Commissar
Real Ale Brewing Company in Blanco, Texas, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Regular|
Score
7.35
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This noble brew evolved from its common cousins, porter and stout, by necessity to endure the long voyage to the Russian royal court. Colossal additions of American hops are used to balance the robust malt character and infuse this ale with their distinctly citrus-like qualities. The Commissar can be consumed now or laid down for further enjoyment. Take some home to share with friends and family at your court.
2015 vintage - 9.8% abv
2015 vintage - 9.8% abv
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7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Aromas are dark malt and roast with hints of coffee, cocoa and molasses. Flavors are similar to nose. A little more sweet then bitter or tart up front with growing sweet at the end. Decent but nothing special.
Tried
from Can
at
Royal Blue Grocery
on 09 Jan 2026
at 03:24
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8.5
Pours dark brown with a tan head. Aroma of roasted malt and anise. Taste is roasted malt, anise, dark chocolate, stone fruit, bit of ash. Nice.
Tried
from Can
from
Central Market - Austin (N Lamar)
on 18 Dec 2025
at 01:54
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Pours very dark. Chocolate roasted malts. The standard program for Ris but really good.
Tried
on 20 May 2025
at 01:33
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
22oz bottle (who's still using these?) pours a murky, dark brown/black with some fluffy grey head. This is straight up and down RIS, malt, toast, some char, some caramel, a little molasses. Flavor's are mostly burnt toast, licorice and caramel. It's balanced. This bottle was listed at 9.8% No one is making this beer anymore.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Jun 2023
at 15:24
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
6 October 2022. At The Dooryard, San Antonio. Shared with the lovely Anke!
A: hazy black, small, foamy, beige head.
A: iodine, band-aid, soy, brandy, rum-soaked raisin.
T: sweet date & fig, chocolate, iodine, herbs.
F: herbal hops, medicinal notes, sourish coffee & citrus even; warming brandy-like alcohol.
P: medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation.
Tasty but not really balanced, too medicinal - perhaps way too young.
A: hazy black, small, foamy, beige head.
A: iodine, band-aid, soy, brandy, rum-soaked raisin.
T: sweet date & fig, chocolate, iodine, herbs.
F: herbal hops, medicinal notes, sourish coffee & citrus even; warming brandy-like alcohol.
P: medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation.
Tasty but not really balanced, too medicinal - perhaps way too young.
Tried
on 03 Nov 2022
at 16:47
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Refrigerated 0.5 L brown bottle poured into a cup. Black with small brown head. Aroma is dark malt, medium/light body, low carbonation, and little lacing. Taste is dark malt and dry finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Mar 2019
at 23:45
7.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle. A- Star anise, roasty. A- Black color, black liquid, light brown head. T- Star anise, roasty, cocoa, mild char. P- Full body, average texture, average carbonation, balanced finish. O- Really solid RIS, especially for the price point. Traditional with lots of black licorice, cocoa, and roasted malt. Traditional and excellence. For the price one of the best RIS's I've had.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Sep 2018
at 22:08
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 8
One more of Real Ale’s fine selection of 22 oz. bombers. My favorite of those? Perhaps. First look is the usual imperial stout darkness, almost jet black but not quite. A pour gives a thin dark brown crest that pretty much disappears. So what about that . The smell is herbal and earthy but not its strong suit. The taste is the set-off. Strong. Chocolate definitely, malt, a good yield of hops, maybe even a hint of citrus. A bit of bitterness afterwards asking you to take another drink. The 9.8% ABV shows itself but does not knock you over. Once again, thanks Real Ale.
Tried
on 04 Dec 2016
at 17:49
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Half pint cask pour at Easy Tiger in Austin, Texas. The pour is dark black with a 1/4 inch khaki head that is quite lasting. The aroma is vanilla caramel malt, roast and a bit of coffee as it warms. The taste is sweet chocolate, along with the vanilla caramel malt. As with the nose, the coffee is there but pretty buried. The palate is heavy bodied with soft natural cask carbonation and a coating mouth feel. Solid.
Tried
from Cask
on 06 Nov 2016
at 08:32
7.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
22oz bottle pours out black topped with a small head. nose is light roast malty pit fruit pine some odd metallic notes. Taste is pine hops roast malts some sweetness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Apr 2016
at 21:25