Jurassian Imperial Stout (Cuvée Alex Le Rouge)
Paid $9.99 for an 11.2 oz bottle from City Beer Store in San Francisco, CA. Poured into a snifter. As written on the bottle: Ingredients: water, barley malts, hops, cane sugar, yeast, Sarawak pepper, Russian tea, Boubon vanilla. This Cuve was created in the honor of the Jurassian revolutionist Alex Le Rogue. Enjoy this wonderful Cuve at about 10-12 Celcius (50-53F), with a crunch of bitter Chocolate or a Cigar. Cuve Alex Le Rogue can be sequestrated for a few years in a cellar. A very small head after an very aggressive pour of this thick brew. Black as night. Lacing coats thick, but falls quickly. Smell is somewhat lacking in strength, especially for a Stout variation. Malts foremost, but hints of dark chocolate and alcohol. Tastes a bit funky. The malts are masked by the complexity of other flavors; leafy hops, some yeast, chery sourness similar to a Flemish Sour and a variety of other flavors I can't really put my finger on. A lot going on, but nothing is triggering the pleasure centers. Full bodied. Thick and creamy. Smooth finish. Mild carbonation. If you are looking to try something different, this may be your ticket, but I guess I'm not too big of a fan. The hefty price tag on this one makes the decision even easier for me in the future.