John Courage Russian Imperial Stout

Some years ago, I got a visit at my bars from some self-proclaimed beer geeks associated with one of the beer geek websites who were eager to taste some Surly Darkness. When one of them expressed his lack of enthusiasm for the imperial stout he's heard so much about and just sampled, I wondered what his favorite RIS was, and what about it was missing from Darkness. His reply was John Courage, which I knew to be currently unavailable, and hadn't been brewed in many years, and the flavor he wished he'd tasted was "a little more grape." Yeah, that's what the whole beer world is clamoring for, more grapey imperial stouts.

It seemed like a perfect sketch of the ultimate beer geek, comparing something in the here and now unfavorably against something long gone and unattainable. I thought I'd never get my hands on this legendary stout, when what do you know, I found a bottle, currently brewed by Wells & Youngs. I cracked it open last night, and here are the notes:


Courage Imperial Russian Stout, Vintage 2012. Alc 10% Vol., 9.3 fl. oz. "brewed to perfection only once a year. Enjoy now or age up to 13 years." Clearly, I've chosen now.

Solidly Stygian hue, with a slim cocoa-tan hue, thin but for the center, a creamy nucleas adrift in a sea of black.

Aroma: roasted malt, molasses, char, smoke. Dark, deep, devilish. Even demanding.

Taste: Dark roasted, toasted malt, thick, rich, a little viscous. Dark fruits abounding, fig and raisin, ultimately dry, no sweetness, with minor bitterness, just a touch of hops. A torrent of flavor, wave after wave, depth of taste returning, nothing but darkness, ending dryly. Quite complex, rich and rewarding.

What else does the label say? "Enjoys a rich, espresso body with pear overtones and an intriguing fresh smokey, fruity finish." Don't know about the pear (?), but the rest sounds pretty close. Also, "No. 70, 610 of 210, 000."

Is this truly the original Russian Imperial Stout, or Imperial Russian Stout? I thought that was Le Coq? This one claims it was originally brew in 1795 for Catherine the Great of Russia. Who knows for sure?

It definitely tastes like an original article. Fruity flavors are becoming more prominent through and through, halfway into the bottle. More chocolate, more coffee, more of everything you want from an Imperial Stout, with less of the hops you get from American versions, and much less sweetness. This is almost perfect, actually. Too bad it's so small, rare, and expensive. Alas and alack.

Young's Double Chocolate Stout

So, here I am, looking at old reviews, and shaking my head. This one that I will next share with you will be edited, and you will have no idea how many exclamation points were in the original. In hindsight, even though the letters are not capitalized, it seems like shouting. Somehow, I had no idea while I was writing it, but it does show enthusiasm, which I had in spades for Young's Double Chocolate Stout, and still do, of course.

Young's was one of my favorite English ale breweries way back when, and it's sad to see them absorbed by Wells, with only the brands and beers remaining, though not all of them. It doesn't hold a candle to the current crop of barley-wines, but, boy, did I use to love Young's Old Nick and it's devilish   label, as well as the naughty sounding Dirty Dick's. Their Oatmeal Stout went down my gullet quite often, as well. All three of those are gone, but thank heavens Double Chocolate Stout is still around.

And so, here is my April, 2003 notes with an untold amount of exclamation marks excised:


Color is a solid black, with a large, lush, lovely brown head.

Aroma: soft and creamy, with a subdued cocoa content, sweet and mild.
 On the palate, however, things take a change for the decidedly better.

Niiiiiice, oh, so, nice, with substantial chocolate feeling, although it doesn't actually come in strong at first. At the end of the swallow, there it is, that real chocolate essence. WOW! Ever so tasty, and I'm not even such a chocolate nut, but you've got to give it up, there it is, and it tastes great.

Hops are minimal, here, and malt is king. Texture is smooth, and taste is sublime.

Fully integrated, perfectly balanced, this is one excellent stout, with an inpsired addition of flavor.

The delicious flavor never ever ends after the bottle empties, but the flavor lingers long after.

(By the way, these old notes were written from a bottle, which I preferred over the nitro-can, which was recently released, and I noted that (taken out from this version, with the exclamations) in my original review. The can is what I have now, though, and I am no longer opposed to it, but do still prefer this one without the nitrogen. Also, I thought it would look cool to photograph in mid-cascade.)

Wells Banana Bread Beer

Wells Banana Bread Beer. Alc. by Vol. 5.2%. Malt beverage brewed with bananas and banana flavor added. Looking at notes from my first taste of this, back in March, 2008:


Pour it into a standard pint glass and the aroma of bananas leaps out at you. Clear amber-y color, creamy, off-white, merengue type of head.

Sweet aromatics, all banana & malt. Smells a bit like circus peanuts, a little plastic. But they swear they use real bananas, so I'll believe them.

Taste: Bready malt meets faint banana flavor, light bodied, easy-drinking. Flavor remains with every sip, right up at the front of the tongue, kind of a banana cream pie feel to it.

But all in all, a solid ale. Light in hops, clean, smooth, and slightly sweet. I'm liking this. You drink a few of 'em. And it's oh, so, banana-y...a nice novelty that could turn out to be a regular treat!

Wells Bombardier Ale

As I my or may not have said before, I try to keep comments on my photos to a minimum. This one, I'll explain a little. A new dining room table has been installed, and it faces the window. The window sill is the stomping grounds of one Rollie the Cat. He's just going to be there, it's what he does, he is a cat. I've already lost some glassware to a lack of recognition of that fact. Also, when I take photos at this vantage point at night, you're going to miss some light. That's a problem with this one, and the next one. I righted my wrongs, and corrected my habits, and from now on I'll switch my seat and take the photo against the background of the white wall of the kitchen. So there. Rollie the Cat won't be hanging out there. Enjoy his brief cameo, in this picture of Wells' Bombardier Ale.

Here come the notes:

Well's Bombardier English Premium Ale  ALC By VOL. 5.2%, Drink of England.

Light brown color, clear, creamy toned head, lush and lace-leaving.

Aroma: bready malt aroma, toasty, lightly roasty. a touch of sweetness, hemmed in by hops. 

Taste: dark malts felt first, caramel and toffee flavors emerge ever so, with a touch of fruit, in there, as well. Ripe apple, a slice of cherry. Fully flavored, smooth, and extreme only in drinkability.

There's nothing on the can telling us what style it belongs to, and I have nothing else in front of me, so I can only guess. Brown ale? Mild? A bit of both? (It looks like Beer Advocate.com calls it an ESB.)

Medium bodied, lingering malty finish. Great sessioner. A good ol' drinking beer, when you just want something tasty and wet, and are in no rush to challenge your taste buds. 

thanks to Jordan the Sample Man for the sample, man.