Midnight Sun Brewing Company
Moscow Russian Imperial Stout (Ale Brewed With Rye)
Russian Imperial Stout
Alaska
11.0%
22oz, Single
$14.99
At first pour the head is thin but then it just slowly escalates close to three fingers in the glass so watch out when you pour, dense, looks like a dark brown murky pond, the lacing is thin and long yet sticks very well. The liquid is the predictable blackest of black, no discernible color and no visible bubbles. The nose is heavy and sluggish, big emphasis on that rye as well as dark chocolate, coffee, milk and toffee crisp, semi-muted plum, fig, date, raisin fruit scents, its relative lack of roastiness allows a floral dimension to bloom, orange zest too, not that complex. Full-bodied, super-creamy texture, however, the booziness adds bite and unsettles overall smoothness. Rum raisin ice cream, chocolate, coffee, the alcohol brings out butterscotch, caramel tones. More roast here, perhaps the rye factors in although on the taste scale it is not dominant. Tar, earth, asphalt as well as dampened campfire smokiness. Light ginger spice and orange citrus, as in the nose it’s all about the rich maltiness. The carbonation has minimal prickle, just helps build that creamy texture. Lingers very nicely, turning pleasingly bitter at the end rather than reaching for maximal sweetness. Drinkable, powerful, just too monochrome to be a benchmark beer.
4 out of 5