North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout: A brew fit for a mad monk
Written: May 03 '01 (Updated Jun 23 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Deeply complex, powerful, high in alcohol. Rich mix of flavors
Cons: Don't plan on doing anything after drinking one.
The Bottom Line: Named after a Mad Monk, brewed in an old whaling town in California. Where's the logic? Sorry that's what this beer does to you. A sensational example of it's kind!
|
|
|
| andaryl's Full Review: North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout |
North Coast Brewing Co. is in Fort Bragg, California, about 150 miles north of San Francisco, in Mendocino County. Fort Bragg was a 19th century whaling point, as referenced by the picture of a whale’s tail on each of the brewery’s labels. The brewery was set up in 1988 in a former mortuary and produces some great beers including Old No. 38 Stout, Red Seal Ale, and Scrimshaw Pilsner. Old Rasputin is probably the best-known offering from this brewery.
Imperial Stout
Imperial stout was originally brewed as a strong porter, and exported from England to Russia between 1780 and 1918. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was said to drink gallons of the stuff daily to ward off the Russian winters. Because it was transported across the Baltic, Russian imperial stout was brewed with a high level of alcohol to avoid freezing.
So who was Rasputin?
I always remember the phrase “The Mad Monk”, but for the rest of the information I had to whip my Encarta CD into the drive.
Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin, was originally born Novykh. The name Rasputin translates as debauchee, and came about as a result of his scandalous sexual exploits as a youth. He quickly became known for his alleged healing powers, and entered high society through spiritualism, exoticism, and popular religion fashionable in some circles around the turn of the 20th century. His relationship with the empress Alexandra and to a lesser extent the emperor Nicholas II, were a key weapon of the government, bent on overturning the monarchy. It has been speculated that no one had a better appreciation for Imperial Stout than Rasputin.
The beer
As a Gold Medal winner at the World Beer Championships in 1996, 97 and 98, Old Rasputin certainly entered the market as emphatically as the man himself. At 8.9% you certainly feel like you’re going to be in for something of a kick. The bottle bears a picture of the long-bearded mystic offering some kind of blessing, or maybe pre-casting his spell on the drinker. Well cheers, Rasp, I’ll give it a go! There’s also a little Russian text, which as a trivial-inquisitive I’d be interested to know more about. Unfortunately I don’t have the tools to insert Russian text into a review.
So once I popped the cap, the first thing I noticed, as with many west coast brews, was the eager initial hop aroma. Once I poured though the aroma took on a different note; a strong burnt maltiness with some caramel, and a hint of hard liquor, maybe whisky, maybe rum, I’m not sure.
The pour itself was pretty uneventful, with very little foam, despite my eagerness to make it do so. The body is black, as black as you’ll see, with a brown stained creamy head. By looks and aroma alone, it seems to prepare you for something a little special.
Now on the palate, it’s not quite as heavy as you’d expect, a little chewy for sure, but more on the medium bodied side. A little carbonation tingles the tongue, but for the most part the mouthfeel is fairly smooth and creamy. The initial flavors are briefly soft and toffee-like, followed by the coffee-like dryness you'd expect from most stouts. The high alcohol does quickly take over, very whisky like in the finish, causing a slightly sour aftertaste. You also get notes of the hops in the finish, which offer a little spiciness to the mix.
If I’d drunk all 4 of these I would probably need the spiritual healing power of Old Rasputin himself by tomorrow morning. Needless to say this is a sipping beer and something to be consumed in small quantities. I would have been perfectly happy with a 6 oz bottle. In fact a mere 12 oz seemed to be affecting me.
Did I mention that I love this beer?
As for the verdict on the beer, I have to say it’s sensational, deeply complex with a strong kick. It’s one of the best beers brewed in the USA, and certainly worth a recommendation. While I say this I don’t think I’ll be rushing to finish the other 3. It’s not an every day beer, more like something I’d like to try every couple of months. If I ever have trouble sleeping though…..
Which brings me to my last point. Forget about food with this beer, but do make sure you don’t drink it on an empty stomach. It’s a nightcap or after dinner drink. It would work well with a little dessert; I had cheesecake, but would also go with a rich chocolate cake or fondue.
If you like this you'll also enjoy a slightly smoother and less dominating Samuel Smith Imperial Stout. There's also a much-acclaimed version from John Smith's/Courage which I have yet to try.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
andaryl
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Member: Andrew Smith
Location: The Desert, So Cal
Reviews written: 219
Trusted by: 175 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2008 Shopping.com, Inc.