Ivan The Terrible
Big Sky Brewing Company in Missoula, Montana, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Rotating|
Score
7.75
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Big Sky Brewing's Ivan the terrible Imperial Stout is brewed according to the traditional style using English hops and the finest American malt. It's aroma and flavor balance well between esters of dried fruit and roasted cocoa with a slight bourbon presence.
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6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Black color with small head. Aroma of roasted malt, also cardboard. Overattenuated, the body is quite thin, hence let it warm up a bit for better mouthfeel; roasted malt flavor with some chocolate and a touch of salty liquorice, and some alcohol perception.
Good beer, but simplistic Imperial Stout. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 18 Mar 2017 at 04:37 - Score: Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7. Original review text: Courtesy of Brian; vintage 2014, 11.5%, corked bottle 0005 of 3600
Black color, generous head, short retention. Aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, mild. Boozy body, light residual sweetness, some dark malts, light earthy touch in the final.
Good , nothing special, very boozy.
Good beer, but simplistic Imperial Stout. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 18 Mar 2017 at 04:37 - Score: Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7. Original review text: Courtesy of Brian; vintage 2014, 11.5%, corked bottle 0005 of 3600
Black color, generous head, short retention. Aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, mild. Boozy body, light residual sweetness, some dark malts, light earthy touch in the final.
Good , nothing special, very boozy.
Tried
on 24 Feb 2015
at 20:11
9/10
Tried
on 01 Feb 2015
at 15:24
7.4/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 6.5
Bottle: Pours black with a small beige head. Chocolate, dark fruit, licorice aroma. Taste is mild, chocolate malt, coffee roast, licorice, dark fruit/raisin... Light, herbal bittering. Very mild............... Heavy for a stout, light for an imperial...right on the border....tasty, though.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jan 2015
at 17:32
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle (courtesy of AirForceHops). Lightly smoky coffee, dark chocolate malt, and hay aroma. Black with minimal head. Sweet black coffee, dark chocolate, and lightly bitter herbal flavor. Light body for the style. Not bad but doesn’t stand out from the crowd by any means.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Jan 2015
at 18:29
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle. Dark brown color, topped with a thin tan head. The nose is smooth on this one... chocolate, espresso, light roast, and vanilla. Same translates to the taste. Very creamy and smooth. There is a nice resemblance to a mocha and moderate roast. Light bittersweet ending. Minimal hint of booze. It’s sort of laughable how easy this goes down... good thing it’s a 12oz bottle (not a 750) or I’d be done in fifteen minutes and on my ass. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 25 Feb 2009 at 23:28 - Score: Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5. Original review text: Bottle (#105/1152): Pours black with two fingers of creamy brown head. Aroma is sweet with notes of bourbon and a little dark fruit. Some roast and light vanilla. Flavor is rich in roastiness, yet retains a sweeter overall feel. Nice amount of bourbon and vanilla, coupled with some faded hops. A little bit of chocolate/mocha flavor too. Most of the flavor is up front; a tad thin on the backend. Still, very drinkable and very much a solid offering in the style.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Jan 2015
at 21:20
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
12 oz. bottle, pours jet black with a small tan head - looks great. Aroma brings out notes of roasted malt, cocoa, and a touch of coffee. Flavour is quite robust, with lots of roasted malt upfront, followed by a milky quality and some cocoa. Not the most complex impie stout, with a little boozy burn on the finish. Though it has a creamy mouthfeel that makes it very drinkable. Great stuff. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 29 Apr 2012 at 19:50 - Score: Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9. Original review text: Sampled Jan. 7, 2012. Sent from Glouglouburp (thanks Dany!), pours dark brown / black with a small beige head. Aroma of loads of caramel, bourbon, oak & chocolate - intensely rich. Flavour of rich roasted malt, heaps of caramel, oak, vanilla, chocolate and wood. Extremely rich and complex with a perfect amount of barrel aged qualities. Extremely rich and well-crafted. Delicious.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Jan 2015
at 00:36
7.3/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle. Opaque black color, big brown head with spider web lacing. Aroma of fruity coffee grounds and cocoa powder. Taste has cocoa and dark coffee. Decent.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Dec 2014
at 18:53
7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Purchased a four pack at Binny’s South Loop location. Great looking pour which displayed a thick tan creamy head on top the black stout. Spotty tan lace across the snifter. Aroma is mill chocolate candy, mild tobacco leaves and moderate roast.
