Siberian Night Imperial Stout
This brew is a thick inky black that just shows some brown in the light. A nice deep brown head pours well and sits densely on top, leaving some lacing in rings down the glass. As the label says, the roasted, toasted and caramel malts are evident on the nose. Coffee and dark chocolate typical of an RIS are here. There's an underlying sweetness along with the caramel malt as well and a tinge of something else just underneath. The flavor is the same. This is a brew that is a simpler version of those typical to the style, less complex (though certainly not lacking complexity) and very solid. there's a nice underlying bitterness that lingers the whole way to add some balance. The body is full, and there's a thickness and richness that adds character but isn't as powerful as, say, Old Rasputin. This one's as drinkable as any RIS (being a powerful style in itself), though the 9.7% (not 9.0% as stated) hinders the drinkability just a bit.