Stone Espresso Imperial Russian Stout

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

This is everything you love about the regular RIS with the added boon of espresso. Rich, dark, espresso perfectly blended into the motor oil bliss of Stone's Imperial Russian Stout. DIVINE.

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

Pours pitch black with no head to even think of. Aroma is extremely strong of coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Taste has a big malty opening and then settles to the dark chocolate and espresso dryness in the back. Booze is definitely there so this one will warm your ass up. Actually not much of an aftertaste, just a dryness in the back of your mouth. Very nice stout.

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

Big imp with lots of coffee in the nose and maybe just a hint of hot pepper? A lot of soy in the nose and flavor, the mouthfeel is a bit stinging with too much carbonation for my taste. The roasted malts dominate with an almost burnt note that is well complimented by the coffee.

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

Ooops. Forgot to rate this one. Had half a glass on tap, but wanted to wait for a bomber. Had the bomber, but apparently didn't get to it. Had head to head with a slightly older Espresso Yeti, and it was close. Yeti, with it's batch variance, can be among my very favorite elites, or simply good. This batch was nice, but not the best I've had, and Stone beat it. Aroma was even, Stone ahead on all other counts. Such a smooth beer for the abv. The coffee in the aroma and flavor add to the complexity rather than covering up the dark fruit, roasted and chocolate malt and light anise already in there. A very very solid effort from Stone, and at a good price. Sidebar: I liked the Espresso better than the base 2013 beer, though other vintages of that beer have been better, hence the higher score for the classic IRS.

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

Pours a dense pitch black body with a small tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap. Some light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of dark chocolate, roasted espresso, malt, cocoa, toast, light vanilla, earth and some lightly noticeable hops. Taste of dark chocolate, roasted espresso, and malt, light vanilla, and roasted earthiness. Fair amount of earthy coffee bitterness on the finish. Nice balance and complexity of roasted espresso and hop bitterness. Medium carbonation and very full bodied; with a very creamy and slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice imperial stout as expected.

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

Most impressive odd year offering. BIG quality coffee influence throughout their classic massive imperial stout. Chewy, viscous and full of dark goodness. Motor oil body with a hefty brown head and ample lacing. Strong aroma and an even stronger malt profile. Full bodied, worthy of sharing. Great job Stone.

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

22 oz bottle. Pours dark brown black with a medium creamy brown head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is lots of roasted coffee with some sweet vanilla.

The flavor is sweet malts, roasted coffee and some anise with a big roast bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low smooth carbonation.

Overall, very nice. The coffee is not overdone, and balances the bitterness.