Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin: Bourbon
(has 15 batches)
North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg, California, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Rotating|
Score
8.14
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Every year we age a special batch of our much-loved Russian Imperial Stout in Whiskey barrels. The depth, intensity, and complexity of the flavor profile of this special release, like its predecessors, make it a worthy tribute to Old Rasputin.
Prior to 2010, Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin was released in such limited quantities that it was available only at the North Coast Brewing retail shop in Fort Bragg, California. However, we received so many requests for this beer that we began producing enough Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin to put into broader, but still limited, distribution.
Brewmaster’s Tasting Notes
This beer pours jet black with a comforting layer of toffee-colored foam. Warm, sweet ethanol rises from the glass carrying roasted notes of bourbon, vanilla, and cocoa. The bourbon character from the barrel-aging gives the beer a full-bodied creaminess and a warm, tingling heat.
Prior to 2010, Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin was released in such limited quantities that it was available only at the North Coast Brewing retail shop in Fort Bragg, California. However, we received so many requests for this beer that we began producing enough Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin to put into broader, but still limited, distribution.
Brewmaster’s Tasting Notes
This beer pours jet black with a comforting layer of toffee-colored foam. Warm, sweet ethanol rises from the glass carrying roasted notes of bourbon, vanilla, and cocoa. The bourbon character from the barrel-aging gives the beer a full-bodied creaminess and a warm, tingling heat.
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8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 8
Vintage XV. Not much head at this point. Aroma is still a strong bourbon presence with light bitter sweet chocolate, some light roasted old coffee bean.
Flavor has a trace of dark fruit up front followed by mild dark chocolate with oak, bourbon and a sugar raisin finish. The sip displays a light warming sensation after the swallow that even at this age reminds me it is a serious stout. The actual alcohol favor is pretty much hidden. Mild secondary oak hints. The body is a tad thinner then I was wanting or expecting. I would never call it watery ( because of the great bourbon presence ) but nowhere near the fullness I have gotten in others of the BBA stouts. Still really exceptional, don’t misinterpret any of this. I just held on to this maybe a year to long.
Flavor has a trace of dark fruit up front followed by mild dark chocolate with oak, bourbon and a sugar raisin finish. The sip displays a light warming sensation after the swallow that even at this age reminds me it is a serious stout. The actual alcohol favor is pretty much hidden. Mild secondary oak hints. The body is a tad thinner then I was wanting or expecting. I would never call it watery ( because of the great bourbon presence ) but nowhere near the fullness I have gotten in others of the BBA stouts. Still really exceptional, don’t misinterpret any of this. I just held on to this maybe a year to long.
Tried
on 16 Feb 2015
at 00:07
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle - XVI - Boozy chocolate, marzipan, vanilla and a ton of bourbon notes. Deep jet brown with a rich light brown head. Chocolate, coconut, vanilla and light bourbon notes. Thankfully not nearly as strong as the nose
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Feb 2015
at 23:19
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 10
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Poured from a bottle it is a dark brown color with a slight head. The aroma is coffee and boozey. The taste is strong boozey taste that lingers fruity on the palate. And leaves a chocolate after yaste
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Dec 2014
at 21:14
7.9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
500 ml bottle. XVII vintage, 12.1% Pours black with moderate retentive head. Aromas of bourbon, old wood, licorice, and nutty mocha. Flavors follow same but with noticeable alcohol that really thins the body. Highly carbonated. Bourbon flavor is pretty well balanced but would have been much better if more subtle allowing the basic Rasputin flavors to come through. Very nice but somewhat over-rated for the delivery and the price.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Dec 2014
at 21:07
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Brown bottle, 500 ml, XIV, from and with Stephen Morris (thank you!), savoured on July 5 2014; eye: black, opaque, tiny ring of beige head, light lacing; nose: roasted barley, burnt barley, light Madeira, lightly stale, ink, anise; mouth: roasted barley, burnt barley, light Madeira, lightly stale, ink, anise, resinous hops, finale in roasted barley with presence of ink, below-average carbonation, mildly bitter, silky texture; overall: fine FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 500 ml, XIV, de et avec Stephen Morris (thank you!), savourée le 5 juillet 2014; œil : noire, opaque, petite anneau de mousse beige, légère dentelle; nez : orge torréfiée, orge brûlée, léger madère, légèrement éventée, encre, anis; bouche : orge torréfiée, orge brûlée, léger madère, légèrement éventée, encre, anis, houblon résineux, finale en orge torréfiée avec présence d’encre, corsée, carbonatation sous la moyenne, moyennement amère, texture soyeuse; en résumé : bien
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Oct 2014
at 13:51
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
500 ml bottle into snifter, bottled in late 2013. Pours fairly pitch black color with a 2 finger dense and rocky tan head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, dark bread, vanilla, toast, toffee, bourbon, oak, light raisin/plum, and roast/oaky earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel notes; with good strength. Taste of big milk chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, vanilla, toffee, toast, bourbon, oak, dark bread, light raisin/plum, and roast/oaky earthiness. Light roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roast, vanilla, toffee, toast, bourbon, oak, dark bread, light raisin/plum, and roast/oaky earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel flavors; with a great malt/barrel balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and full bodied; with a very creamy, smooth, and lightly slick mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is well hidden with only a light warming present after the finish. Overall this is an awesome barrel aged imperial stout. All around great complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the big ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Jul 2014
at 18:19
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 7.5
Bottle at the Hanshin Seed Event version XV or XVI. Crazy thick brown head. Maple, oak, tannic & complex nose. The mouthfeel is smooth & soft. Wow. The taste is vanilla, oak, chocolate, whiskey/bourbon, complex - a big cut above the regular Rasputin.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jul 2014
at 05:49
9.1/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
Bottle pour. Loose tan head. All bourbon in the aroma. This is an incredible stout. A lot of bourbon flavor, but not intense enough to take away from the drinkability. Dark chocolate flavor, and finishes with a roasted espresso. Very smooth for the ABV. This beer stands out. Absolutely loved it.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Apr 2014
at 19:40
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
I definitely prefer the non-barrel aged version of this. Barrel is a little too heavy and takes over the rest of the taste. Pours black, syrupy looking and thick with some mocha head and lacing. Finishes bitter and woody. Chocolate, some roast. Thick, creamy and slightly syrupy palate. Bottle.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Apr 2014
at 09:39