Tailgating with Stone Imperial Russian Stout
There are certain things you expect at a Jimmy Buffett tailgate: limey beer, margaritas, tiki bars, men wearing coconut bikini tops, you know the deal. But, a bottle of great craft beer at a Buffett tailgate? No way!
Surprises come in all shapes and sizes. This time, it was a one-pint six-ounce bottle of Stone Imperial Russian Stout that my friend Mike had just cracked open. He’s a big fan of it and orders a case every year. After a couple sips, even out of a plastic cup on a ninety-degree afternoon, I can see why.
Of course, this really is a beer that’s too good to be consumed in the middle of parking lot, so thankfully he gave me a bottle for the road which I opened up last night. As a marketing guy, I loved the bottle and the description on the back was second only to Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Bastard Ale:
Stone Imperial Russian Stout is so thick, rich and, well, sinful, you might feel certain that you are to be doomed to the firry pits just for thinking about taking a sip. It almost seems evil. Rest assured, however, that our ever faithful gargoyle has done his job well by successfully warding off all evil spirits. In fact, we guarantee that no sin was committed in the production of this seemingly pernicious brew. We will admit that we used copious doses of decadence in creating the viscous beauty you have before you, but no actual sin… You’ll have to add that on your own.
Love it… Believe it or not, the beer really does live up to the hype. It was probably the heaviest-looking beers I’ve poured in quite some time, to the point where you’d almost think I was having a cup of black coffee. The label aptly describes it as pouring “like Siberian crude.”
The aroma was a great mix which I had a hard time putting my finger on. Imagine hints of coffee, wheat, caramel and alcohol mixed together with a handful of other malty scents.
The thing that really shocked me about this beer is the fact that it’s actually very drinkable, even though is boasts 10.8% abv. It tastes smooth and creamy with only a hint of alcohol in the mix. And, much like the aroma, the taste really is complex, so much so that I swear the beer tasted different as I continued drinking it. While the first few sips reminded me of brown sugar and molasses, I swear it tasted like a slightly bitter dark chocolate and caramel by the end of the glass.
Overall, I have to say that I really enjoyed this beer. After a long week of work, a 22oz bottle of Stone Imperial Russian Stout really hit the spot. And, while I wouldn’t recommend anything with this much alcohol for long-term tailgating, it’s a great beer that I’ll be looking forward to each Spring.
