I got a private message from a forum member about this recipe. I got curious, since I hadn't cracked a bottle of it open since last year.
I'm basically taking notes right here in this window, while sampling it.
I don't think that I've ever been this patient with a beer. I was worried it wouldn't carbonate back in November of last year.
However, I finally cracked one open just now and heard a very encouraging "hisssss". I poured it into my glass and did get a thin tan head. It is carbonating! Woooohoooooo...
The one I cracked open was room temperature, so it should have even more carbonation when cold. The head lasts for about a minute or two. I swirled it around in the glass and the head comes right back easily. With about 4 or 5 swirls I had a good 1/2" head on the beer and it stays there for about 3 or 4 minutes, dissipating slowly over that time. The head doesn't go completely away, even if I let it sit for 10 minutes.
There is a bourbony aroma and flavor to it. But it isn't a hot alcohol flavor or aroma. More like a slightly bitter dark chocolate truffle aroma and flavor. It is a very heavy bodied beer, but that is to be expected from such a huge Russian Imperial Stout. The alcohol can be tasted on the back of the tongue and the back of the roof of the mouth.
There is no mistaking this for anything other than what it is. It's a huge 16.5% ABV beer and it isn't one that sneeks up on you like some other bigger beers do. You know it's big with the first hint of the aroma. I've put two pints of bourbon in other Russian Imperial Stouts and got the hint of the bourbon in the flavor and aroma. This beer has the same level of bourbon aroma and flavor, without having any bourbon in it.
It is definitely a sipper. When I share it with friends, it will one that I split a 12 ounce bottle three ways in little brandy snifters.
My critique:
Aroma: Roasty, malty, dark fruits (plums, prunes, raisiny), alcoholic. Bourbon is definitely present in the aroma. There's a hint of coffee aroma and definitely a lot of bitter chocolate. I'm trying to detect some hop aroma, but even at over 84 IBU's, I'm having trouble detecting any. Although, the bitter chocolate aromas might be a blend of the hops and chocolate. There is even a wine type aroma going on. I drink wine quite often and it reminds me of an "Old Vine Zinfadel" aroma hiding in there. it's even in the flavor. A dark red wine character to it.
Flavor: The flavor is very similar to the aroma. The truffel comes out in the flavor though, but not so much in the aroma. The flavor is alcoholic, but not so much that you don't want more. Bitter dark chocolately bourbon truffle flavor, with plums, prunes, raisins and cherries. The cherry isn't in the aroma, but it is in the flavor. The flavor is very rich! It's like that sinful piece of chocolate cake, but not overly sweet. But just sweet enough to make you want another sip. You keep sipping until it's gone though. It should age well. I expect the flavors to mellow and blend with time. It will be interesting to taste how it changes over time. This one should age well for many years!
Appearance: Dark chocolate brown color. Not black. It's definitely has some tootsie roll color to it, but much darker and deeper. Nearly opaque without being black. Some orangish hue when looking through a thin layer of it in the glass. It definitely has legs when swirled with a good tan head that lingers a little bit.
Mouthfeel: Very full bodied and velvety. The carbonation is low to moderate at this time, but may develop more as it ages. It's actually very chewy.
I will be entering it into some competitions over the years and see how it does as it ages.