Iron Hill Russian Imperial Stout

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

I had high hopes for this and I was let down. It started out on a high point with a lot of blackness. The aroma was a bit of a let down. There was roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, and some licorice but there were sofe off smells as well. The taste wasn't as strong and full as I was hoping for. Same with the feel, slightly thin for an Impy Stout.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

I had this one sitting in my cellar and thought it was about time I gave it a try. Good thing I did because I was missing out on a very good beer. This beer is a black viscous pour with a creamy 1" tan head. The aroma was roasted malt, chocolate, molasses, and alcohol. The flavour is well balanced between the roasted sweetness of the malt, the bitterness of the chocolate, and some slight tartness I couldn't place - but worked well within the beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

This is one tasy beer! One of the best Imperial Stouts I've had. It's pretty darn close to being black, which scared off the people that sat near me at the bar, but it was their loss.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

A hand bottling is poured carefully (to preserve carbonation) and summons up a thin dusting of a brownish tan colored head. The beer is quite black in appearance, but showed a chocolate brown hue as I was pouring it. Rich chocolate aromatics are quite evident and they are backed by a substantial toasted malt note, with lots of darkly toasted whole grain bread aromas, a touch of coffee notes . Thankfully this is lacking in the sharp, acrid acidity often found in this style of beer, though there is a touch of roast derived tartness here. A dark fruitiness is also evident with notes of burnt cherries, blackened prunes, roast raisins and even a bit of brandy-like notes when the alcohol is noticeable.

Soft and creamy feeling up front, but it picks up a nice level of carbonation. The carbonation provides a carbonic bite and a bit more texture to the brew and is at just about the perfect level for an Imperial Stout. Huge flavors of toasted malt are found here. It is interesting that the dark, roasted grain notes are not the main think I notice, instead the toasted malt flavors play the leading role with the roast / burnt malt notes adding some sharpness up front and in the finish. A slight roast acidity in the finish and a bitter, burnt-grain flavor at the fore provide an offset / balance to the toasted, darkly sweet, chocolate rich malt middle that is found in this brew. A slight, burnt vegetal note is found in the finish (something I have been noticing more lately in heavily roasted beers). Hops play a minimal role here, but do contribute to a substantial bitterness as does a dark-roast-coffee note.

This is a good beer and it would be great if not for that nagging, burnt-vegetal note in the finish (something a bit like burnt cabbage). The long, lingering finish of this beer tends to get quite roasted / burnt, though in a flavorful way (especially once it shakes the vegetal note).

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

KSBF07. To better rate i need a full glass of this one. but best i have had of Iron hill. Motor oil black with smalle tan head. Aroma was of roasted chocolate and hops. Flavor was a good blend of smoke roast chocolate and a hop finish to it.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Pours black with a thin dark tan head. Aroma is sweet cocoa, milk duds, espresso, juicy pine resin, and spicy rum. Flavor starts sweet milk chocolate, espresso, dries out a bit with burnt coffee and a strong pine bitterness. Finishes a bit hot, some rum like qualities, some vanilla, pine, and anise seed. Nice chewy and smooth mouthfeel, almost slick due to low carbonation. Tasty beer.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Wow, this one was beautiful upon arrival, nice concave up crown on a somewhat thick and dense head. The lacing left behind very nice rings around the glass, showing each sip's consumption. Near black coloring with slight brown edges. The aroma was initially bittered coffee and light hops, no alcohol. The flavor was also initially fantastic, a roasted and bitter-sweet coffee at the front with a perfect hop finish (wow, I could easily taste this sucker, as it was not served at near-freezing temps in Newark). As it further warmed, the chocolate came out a bit, although not as strongly as the coffee. A very nice balance of rich malt base and alcohol (not very prominent in the flavor) with bitter malts and some unoffensive (light pine-like or resinous) hops. Mouthfeel was thick and somewhat oily. This must be the best Iron Hill brew I've had to date.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

One of these during lunch break was enough to kill my afternoon productivity. I have been wanting to try this for years and was finally in the right place at the right time. A small, dark brown head on a black beer. Great sweetness and bitterness in the end, hints of chocolate. Full body and no alcohol presence. I could drink this one all winter.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

I had the Iron Hill Russian Imperial Stout at the Kennett Square Brewfest. It poured a dark black body with a small tan head. It had a nice roasted flavor with tastes of chocolate, coffee, and roasted. An excellent brew that is worth trying if you can find it.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

May 2005 - I wasn’t as thrilled with this as the other few reviews. Poured dark, dark brown (just about black) with a small head that dissipated quickly and some lacing. Maybe it was my allergies, but I didn’t smell much or taste the subleties listed in other reviews. Taste was dark roasted malt and a strong alcohol taste that wasn’t all that well masked. Bitter/sour...I dunno, I just wasn’t crazy about it...worth a try once, but probably won’t go back to it again. Update Jan. 2009 - Roasty and silky smooth with notes of chocolate. Not wow'ing or overly complex, but still pretty good.