Imperial Russian Stout-- Stone Brewing Co's 2009 strong stout is right on!

April 11, 10:46 AMSouthern California Craft Beer ExaminerOwen Smigelski

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On April 6, 2009, Stone Brewing Co. unleashed the 2009 version of the Stone Imperial Russian Stout. Stone is known for their strong tasting beers, and their annual release is no exception.

This is one exceptional bold beer.  When poured, it has a very strong aroma, which has an almost smoked/burned espresso flavor.  It's a very pleasant smell, like very darkly roasted coffee beans.  This just whets your appetite, and you barely pause to look at how thick the beer is in the glass (and lets no light through)-- you just want to taste this one.

The first impression of this beer is that it is really thick and viscous.  Quite clearly a liquid beer, it hints of syrupy thickness.  This means that the taste of the beer sticks in your mouth, and you can enjoy the taste quite well. 

The Stone Russian Imperial Stout has a very complex taste.  Coffee flavors are in the forefront, but one can taste a jumble of different flavors that keep popping up. There are many hints such as black currant and anise, and a few others I could identify fleetingly.  There are a lot of hops in this beer (90+ IBUs) and some good alcohol to match (10.5% ABV), and it's clear that this is a beer that will mature well.  As it ages, it will likely let the different taste notes shine through and sing their own tune.  

One note is that the Imperial Russian Stout has what can be perceived as having a low carbonation level.  I checked with Stone Brewing Co. on this, and it is the thickness of the beer that masks the level of carbonation. 

The carbonation in this year's Stone Imperial Russian Stout was the same as it always is (around 2.4-2.5 volumes) which is on the low side of average for American ales.  Lighter bodied beers always seem more bubbly to me, even though they contain the exact same volume of carbon dioxide. I don't know whether viscosity affects the mechanics of effervescence, or simply our perception of it, but the thicker, sweeter beers always come across as being smoother.

- Matt Steirnagle, Brewery Tours at Stone Brewing Co.

Stone's 2009 Imperial Russian Stout is available now in stores in 22 oz. bottles, and if you're lucky, on tap in limited areas. This is a limited release, so enjoy now-- or you'll have to wait until 2010! This one is well worth it, so enjoy!

Cheers,

Owen