beer was made for that. I'm very glad to be enjoying it. 7.5/ 10

35.5/50 Bravo! Give that man a medal.

PTN

paulthenurse said:

It is the perfect day for this beer here this morning, it's 65 degrees at 8:30 with a wind blowing thru the open window behind me. It's as close to a fall evening as you are goiong to get in mid August and this beer was made for that.

Click to expand...

That's just what I'm waiting for -- part of why I keep putting off my taste tests is that it's just too damned HOT outside to enjoy heavy beers!

(That keg of Mint Pale Ale should be gone any day now, at the rate I'm guzzling it. )

CBBaron's Year-Old RIS​

Approp. fill level. Cap sez 8/19/07... so happy birthday, plus a week! No discernible pfft upon opening.

A: Poured w/ very thin dark tan head. Looks very black, but a bright light reveals that it's actually a very dark ruby-mahogany throughout.

A: Very subtle aroma. Hints of chocolate and toast, Some caramel notes, and some very faint dark fruit notes.

F: This has aged very nicely! Malty and bready foremost, with good overtones of coffee and roast, and also chocolate. Minimal amount of dark fruits, which as you already know, I like beers better without. Not too heavy, not too "hot", really well balanced. A very nice year old beer. Not overly astringent, nor is it heavily grainy. Just really well balanced maltiness, like a "Trippelbock" with more roast in it.

M: Tiniest bit thin for a RIS, but expected with a year of aging. Very very nice mouthfeel, really. Smooth, not "hot" or harsh at any point. Very nicely done.

O: I like this RIS, and it's a nice departure from the 888 recipe too! Solid aged example of a RIS. I'm a big fan. Woody and chocolatey and nearly smoky at times, but without the "big fruit" presence.

Served 55F

Appearance:
The bottle, clad in a hastily and partially peeled off label looks as though it will be ready to pour in the gasoline, insert a rag, light and start the insurrection... right after we enjoy a tasty beverage. Audio and visual signs of carbonation. A rapid pour produces 2 inches of tan head on a deep dark black body. A bit big on the bubble size which explains their premature departure... a trifle when the final rewards are enjoyed.

Aroma:
Chocolate and roastyness slight cherry and hints of alcohol.
No hop aroma detected.

Flavor:
On the sweet side with a touch of alcohol not unlike a dark chocolate filled with a
cherry liquor ends with a slight oxidation that is not unpleasant but in character.

Mouthfeel:
On the lighter side of medium body. Despite the fade of head, carbonation remained at a preferred level. Ends with a cocoa powder sensation.

Overall:
This was pleaureable beer that met the style and had no major flaws. Good depth of flavor- enjoyable chocolates and fruits. Things to examine were the head retention and the body, which seemed to be a theme among the ones that I reviewed.

Note to self, in future swaps be sure to send bottles that are fully delabeled.

I tend to not worry about the external appearance of the bottle as long at it is clean inside and accurately labeled outside. This results in some pretty ugly bottles at times. I should have made a better effort to ensure that all the bottles I shipped were clean and neat as it does make an impression on the recipient. I will do better next time olllllo!

Thank you for your review. I agree with your assessment of my beer, especially after comparing it with an example from Brewpastor. The head retention, body and flavor of Brewpastor's beer is much better than my example, even though I think my RIS is a great beer and one of the best i have done. The other 08-08-08 I got to sample are similar to mine and pale next to Brewpastor's.

Thanks again
Craig

I made the quip because it is a Russian Imperial Stout AND Dr. Molotov was Russian.
So, in fact and perhaps in my mind only, it made a positive appearance.

Don't worry I took the comment in good humor. And now that you explain the thoughts behind it I find it even funnier.
Still I "should" attempt to display by beer better.

Thanks again for your review

Craig