The body is full and the quality I expect from the style. The texture gives a pleasing smooth creamy texture. Flavor is the aromas with the tobacco an underlying hint under the roast, chocolate bar and traces of alcohol. I would love to see how this stout would age in a bourbon barrel. Nice to have gotten a four pack of this, well worth a try. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 10 Nov 2017 at 20:36 - Score: Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8. Original review text: 750 ml bottle. Appearance is black pour, white foamy lacing on the snifter. The flavor is mild chocolate with big oak character in the finish. Mildly dry on the tongue. Heavy, full bodied, velvety smooth over the palate. Heavy on oak but that is what I like about it.
The body is full and the quality I expect from the style. The texture gives a pleasing smooth creamy texture. Flavor is the aromas with the tobacco an underlying hint under the roast, chocolate bar and traces of alcohol. I would love to see how this stout would age in a bourbon barrel. Nice to have gotten a four pack of this, well worth a try. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 10 Nov 2017 at 20:36 - Score: Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8. Original review text: 750 ml bottle. Appearance is black pour, white foamy lacing on the snifter. The flavor is mild chocolate with big oak character in the finish. Mildly dry on the tongue. Heavy, full bodied, velvety smooth over the palate. Heavy on oak but that is what I like about it.
Tried
from Can
on 25 Dec 2014
at 18:30
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Pour is a black with a large tan head. Aroma is roasted malt and chocolate goodness. Flavor is roasted malt, a major sweetness and alcohol is present. Finish has more of the alcohol and sweetness. Tame the sweetness and hide the alcohol better and you may have something here.
Tried
on 20 Dec 2014
at 22:34
8.8/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Howler style.
Black pour, 1" head of tan foam, very good lacing.
Dark, bitter, chocolate and roasted malt in the smell. It *almost* has an oat note or maybe it does. It’s faint.
Dark chocolate in the taste, not overly bitter, nice roasted malt flavour, light sweetness, pretty basic but delicious.
Medium bodied, same for the carbonation.
An all around well brewed Imperial Stout. No barreling required for my enjoyment. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout on 20 Jan 2013 at 07:00 - Score: 9 --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 08 Dec 2018 at 20:24 - Score: Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5. Original review text: On draught at Frontier Brewing and Taproom.
Pours pitch black with a small head of foam that shrinks quickly but leaves a fine layer. Lacing is good.
Bourbon is up front and in your face. Gives a boozy and also fruitiness to the nose. This fresh, the base beer is hard to pull out.
The taste does let the Stout reveal the roasted malt. Bourbon isn't lost in any shuffle. It's there big time. Notes of vanilla and a bit of anise follow.
The body is a bit thin for the style but not too objectionable.
Pleasant drinking experience here.
Black pour, 1" head of tan foam, very good lacing.
Dark, bitter, chocolate and roasted malt in the smell. It *almost* has an oat note or maybe it does. It’s faint.
Dark chocolate in the taste, not overly bitter, nice roasted malt flavour, light sweetness, pretty basic but delicious.
Medium bodied, same for the carbonation.
An all around well brewed Imperial Stout. No barreling required for my enjoyment. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout on 20 Jan 2013 at 07:00 - Score: 9 --- Beer merged from original tick of Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel on 08 Dec 2018 at 20:24 - Score: Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5. Original review text: On draught at Frontier Brewing and Taproom.
Pours pitch black with a small head of foam that shrinks quickly but leaves a fine layer. Lacing is good.
Bourbon is up front and in your face. Gives a boozy and also fruitiness to the nose. This fresh, the base beer is hard to pull out.
The taste does let the Stout reveal the roasted malt. Bourbon isn't lost in any shuffle. It's there big time. Notes of vanilla and a bit of anise follow.
The body is a bit thin for the style but not too objectionable.
Pleasant drinking experience here.
Tried
on 13 Dec 2014
at 11:23