YOUR Top 5 Imperial Stouts!

[shuggy]

In no particular order:

Founders - Canadian Breakfast Stout
The Bruery - Black Tuesday
Deschutes - The Abyss
Three Floyds - Dark Lord
Portsmouth - Kate the Great

 

[juslod]

Right on, man! The Old Heathen is a good beer, no doubt. It is, however, not nearly as large as most of the beers on this list. I'd say if I did a top 15, Old Heathen would make the list.

Definitely get into Imperial Stouts. I was once the same as you, not a fan of stouts or porters. Keep drinking! Cheers!

Yeah, I live in Delaware and it is made in PA so I wasn't sure how far they distribute it. It is the first one that I recall that really had me wanting a second.

Tonight I am going to a local store to pick out some single bottles of Imperial Stouts, this list helped me out a ton

 

[Myrdhyn]

Rasputin
Rasputin
Rasputin
Rasputin
Rasputin


To me, that is THE Imperial Stout by which all others are measured.

Doesn't need coffee, bourbon, oak, etc to be awesome.

This.

Though admittedly I haven't tried a TON of Imp. Stouts....still...This.

 

[lazerwolf]

Yeah, I live in Delaware and it is made in PA so I wasn't sure how far they distribute it. It is the first one that I recall that really had me wanting a second.

Tonight I am going to a local store to pick out some single bottles of Imperial Stouts, this list helped me out a ton

Weyerbacher's Heresy is another good RIS. They take the Old Heathen recipe and age it in oak (or bourbon) barrels

 

[Howie]

What I find funny here is that the majority of people are picking Imperial Stouts with "extras"

Coffee/espresso
bourbon
oak
etc. . .


Those are "specialty beers." How about a great true Imperial Stout?

I recently had Old Rasputin on nitro and didn't particularly enjoy it. The nitro/lack of C02 threw off the balance and made it seem too sweet.

 

[jfr1111]

What I find funny here is that the majority of people are picking Imperial Stouts with "extras"

Coffee/espresso
bourbon
oak
etc. . .


Those are "specialty beers." How about a great true Imperial Stout?

I recently had Old Rasputin on nitro and didn't particularly enjoy it. The nitro/lack of C02 threw off the balance and made it seem too sweet.

Or how about we don't care if it tastes good is within rough distance of the style guidelines ?

 

[LongDukDong]

That's the only reason I've never tried it.

Not sure if i'd go out of my way to buy it again since the cost of 3 4pks is roughly the same price, but that damn bottle stared at me for months on end before i decided to put in my basket. It does have some subtle differences but nothing that really separates itself from the original recipe IMO.

I'd say treat yourself to a bottle for Xmas!

 

[jturb]

Founders Breakfast Stout
Peche Mortel
Rasputin (not as good but a great value)

If you love RIS and have not had either of the first two, do yourself a favor and give them a try!!

 

[weirdboy]

KBS & Breakfast Stout
Beer Geek Breakfast
Hitachino Espresso Stout
Empire Strikes Black
Speedway Stout

Not a fan of Yeti...there is some flavor in there that really bothers me.

 

[rooter]

NCB Old Rasputin, and
Deschutes Abyss

Stone; some success, but no real distinction. Certainly looking forward to Dark Lord and hope it isn't all hype.

 

[SkinnyShamrock]

Funny this thread should come up...my friends and I just held an "Imperial Stout Throwdown" where we all brought different stouts and tried them all side-by-side. We did this with barleywines too...both ended rather drunkenly.

My top 5:
1. Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout
2. Bell's Expedition
3. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
4. Victory Storm King
5. Peche Mortel

And speaking of Founder's CBS, the Sunday after the Steel City Big Pour at Fat Heads earlier this year, Founder's had a keg of CBS, a local Belgian cafe made awesome waffles, and they had bottles of the maple syrup (Blis maple syrup, $30 a bottle) that occupies the barrels before CBS does. It might have been the best meal I've ever had.

 

[juslod]

Weyerbacher's Heresy is another good RIS. They take the Old Heathen recipe and age it in oak (or bourbon) barrels

That sounds like it could be good, I will have to keep an eye out for that!

 

[JustinBeer]

Any imperial stout!

 

[KCErnest]

Stouts are my bread and butter.

1. founder breakfast
2. founders kbs
3. brooklyn black chochalate(on cask at capital ale house Richmond)
4. Shakespear, Rogue
5. Oak Aged Yeti, great divide

Mind you I've had; Heresy, Ten-Fiddy, Dragons Milk .... all to syrupy sweet for me.
I haven't had dark lord.... which I really want.

Old Rasputin would be my #6

 

[rico567]

I've had a few Imperial stouts, not all that many. But Founder's Breakfast Stout kept returning to the top of the heap, so I brewed the clone in the Recipes / Stouts section. All you stout lovers: you will NOT be disappointed.

 

[126njonas]

1. Old rasputin
2. Oharav by George Town Brewer
3. Dogfishe Head World Wide Stout
4. Yeti
5. Bells Expedition

 

[BryceL]

1. Deschutes Abyss
2. AleSmith Speedway Stout
3. Avery Uncle Jacobs
4. Yeti
5. Can't decide beyond my top 4

 

[calebgk]

Well, four year break in this thread, but I'll still play. and With Canadian brews, no less.

1. Grand River Russian Gun
2. Amsterdam Tempest
3. Wellington Brewery's IS
4. Nicklebrook Bolshevik Bastard
And while I didn't overly care for Sawdust City Long Dark Voyage to Uranus, I did enjoy the name, for I believe that is what every beer is.

 

[dpatrickv]

6. Surly Darkness
5. KBS/Bells Expedition/Speedway Stout
4. Mikeller Black Hole Barrel Aged White Wine
3. Port Brewing Older Viscosity
2. 2011 Bourbon County Coffee Stout
1. 2009 Dogfish Head World Wide Stout