Russian Imperial Stouts

[Butcher]

When it comes to Russian imperial stouts I find it difficult to enjoy a variety of them. Everyone I have I compare to Old Rasputin which is my favorite. There are only two others I consider worth buying, Rogue's XS RIS and Alaskan Brewery's Perseverance Ale (excellant beer by the way).

When I try any other style I can judge it based on its own individual merits, but not RIS. I can drink an IPA and like it even though it isn't my favorite IPA.

What RIS do you feel rank up near the top?

 

[moti_mo]

Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout is the cream of the crop in my opinion.

 

[motobrewer]

I don't particularly care for Avery's.

Sprecher's is good if you have it warm (55F - any colder and it tastes like cough medicine)

Oskar Blue's Ten Fiddy is really good.

um....there are more, can't think right now

 

[Clanchief]

When it comes to Russian imperial stouts I find it difficult to enjoy a variety of them. Everyone I have I compare to Old Rasputin which is my favorite. There are only two others I consider worth buying, Rogue's XS RIS and Alaskan Brewery's Perseverance Ale (excellant beer by the way).

When I try any other style I can judge it based on its own individual merits, but not RIS. I can drink an IPA and like it even though it isn't my favorite IPA.

What RIS do you feel rank up near the top?

If you can find Wake Up Dead from Left Hand, it's awesome. Actually my favorite RIS.

 

[moti_mo]

If you can find Wake Up Dead from Left Hand, it's awesome. Actually my favorite RIS.

Did they change the recipe on that one after the original release? I got a bottle last year and found it a bit lacking for a RIS, but I've had several people tell me that they had it this year and loved it.

 

[Clanchief]

Did they change the recipe on that one after the original release? I got a bottle last year and found it a bit lacking for a RIS, but I've had several people tell me that they had it this year and loved it.

Not sure. I had some in August and it was awesome. They barrel condition it now, which may be part of it.

 

[hadabar]

Ten fidy....is awesome...

Had sam adams and its alright...

Had some others but they were just ok...trying to find others worth trying, I think thats its a style that gets abused as far as grain bills go...tooo much of tooo much stuff...

 

[Hammy71]

Love Old Rasputin, but have to give a shout out to Ten fidy.

 

[moti_mo]

Do you guys get the Yeti in Ohio or Florida? It is a seriously good beer, and they make several variations on it - espresso Yeti, Oak Aged Yeti, Chocolate Yeti, Belgian Yeti.

Four of them made Ratebeer's best 100 beers of 2011: Espresso Oak Aged (28), Yeti (40, right b/w Old Rasputin and Anniversary Barrel Aged Old Rasputin), Oak Aged (48), Barrel Aged (61)

 

[whatsleftofyou]

When a group of us were studying for our BJCP exam, we did a "best of show style" blind tasting of I think 10 RISes. I honestly can't remember what half of them were because this was awhile ago, but Old Rasputin won hands down.

 

[rexbanner]

I didn't enjoy Old Rasputin, but I really like Victory Storm King. It tastes very different, more like wine, with possibly a taste of special B. I've only had those two, though.

 

[mychalg9]

Ten Fidy
Yeti
Founders Imperial Stout
Stone IRS
Black Cauldron
Goose Island Bourbon County (all varieties)
Surly Darkness
Central Waters Satin Solstice

I like all of those more than Old Rasputin

 

[daksin]

Just enjoyed a Victory Brewing Storm King this weekend. Really a pleasure, I like it even better than Old Rasputin.

 

[dcHokie]

In no particular order, I really enjoy:

Ten Fidy
Firestone Walker Parabola
Bell's Expedition Stout
Storm King
Yeti
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Old Rasputin (especially on a nitro draught)
Sammy Smiths' Imperial
KBS

I've never tried Surly Darkness or 3Floyds Dark Lord, but gotta think they live up to the hype enough that they'd make this list

 

[bovineblitz]

Kate.

 

[moti_mo]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Parabola from Firestone Walker. That beer is amazing.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Hold on a second. You're in Ohio, and haven't been drinking BORIS? Shame! Shame!

Get some Bell's Expedition stout, and GLBC's Blackout as well. All 3 of these are great beers. BORIS is definitely in the smoothly roasty with a lot of dark fruit camp, Blackout is velvety dark chocolate, and Expedition is the tastiest motor oil you'll ever drink. None of them is roasty quite like Old Rasputin can be. They're all different, but all very good, depending upon what you like in an RIS.

 

[Brewmiser]

Old Rasputin & Dragons Milk are my top two, made the Rasputin clone out of BYO mag & it turned out great. I also like Ten Fidy, Siberian Night & Storm King

 

[Brewmiser]

Hold on a second. You're in Ohio, and haven't been drinking BORIS? Shame! Shame!

I haven't been able to find Borris & have thought about taking a road trip into Ohio just to find some...

 

[daveooph131]

Try Storm King by I think Victory brewing co. very good. I like it the best and would love to brew one. However, do to the length of aging I'll put this off until about June or July so I have it for winter 2012\.

 

[abweatherley]

If nay of you are in the midwest region, my favorite three RIS are

Boulevard Brewing Company Imperial Stout 2011 Smokestack

Great Divide Brewing Yeti, I have had the regular version and the Oak aged, there is a new "Belgian" one apparently inoculated with Brett, could be good.

O'dell brewing company Bourbon Barrel RIS.

All good stuff, actually matter of factly the O'dells is probably the beer I'm going to Clone

 

[Mexicanconnection2002]

+1 to Bells Expedition, Old Rasputin, Yeti and Ten Fidy in that order.

 

[moti_mo]

Great Divide Brewing Yeti, I have had the regular version and the Oak aged, there is a new "Belgian" one apparently inoculated with Brett, could be good.

O'dell brewing company Bourbon Barrel RIS.

The Belgian Yeti is really good, but not inoculated with Brett. Just fermented with a Belgian yeast.

And the Bourbon Barrel from O'dells is indeed really tasty.

 

[Dawas]

if you can find wake up dead from left hand, it's awesome. Actually my favorite ris.

ditto!

 

[mikeysab]

Stone is probably my favorite. Alesmith speedway is mighty fine, ten fidy kicks butt. Blue point sour cherry is also incredible. Southern tier creme brulee, and choklat, and Great Divide chocolate oak aged yeti kick ass as well. I didn't even drink stouts 3 years ago, now RIS is one of my favorite styles

 

[XSnXS]

The RIS I have always used to measure all others in Ryan O'Sullivan's RIS (Moylan's Brewery in the Bay Area). I am a big fan of Old Rasp but I have found that it changes rather dramatically from batch to batch - similar to DFHs Palo Santo - some batches are outstanding and others I could do without. Black Cauldron by Grand Teton Brewery is good as well - but a little over the top in my opinion (though ABV is only 8%) it is big-thick-dark fruit city in that bottle. But I am hopeful that the best RIS I have ever tasted is the one in my carboy right now - zooming past 10% on its way to 15% and 6 months under the airlock.

 

[Rehlgood]

Courage, Yeti Espresso Oak, Stone, Founders, Old Rasputin, Sweatwater Happy Ending.

 

[Schemy]

I love a good RIS. I can't say I like any one over the rest. But here a few of my favorites.

Avery Czar
Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
Great Divide Yeti (Whole Series)
Nebraska Brewing Co. Black Betty
Goose Island Bourbon County (Whole Series)
Wyerbacher Heresy
Odell Bourbon Barrel Stout
Deschutes Abyss

I imagine if I thought a little more there would be some other to add to the list. I'm going to have to go into the cellar and pick out a little something for tonight.