Boaks Monster Mash Russian Imperial Stout

Today I have Monster Mash from Boaks Brewery. Monster Mash is a great name for a Russian Imperial Stout, which is what this beer is. What I find interesting about Russian Imperial Stouts, is that a new comer thinks its a monster Guinness and nothing more (and unless you are a beer geek, and if you are reading this blog you probably are, these same people already think Guinness Stout is high in alcohol). But in reality, I find most Imperial stouts to be fairly sweet, which I like. I prefer sweet stouts to dry stouts any day. I find it very rare to have a dried out Imperial Stout. If you brew, you already know why, but the short and simple of it is that these big beers tend to have a bit more unfermentable sugar and the yeast tends to poop out before fully fermenting the sugars out, giving you a slightly sweeter beer. Granted there are a few more variables to it than that, but that’s the quick over simplified explanation. The overall impression you are looking for in a Russian Imperial Stout is “An intensely flavored, big, dark ale. Roasty, fruity, and bittersweet, with a noticeable alcohol presence. Dark fruit flavors meld with roasty, burnt, or almost tar-like sensations. Like a black barleywine with every dimension of flavor coming into play” Also, you need to consider where the beer was made. American style Imperial Stouts also tend to be more hoppy.

I find the aroma a bit thin, with some mild coffee, deep roast, and a touch of chocolate. There is a spicy hop presence, or a combined hop and alcohol aroma that lends to the appearance of spiciness. In the end I don’t find the aroma to be big, bold, and complex. With some warming and strong swirling I was able to push out some raisin tones, but that was about it. The aroma is good, just not powerful enough. (6 points)

This beer just looks mean. Dark mahogany with some garnet highlights. Opaque except for along the edges, and a very small short lasting head. (2 points)

The flavor is very interesting. When it was cooler, the hop bitterness rang supreme and I found it quite off-putting. There was some stronger coffee and roasted grain in the flavor. The roast almost appeared to add too much of an acidic quality to the beer. However, as I allowed it to warm the beer became much better. The richness of the grains filled out a bit more, there was still some coffee, but the sweetness rounded it out to more of a very dark bittersweet chocolate. The hop bitterness is still there, but does not jump out as much. It does linger long into the finish, but blends in well with the dark chocolate tones. Towards the end the fruity notes of raisin blends with the alcohol giving you a mild boozy feel, almost feels like some forbidden Christmas desert I have never had.  So in the end is it the best tasting Imperial Stout I had? No, but its not the worst either. (13 points)

The mouthfeel is almost perfect. It is creamy, sweet, smooth, and rich. The beer is not cloyingly sweet, so it leaves you ready to drink more. Some mild roasted grain astringency, but that is expected. Carbonation is just right for this style. (5 points)

Overall the beer is quite good, it’s just not awesome. The aroma is nice but I didn’t think it does the beer justice for how big the beer is. The flavor at first was off-putting, but that was partially my fault for serving it too cold. Still, I have to call it like I got it, which will be how most people will get their first few sips. Right out of the fridge. But I promise you, if you let it warm the beer will improve. So don’t pour and drink, give it a few minutes. first.  (7 points)

Overall I gave the beer a 33, which is a pretty good beer. Really, anything in the 30′s or above is a respectable score. A 33 in my book is in the B- to C+ range. I would drink this beer again, and that is what really matters.