Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co.

Name: Old Rasputin

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Origin: California

Bottle: 12 oz

ABV: 9%

Appearance: The shade of brown closest to black, with a thin but fittingly dark tan cap of foam on top. The penlight I had was unable to illuminate it. I’m tempted to use the words ‘rich Corinthian leather’.

Pours: Like a languid, lazy river. It knows its not here for you, you are here for it.

Smell: smokiness and brown sugar

Taste: First sip elicited an “Oh!” Out of me. It’s pretty close in scent to how it -Stellan! Get your damn paw off of my glass!- ~ahem~ how it tastes. I’m also getting something that brings to mind savory herbs like, well, Savory. Some Gustav Mahler or some 70s album rock from Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath could be potential accompaniments.

Mouthfeel: buttery smooth with just enough harshness to make it interesting and enticing you for that next sip. They definitely didn’t skip on the lactose sugars on this one.

Rating: 9.48 This glass is finishing all too quickly not because of inebriation affecting my judgment but because I want more and I’m looking with wistful regret as the level in my mug goes down.

Note: Speaking of Savory, adding some and Rosemary to a Russian Imperial Stout (I used a 750 of Sprecher Czar) then reducing it until it coats a spoon makes a wonderful sauce for a beef, bell pepper, broccoli and onions stirfry. Now if I could only figure out how not to over sauté it into a mush.