The Espresso version of Stone’s Imperial Russian Stout is part of their odd beer for odd years series where they put a unique spin on their seasonal beers. This is obviously a riff on their already stellar Imperial Russian Stout where they introduce some Espresso into the mix. The Espresso IRS takes that beer and kicks it up to a completely new level. The beer poured an opaque dark brown to black with little to no tan head. The aroma held coffee with the strong IRS notes of dark chocolate and even some dark fruits as well. The taste was perfect with just enough espresso to compliment the IRS while not overpowering it. The strong bitter espresso played off the Stone IRS flavors of chocolate, dark roasted bitterness and a hint of anise. It was a beautiful symphony of deep dark Russian Stout flavors that kept rolling through crescendo after crescendo with every sip. The flavors left a lingering bitterness on my palate along with a subtle dark fruit sweetness. The Espresso Imperial Russian Stout was an exceptional beer and a perfect addition to the odd beer for odd years family. If only it would become a regular in Stone’s seasonal rotation!
No comments:
Post a Comment