North Coast Brewing – Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin XVI
A Russian Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels
Beer Name: Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin XVI
Brewery: North Coast Brewing (Fort Bragg, CA)
Beer Style: Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.3%
IBUs: n/a
Size: 500 ml. bottle
Beer Advocate: 96
RateBeer: 100
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
Seems hard to believe that we’ve been making Old Rasputin for 10 years now, but that’s what’s happened. And, to celebrate the occasion, we’ve brewed a special small batch that’s been aged for 9 months in some 12 year-old bourbon barrels. It’s bottled in 500 ml bottles with a cork and wired finish and a special commemorative label —- and it’s amazing. The depth, intensity and complexity of the flavor profile make it a worthy tribute to this fine beer.
APPEARANCE:
Motor oil dark. Looks like heaven to me.
AROMA:
Intense coffee and bourbon aromas arising out of this. Some cocoa and roasted malts too. I would wear this smell as a cologne if they had it.
TASTE:
Just an assault on your taste buds. Nice an smooth up front, then some nice bourbon burn at the end. Just a fantastically balanced beer, especially for it being more than 11%. This beer drank entirely too easy for its strength. I get some chocolate/cocoa notes, along with coffee and of course the bourbon. Along with the boozy bourbon flavors I get really nice sugar notes that come off of the barrel during the aging process.
OVERALL:
Honestly the only weakness that this beer has is its price point. More than $20 for a 500 ml. bottle is a little pricey for me. Other than that I cannot find a single flaw in it. Complex, with a ton of different flavors and aromas. Everything worked amazingly well together and the barrel aging process just improved an already amazing beer.
RATING:
5 out of 5
World class beer with a high pricepoint
Original Tasting Notes:
This beer was pricey, I hope it’s as good as my hopes for it are. Oh damn, smell this!? Holy crap this smells like heaven… hurry up and pour it. (After pour) — god damn, seriously so dark. (First sip) Well then, that is how you make a perfect barrel aged RIS.
Until the next beer:
Beer God
