Beer Review: 2009 Oak Aged Imperial Stout – Left Hand Brewing Co
Jul0
A damn fine beer! Photo by - Jana
Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: 10.2%
Type of brew: Imperial Stout
Price: $7
I love all types of beers but I would have to say good stouts and IPAs tend to be my favorites. Which means I have been looking forward to reviewing this beer for the week or two it has been in my fridge. On first taste of this beer it is readily apparent that it is barrel-aged because it is smooth like silk and is a bit sweeter than normal stouts. The nice thing about it though is that it isn’t crazy sweet, when trying barrel-aged stouts it is always a gamble and sometimes you get a beer that is so sweet you might wonder if you are drinking straight high-fructose corn syrup. However, it appears Left Hand brewing has decided to get the perfect combination for an oak aged stout; it is sweet with a slight taste of malts and dangerously easy to drink. I have to say that this stout has topped all of the other oak-aged stouts I have had to date. As most stouts this beer is black but what else would you expect? If someone gave you an amber “stout” you would laugh at them and ask them for whatever they have been drinking 
.
On a side note all of the beers I have had from Left Hand Brewing have been enjoyable, so, if you are ever faced with a bunch of beers that you know shit about and Left Hand is in their maybe you should choose them. Also, they have one of the best brewery site designs I have seen to date.
The good: super easy to drink and a delicious taste
The bad: It could be too sweet for some people and it only comes in 22 ounce bottles
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Beer Review: Old Rasputin – North Coast Brewing Co.
Jun0
A beer made by ZZ-Top's predecessor
I sure do love a good imperial stout, so, when my Uncle suggested that Old Rasputin is a great Russian imperial stout I just had to try it. Before I get to the bulk here are the pertinent stats.
Amount of brew in bottle: 12 fluid ounces
ABV: 9%
Type of brew: Russian Imperial Stout
Price: $5
When my fiancée tried this beer she said “if you don’t finish this beer I will.” But I don’t think she will get a chance . The beer is pretty darn good it is a bit fuzzier than I normally like my stouts but it is not like drinking a soda. There is a slightly sweet initial taste that becomes a little bitter. This beer isn’t as thick as other imperial stouts I have had but it is definitely no pilsner. It is a very easy to drink beer, I can’t say that it is better than the other imperial russian stouts I have had but it is a contender. As with most of these beers you need a very flavorful food to match with it or you can just enjoy the beer by itself. One thing I noticed is that as the beer got warmer it was sweeter and less bitter. Overall I am glad I have had this beer but I don’t know if I would buy it again, I would be interested to see how it tasted coming from a keg (or cask).
The good: Great example of a Russian Imperial Stout that you can get in most grocery stores
The bad: A bit strong to have on an empty stomach or if you don’t like sweet beers
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Beer Review: Great Divide Brewing Co. – Espresso Oak Aged Yeti
Mar0
This is one hairy mutha
The Espresso Oak Aged Yeti claims to be a good food pairing for breakfast burritos, eggs Benedict, hash browns, cheesecake and creme brulee. I am not sure if I could ever come to drinking beer in the morning but I can see how this beer would wake anyone up. It has a strong taste, the taste is good but is not subtle. Here are some pertinent stats:
Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: 9.5%
Type of brew: Imperial Stout
Price: $12
This beer is dark, intense and not super smooth or sweet like you find with many wood-aged beers. The taste of the espresso comes through quite clearly and adds to the bitterness. Although the hops and malts finish off the taste. Like all of the other imperial stouts I have had this is not a fast drinking beer, especially from the intensity of the flavor I would get my ass kicked to the floor chugging this beast. It appears that this beer is coming out slowly and in small batches. When my fiance went to grab this beer for me (ain’t she great!) there was only one case left in the store and they had not even brought it out yet. Thankfully we got a bottle to try as I could see drinking this beer often. Although for the price of this beer you could buy a 6-pack of oak-aged arrogant bastard which is one of the more expensive 6-packs you can find in a grocery store making it the only major downside to this beer.
The good: great tasting beer, awesome label, kickstarts you if you are at all tired
The bad: the price and limited stock
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