Stone Imperial Russian Stout

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Rated Nov. 2006. On Tap @ O’Brien’s. Evil dark look with no head. Light aroma of mostly vanilla. Excellent flavor of rich roasted malts, molasses, vanilla, chocolate malts and caramel. Even and smooth. Awesome beer.

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

This is the first beer by Stone I've drank that I liked. It's was very interesting because of the tea being blended into it. I enjoyed the taste, mouthfeel and aroma. Good beer for a low cost.

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

Bottled on 3/22/13. Pours pitch black with a one finger brown head that lofts for a bit. Looks carbonated but can't tell for sure because of the dark body. Aroma is bitter with strong hints of black coffee, dark chocolate, and licorice. Taste is very strong. Hints of bitter coffee, dark chocolate, brewers licorice, and plums/prunes. Back end has a noticeable metallic taste to it which can be a little annoying. Creamy body. If it wasn't for the metallic feeling it would bet much higher on my rating. To me the espresso aged version is much better.

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

2013 classic release at Total Wine in Vegas. Pours a real dark brown colour with a big frothy light brown head, great retention and lots of dirty lace, kind of soapy. Big molasses aromas at first, with some chocolate notes that eventually show up to balance things. Hints of vanilla too. Very smooth and silky medium-heavy mouthfeel with just a touch of dryness in the finish. The molasses are a little milder in the taste, with cocoa, vanilla, roasted malts and good hops creating well-blended bitterness. One of the easiest drinking Impy stout I have tried.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Great way to start a five day break. Pours a very dark brown with a bubbly brown head which dissipates quickly. No lacing. Roasted malts, dark chocolate and alcohol aroma. The flavour is huge and delicious. Roasted malts, burnt coffee, dark chocolate, licorice, smoke and alcohol. Full bodied and creamy. That’s the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time.Love to find this on draught

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

I picked this up for New Years Eve 2010. I cannot believe I have rated over 500 beers and yet this legend of a beer had escaped me for so long. It's tragic really as this beer was amazing. Very nice head (thick tan), good retention, malty, chocolaty, full bodied, and an aroma that tracked the flavor. Inasmuch as stouts are one of my favorite beers, I am disappointed that I only just taken the opportunity to enjoy it. I will ABSOLUTELY have this again and soon.

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

Has a rich, smoky, roast-coffee aroma with a nutty hint and just a touch of molasses. Pours a deep, opaque sable, just a shade this side of black with a thick, fine-bubbled tan head that sticks around. Flavor does not disappoint - thick, smoky, tones of malt and unsweet chocolate, ribbon of hop bitterness, nutty and coffee hints, with a satisfyingly bitter finish. It fairly dances on the tongue and on its way down the pipes.

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

This beer is BLACK!!!! Looks like motor oil. No light showing through even when held toward a light source. Tan colored, creamy, smooth head with a very nice size and real nice retention. Some good lacing too. Settled to a small bubbled film. Medium robustness of coffee and dark chocolate in the nose. Roasty and toasty. Not burnt I didn't think. Some dark raisin, but not real strong. A bit of smoke. Chocolate comes through more as it warms. Well balanced. Very rich dark chocolate in the taste. A forceful tone of alcohol that was somehow not overpowering. Roasted, almost burnt coffee grounds. A bit of licorice. A touch of warmth. Dark chocolate covered raisins. More rich and robust than the smell. Nice medium bitterness. Thick, full mouthfeel. Smooth, slick, oily. Dry. Covers the palate very well. Chewy. A bit of warmth is left on the palate. A slight "bite" of alcohol. Actually a little bit of a burn. Another great brew from Stone. It's extemely thick, so this may not be the best choice for hot weather. Personally, I like it. Very good in all categories. Beautiful appearance and mouthfeel and very solid with the aroma and flavor. Flavors and aromas settled a bit after it warmed. Still well balanced and more than adequate for the style. I picked up an extra bottle to cellar.

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

A lovingly brutal beer! Pours dark as sin, with a scathingly complex flavor balance of malt, hops, and toast. An appropriate sweetness helps to belay 10.5 ABV. Not your everyday beer, but if your in for some pleasant self flagellation grab a bottle.

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

If you are a red wine lover this beer is for you. Extemely strong nose of malt and red wine with a very clean mouthfeel that finishes with tannins. The taste is very light, almost not there but finishes with strong tobacco. The finish is warm and well hidden alcohol. This is a unique beer and not at all indicative of an Impy, this beer is a style all it's own.